Using Course Syllabi to Foster Learner-

CenterednessThe Academic Leader’s Role in

Shifting Paradigms

Today’s Presentation. . .

Introduction: Make the case for shifting paradigms

a. Why we must shift b. The role of academic leaders in bringing

about change

Today’s Presentation. . .

Part 2: The Practice: a. Thinking of course syllabi as datab. Conducting the Assessment

Today’s Presentation

Closing the Feedback Loop. a. Using the data to foster changeb. Repeat process over time to monitor progress

PART I: SHIFTING PARADIGMSThe Case for Change

Pressures for Change

• Public outcry for accountability• Rapid changes in new knowledge• Demographic changes• Industry and market changes

Higher Education Responds

• Attempts to become transparent• Attempts to become accountable• Focus on Scholarship of Teaching• Pedagogical shift toward “learner-

centeredness”

Higher Education Responds

“While institutions have been working diligently on figuring out what their students should be learning and whether they are, in fact, learning, it is not clear whether all the individual efforts are adding up to much.”

Steven D. Crow, the departing president of the HLC

Incremental change isn’t enough

Need strategy to realign Institutional rhetoric with institutional behaviors

Many individual efforts but what is needed is a comprehensive strategy

Why Shift Paradigms?

The values of our paradigm dictateOur Decision-makingOur ProcessesHow and what we rewardOur institutional values

Instructional Paradigm

The Instructional Paradigm runs counter to our efforts to respond• These practices are inconsistent with the

needs of today’s workplace• These pedagogical practices are not based on

research• These values almost preclude change

Learner-Centered Paradigm

Learner-Centered Paradigm is consistent with our goals

• L-C practices are consistent with the needs of today’s workplace

• L-C pedagogical practices are based on research on learning and how the brain works

• L-C values almost foster growth and change

What will it take to make the shift?

Leading and Teaching

In the same way that teaching faculty have been reevaluating their practices to be consistent with the new paradigm, we need to begin reevaluating our leadership practices outside the classroom in order to create a true learner-centered institutional environment.

Four-Part Framework for Change

1. Examine existing processes so you recognize how they are dictated by the instructional paradigm

2. Realign processes to be consistent with the values of the learner-centered paradigm

3. Use assessment and evaluation to drive changes

4. Model the way

What we offer today

Apply this framework to guiding professional development

1. Briefly show how our typical approach to professional development is guided by the instructional paradigm

2. Realign our practice with the new paradigm3. Provide an assessment practice to drive change4. Offer suggestions for modeling the way, being the

designer of a learner-centered approach

Assessing for Learner-Centeredness

The practice we will present is consistent with the learner-centered paradigm

Based on AssessmentFosters continuous improvement, aka

learningCollaborative by design

Assessment Practice

1.Review course syllabi in aggregate looking for three key features of a learner-centered approach (community, shared power, assessment/evaluation)

2.Achieve consistency by using rubric3.Look for trends across syllabi that point to

departmental/unit norms4.Use results to guide professional development

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM COURSE SYLLABI?

Part II: Assessment Rational

Why Course Syllabi

• Data collection is routine• Syllabi give insight to pedagogical approaches

and teaching philosophy• Syllabi typically change over time

Individual Faculty Review

• Conception of Course• Evaluation of Students• Pedagogical Strategies• Conformation with policies

Syllabus is generally considered a standard document for evaluation of individual faculty.

Review in Aggregate

• Conformation with policies• Departmental

Standards/norms• Pedagogical Strategies• Degree of Learner-

Centeredness

Syllabi in aggregate can yield information about department or unit

Transition slide to rubric

• Three criteria are the three criteria identified for learner-centered pedagogy. The rubric will help you to identify the degree of this learner-centered features in the pedagogical practices in your department.

Three Rubric Criteria

• Community

• Shared Power

• Assessment/Evaluation

#1: Why is Community Important?

• Individuals learn more through collaboration than by independent learning

• Relevance enhances learning• Fear inhibits learning

Identifying Community

Creating and maintaining a climate conducive to learning

Teacher displays trust in studentsTeacher fosters collaboration and cooperation

among studentsTeacher makes learning relevant

#2: Why Shared Power?

• Intrinsic motivation to learn is affected by an individual’s personal interests and choice

• Perceived loss of control adversely affects academic performance.

• Even minor opportunities for choice increase sense of control over learning

Indentifying Shared Power/Control

• Language, use of pronouns, syntax• Emphasis on policy• Opportunities for choice/selection• Alternatives offered

#3: Why Assessment & Evaluation?

Grades Learning

“Learner-Centered teaching abandons tacit assumptions about automatic learning. Evaluation is used to generate grades and to promote learning.”Maryellen Weimer, Learner-Centered Teaching p. 119

Grades and Learning

• Grades are not precise outcomes measures• Grades are not objective• Grades do not necessarily promote “deep

learning”• Grades ARE great motivators

Assessment & Evaluation

Assessment• Formative in nature• Monitor ongoing learning• Ungraded

Evaluation• Summative in nature• Determine if learning

outcomes have been reached

• Graded

What you can find in Syllabi

Excerpts on Attendance Policies1. You will attend class regularly2. Each semester I fail students for not attending class. Don’t be one

of them.3. Attendance is mandatory.4. Effort and engagement are two of several factors that are part of

the “discretionary” percentage of your final grade. Therefore I will take attendance daily to monitor your effort and engagement.

5. Attending class regularly is the best way to succeed in this class. Research has shown that the single most important factor in student success is attendance. Simply put, going to class greatly increases your ability to succeed. In order to support your ability to succeed, I have made attendance a factor in your final grade. This should be the easiest outcome for you to achieve in this class.

6. As a class we will negotiate an attendance policy for this semester.

Grading Policy 1

Students are responsible for keeping track of their own grades. Grades are not posted anywhere nor are they given or discussed over the telephone or via email to anyone. I do not discuss or negotiate grades. Students are expected to monitor their own grades and to know what their grade in the course at any given date is without consulting me.

Grading Policy 2

Assignments in this course will not be graded in the typical “point” fashion. Instead, you will simply be graded as pass/fail on each assignment. The number of assignments that you pass will determine your course grade.

(see attached description of letter grade equivalencies)

From Grunert, Millis, Cohen The Course Syllabus: A Learner-Centered Approach pp. 99-100.

Participation Expectations: 1

This course has a participation grade component which is made up of an engagement component. Points will be regularly deducted for students’ lack of participation. Only insightful commentary and correctly answered questions will result in gaining participation points.

Participation Expectations 2Peer reviews will be assessed for

thoughtfulness, and your attention to clearly identifying problems and suggesting solutions.. . If your peer review. . . Offers no constructive advice, you will receive 50% of possible points because you have only done half your job. Substantive and important criticism is a unique and thoughtful service that you can provide your classmates and to others as you continuer in your careers.

From Grunert, Millis, Cohen The Course Syllabus: A Learner-Centered Approach pp. 94-95.

Some Key Features of Learner-Centered Syllabi:

Defining Learning OutcomesDetermining Students’ involvement with outside resourcesChunking information so student understands the organization/rationale for course informationTying Assignments to Learning Outcomes

From The Course Syllabus: A Learning-Centered Approach (Second Edition)by Judith Grunert O’Brien, Barbara J. Millis and Margaret W. Cohen

How do we measure these criteria?

Rubric

• Full rubric slide here

Community

Accessibility of teacher

Available for prescribed number of office hours only; discourages interaction except in class or for emergency.

Available for prescribed number of office hours; provides phone and email but discourages contact.

Available for more than prescribed number of office hours; offers phone, email, fax, home phone; encourages interaction.

Available for multiple office hours, multiple means of access including phone (s), email, fax; holds open hours in locations other than office (e.g. library or union); encourages interaction.

Learning Rationale No rational provided for assignments or activities.

Explanation of assignments and activities but not tied directly to learning outcomes.

Rational provided for assignments and activities; tied to learning outcomes.

Rational provided for assignments, activities, methods, policies and procedures; tied to learning outcomes.

Collaboration Collaboration prohibited

Collaboration discouraged

Collaboration incorporated; use of groups for work and study.

Collaboration required; use of groups for class work, team projects; encourages students to learn from one another.

Community 1 2 3 4

Shared Power & ControlPower & Control 1 2 3 4

Teacher Role No shared power. Rules are written as directives; numerous penalties; no flexibility in interpretation; not accommodating to differences.

No shared power; while teacher is ultimate authority, some flexibility is included for policies and procedures; some accommodation for differences among students.

Limited shared power; Students may be offered some choice in types of assignments or weight of assignments or due dates.

Shared Power. Teacher encourages students to participate in developing policies and procedures for class as well as input on trading, due dates, and assignments.

Student Role Student is told what he or she is responsible for learning. Teacher is primary source of knowledge.Teacher is primary source of knowledge.

Student is told what he o she is responsible for learning but encouraged to go beyond minimum to gain reward.

Student is given responsibility for presenting material to class. Some projects rely on student generated knowledge.

Students take responsibility for bringing additional knowledge to class via class discussion or presentation.

Syllabus Focus Focus is on policies and procedures. No discussion of learning or outcomes

Weighted toward policy and procedures with some reference to content covered.

Includes course objectives. Balance between policies and procedures and focus on learning.

Syllabus weighted toward student learning outcomes and means of assessment; policies are minimal or left to class negotiation.

Evaluation/Assessment 1 2 3 4

Grades Focus is on losing points; grades used to penalize.

Emphasizes the accumulation of points disassociated from learning performance.

Grades are tied directly to learning outcomes; students have some options for achieving points.

Grades are tied to learning outcomes; option for achieving points; not all work is graded.

Feedback Mechanisms Mid-term and Final test grades only. Students not allowed to see or to retain copies of tests.

Mid-term and Final test grades with minimal other graded work. Tests not cumulative. Students may see but not retain copies of tests.

Grades and other feedback in the form of non-graded assignments, activities, opportunities to conference with teacher.

Periodic feedback mechanisms employed for the purpose of monitoring learning (lecture response slips, non graded quizzes, graded quizzes, tests, papers, SGID or other feedback on learning.

Evaluation Tests (not comprehensive)

Tests, quizzes and other summative evaluation.

Summative and formative evaluation, written work required. Self evaluation included but not counted in final grade.

Summative and formative evaluations including written and oral presentations, group work, self evaluation and peer evaluation.

Learning Outcomes No outcomes stated Goals for course stated but not in the form or learning outcomes

Learning outcomes clearly stated

Learning outcomes stated and are tied to specific assessments.

Revision/Redoing No rewriting or redoing of assignments allowed

Some rewriting or redoing of assignments is allowed, but penalized.

Rewriting and redoing of assignments is allowed

Rewriting and redoing of assignments is encouraged.

CONDUCTING THE ASSESSMENTPart III

Sample Syllabus: Humanities 101Community 1 2 3 4

Accessibility of teacher

Learning rationale

Collaboration

Power & Control

Teacher role

Student role

Syllabus focus

Evaluation/Assessment

Grades

Feedback Mechanisms

Evaluation

Learning Outcomes

Revision/Redoing

Sample Syllabus :Humanities 101Community 1 2 3 4

Accessibility of teacher x

Learning rationale x

Collaboration x

Power & Control

Teacher role x

Student role x

Syllabus focus x

Evaluation/Assessment

Grades x

Feedback Mechanisms x

Evaluation x

Learning Outcomes x

Revision/Redoing x

Sample Syllabus: Community 1 2 3 4

Accessibility of teacher

Learning rationale

Collaboration

Power & Control

Teacher role

Student role

Syllabus focus

Evaluation/Assessment

Grades

Feedback Mechanisms

Evaluation

Learning Outcomes

Revision/Redoing

Sample Syllabus: Community 1 2 3 4

Accessibility of teacher

Learning rationale

Collaboration

Power & Control

Teacher role

Student role

Syllabus focus

Evaluation/Assessment

Grades

Feedback Mechanisms

Evaluation

Learning Outcomes

Revision/Redoing

Unit ACommunity 1 2 3 4

Accessibility of teacher 0% 40% 60% 0%

Learning rationale 0% 100% 0% 0%

Collaboration 0% 0% 50% 50%

Power & Control

Teacher role 50% 50% 0% 0%

Student role 0% 90% 10% 0%

Syllabus focus 0% 100% 0% 0%

Evaluation/Assessment

Grades 0% 0% 100% 0%

Feedback Mechanisms 0% 0% 10% 90%

Evaluation 0% 10% 10% 80%

Learning Outcomes 0% 0% 10% 90%

Revision/Redoing 0% 20% 80% 0%

Unit BCommunity 1 2 3 4

Accessibility of teacher 7% 40% 53% 0%

Learning rationale 7% 67% 26% 0%

Collaboration 7% 53% 33% 7%

Power & Control

Teacher role 33% 60% 7% 0%

Student role 33% 60% 7% 0%

Syllabus focus 33% 53% 14% 0%

Evaluation/Assessment

Grades 26% 67% 7% 0%

Feedback Mechanisms 0% 93% 7% 0%

Evaluation 0% 67% 33% 0%

Learning Outcomes 26% 67% 7% 0%

Revision/Redoing 7% 67% 26% 0%

USING THE DATAPart IV: Completing the Feedback Loop

Option #1

Present the compiled data and use as a starting point for discussion

Option #2

Give the rubric to faculty to use with their own analysis

Option #3

Give rubric to individuals to use on their own

Option #4

Use rubric as starting point for discussion; how might the unit/dept. modify it to fit their own goals?

• Compare different departments

• Look over time to see if there is change

• Could be part of strategic goals

• Provide professional development but assess and take action on a unit level

DISCUSSIONPart V