Sample Syllabus: Required and Recommended Elements

Transcription

1 1 Sample Syllabus: Required and Recommended Elements A syllabus is a document where the instructor s creativity and expertise should be allowed full play. It is also a document that establishes the contract for a given class. A good syllabus will contain language that will reduce the incidence of grade challenges or other areas of potential instructor/student conflict. The following Sample Syllabus contains examples found in existing Syllabi of courses taught by Shasta College faculty as well as others elsewhere in the state. The examples are intended to show not only what topics and subtopics are recommended but specific information that may be included under these topics and subtopics. Items indicated with an * may be required by various statutes: accreditation standards, faculty contract language, or Title V. 1. Course and Instructor Information (Recommended) This may include the following: Title of course Course number, semester, credit hours Class meeting times Instructor s name Office location, office phone number (faculty teaching from one of the Extended Education campuses may list the respective campus phone number and office location) Office hours address For online classes, instructor could specify contact preferences. Optional: course section. ITV courses may include location and origination site Syllabus EDUC 101: Basic Syllabus Construction Course and instructor information: Instructor: Dr. Ima Maestro Classroom: Room 888 Office: Room 987 Office hours: M-F 11-noon (or any time by appointment) Phone: imaestro@shastacollege.edu (best way to contact instructor) 2. Catalog Description (* Required) The course catalog description can be found on the most current Course Outline of record, which in turn can be found on CurricuNet at (For this and all other

2 references to CurricuNet, simply go to the Course Outline Report, labled WR. Login is not required to access CurricuNet.) Include any advisories, pre-requisites, or co-requisites. For challenging classes with no prerequisites, consider adding a note to this section that puts the responsibility of staying enrolled on the student. Please note: As a student enrolled in this course, it is YOUR responsibility to judge whether or not you have the skills to succeed. Although this course has no pre-requisites or advisories, each student must carefully assess their own skill level, particularly in the areas of using a computer and a computer-based software program, as well as essay writing. Assistance in the areas of computer programs, writing, math, etc. are available (and free of charge) at tutoring centers on campus for all students. Please be proactive and ask for assistance early! 2 3. Course Objectives (* Required) The most current course objectives for the course also appear on the Course Outline of record, found on CurricuNet at 4. Student Learning Outcomes (* Required) The most current student learning outcomes for the course can be found on CurricuNet at Simply state the outcome(s) that will be assessed in the course (these will be under Step 1 ), not the assessment method. Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to identify the differences between a perpetual and physical inventory system. If the SLO is simply one of the course objectives, label it as such when you list the course objectives above. Course objectives: Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to A. Explain the importance of significant intellectual and artistic accomplishments and the people involved during this period of history ( Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, Dante Leonardo da Vinci, Homer). B. Assess the influence of economic factors on this period of history ( Fall of the Roman Empire, the plague). C. Evaluate the importance of religion and spiritual thought during this period of history ( Judaism, Islam, and Christianity). [Note: this is the designated Student Learning Outcome for the course] D. Distinguish the geographic and ecological influences on this period of history ( Decline of Ephesus due to forest depletion).

3 3 5. Assigned and Recommended Texts and Materials (* Required) Indicate any of the following for your course: Textbooks (titles, authors, editions, ISBN s). (You can link to these directly via MyShasta) Course materials (binders, spiral notebooks, dictionaries, calculator, etc) Readings or other resources such as DVDs, CDs, etc. (titles, required or optional, where to locate the resources) Your class website Location of reserve copies, if available. (These are listed in the Shasta College library catalog: Log on information to the college LMS Information on any required access code fees 6. Statement of Instructional Methods (Recommended) Give a sense of how the class will be conducted, what a typical week will be like, what sorts of teaching methodologies will be used (eg., lecture, group discussions, guest speakers, field trips, etc.). This course will involve both lecture and guided discussion. We may view various video materials and will take at least one field trip. A typical week will involve pages of reading, an online quiz, a class discussion, and in-class collaborative work. Various homework assignments will be due approximately every other week, and a paper will be due every 4-6 weeks. There is a final exam. 7. Course Content (Recommended) The course content is listed in the Course Outline available on CurricuNet at You may present all of the course content listed there or simply a summarized version. The intent is to give the student a wider sense of what subject matter the course will be covering. 8. Grading Policies (* Required) Your grading system must be measurable and well-defined, and it should include a breakdown of the grade and any grading-specific policies.

4 4 Grade Overview: Students will complete seven assignments to satisfy the requirements for this course: Essay 1 (2 page) Quiz (Chapters 1-10) Essay 2 (5 page) Quiz (Chapters 11-23) Oral Presentation (5-7 minutes) Final Exam Portfolio TOTAL 25% 250 points 25% 250 points 100% 1000 points To earn an A, you must earn 900 points and score an A on either Essay 2 or the Final Exam; to earn a B, you must earn 800 points and score an A on either Essay 2, or the Final Exam. Etc. Paper submission guidelines: Once you ve finished your essay, send it to me as a Word attachment via . In the Subject line, write your last name, first initial, and the essay you re submitting e.g., #1. Within one week s time, you ll get your essay back via with a grade and comments. If this is the first version of the essay, revise and edit according to the comments and then resubmit the essay for your final grade. If you have questions or just need to talk through an idea, please don t hesitate to pick up the phone and give me a call or drop me an . I m always happy to chat with you about your work. How online discussions are graded: To receive full credit for each week s online discussion, post a response (4 points) to the weekly prompt by Thursday of each week and at least two replies (3 points each) to your classmates by the following Monday. For these three discussion postings, they should be on topic and go beyond simply I agree type answers. 9. Classroom Policies (* Required) Clearly articulate course policies on issues like participation and student conduct in the class, and tie these in with college policies as well. Missed Quizzes, Exams, Writing Responses, etc.: All quizzes will be taken in class, at the beginning of class. If you miss a quiz because of absence or because you are not there when it is handed out, you may not re-take it. If you are unable to take the Final Exam at the scheduled date and time, contact your instructor at least two weeks in advance to schedule an alternate take date. Writing Responses will not be accepted late. However, if you have to miss class, you may submit your Writing Response via provided you do it by the day and time it s due.

5 Cellphones, etc.: As a courtesy to your fellow students and instructor, please turn off all cellphones for the duration of class. If you respond to a phone in class, you will be asked to leave the class for the remainder of the meeting; furthermore, you will not receive participation credit for the day. If there is some pressing issue that requires you to have your phone on, please set your phone to vibrate, inform the instructor, and leave the class if you have to take a call. Attendance/Lateness: The Shasta College Course Catalog states that students are expected to attend all classes. Success in the course is dependent upon attendance; attending a class means arriving on time, coming back to class promptly from breaks, and staying for the entire class period. Any missed class sessions may affect your performance. Please be aware the instructor may drop a student after the no record drop deadline (approximately 25% of the term) and before the W drop deadline (approximately 75% of the term) for excessive absences. Nevertheless, it is always the student s responsibility to officially drop or withdraw from the class. 5 Contacting the instructor: Your instructor makes it a priority to respond to s, questions, and phone messages in a prompt manner. You can expect a reply within by the next business day when you submit a question; usually you will hear back within 24 hours if you attempt to contact your instructor Monday - Thursday. Your instructor typically checks in the afternoons most weekdays. Class participation: Participation in class involves coming to class regularly and in a timely fashion, demonstrating an interest in the reading material, and sharing insights with others in class discussions. It counts for 10% of the class grade. If you miss more than three classes, you will score no higher than 50% on your participation grade. Being disruptive in class may results in zero participation credit for that day. For online classes, consider adding a phrase about dropping students for non-participation. For example, Students who fail to log into the course and participate in required activities for two consecutive weeks may be dropped from the course. Or, Any student who cannot log into the course for an extended amount of time must contact their instructor at least 1 week prior to the absence in order to make arrangements to complete assignments early. 10. College Policies (* Required) Reference school policies on dropping classes, academic honesty, student conduct, and disability services. Guests and children: Only authorized persons are allowed in the classrooms. College liability coverage does not extend to guests or children and thus they are not allowed in the classroom.

6 6 Academic Honesty: According to the Shasta College Student Handbook and the Shasta College Catalog, there are a number of unauthorized behaviors that violate the campus academic honesty policy. Each student should become familiar with the policy. Failure to acknowledge the work of other scholars constitutes an egregious breach of ethics and is a violation of civil law. You must, in all cases, do your own work, acknowledge sources, and document them appropriately. Otherwise, disciplinary sanctions will be applied. If you have any questions about plagiarism, please do not hesitate to contact me. In other words, cheating of any sort will not be tolerated and will result in an F for the assignment, quiz, or exam, and the case may be reported to the Student Services. Student Conduct and Discipline: In accordance with the Student Code of Conduct (Board Policy 5500), students are expected to obey all California State laws and all Federal laws that pertain to behavior on a college campus. Shasta College s jurisdiction and discipline shall be limited to conduct that occurs on Shasta College premises or that is related to school activities. Any student found to have committed misconduct is subject to the disciplinary sanctions outlined in Board Policy, Section Academic accommodations imposed by a disability: If you feel that you will need academic accommodations in this class due to limits imposed by a disability then contact the office of Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) ( ) to make the necessary arrangements. It is the student s responsibility to provide documentation that verifies the disability and the type of limitations that may result. The DSPS office has been delegated the authority to, 1) evaluate that documentation and determine if it is sufficient to justify accommodations, 2) determine which accommodations are appropriate, and 3) facilitate the provision of approved accommodations. Dropping: If a student misses two consecutive weeks of class or more it may be assumed they are no longer interested in the course. School policy notes that these students may be dropped by the instructor either on census day or via the instructor initiated drop process. Nevertheless, if the student decides to stop attending, it is always the student s responsibility to officially drop or withdraw from the class. 11. Tentative Course Sequence (Recommended) Here it is helpful to give students both a sense of major assignment due dates as well as a breakdown, as far as this is possible, of what students will be doing from week to week, or even from day to day. Major assignment due dates (subject to change): Feb. 15 Essay 1 (2 page) Feb. 22 Quiz (Chapters 1-10) Mar. 19 Essay 2 (5 page) Mar. 26 Quiz (Chapters 11-23) Apr Oral Presentation (5-7 minutes) May 18, 2-3:50 p.m. Final Exam May 18, 2:00 p.m. Portfolio

7 7 Tentative class schedule: Day Date Readings and Assignments Thurs. Jan. 19 Introduction to course and instructor Introduction to writing about literature Unit 1 * * Introduction to the short story Tues. Jan. 24 Before class Tuesday: Read Alexie, p. 247 In class Tuesday: Quiz #1 on the Alexie story above; quiz administered at beginning of class. If you show up late you may not take the quiz. Review of MLA format Thurs. Jan. 26 Before class Thursday: Read A Rose for Emily by Faulkner, p. 33 In class Thursday: Turn in Writing Response #1 on reading above (assignment in Copy Pack) Review of Paper 1 (Short Story Paper) assignment Approved by the Academic Senate on Mar. 12, 2012