Designing a Motivational Syllabus

Creating a Learning Path for Student Engagement

Christine Harrington, Melissa Thomas

• Publisher: Stylus Publishing
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781620366271
• Topic: Éducation
• Subtopic: Études supérieures

A thoughtfully constructed syllabus can be transformative for your students' learning, communicating the path they can take to succeed. This book demonstrates how, rather than being a mundane document to convey policies, you can construct your syllabus to be a motivating resource that conveys a clear sense of your course's learning goals, how students can achieve those goals, and makes evident your teaching philosophy and why you have adopted the teaching strategies you will use, such as discussion or group activities. Developing or revising a syllabus also presents you with a perfect opportunity to review the learning possibilities for the semester. Well-designed, it can help you stay focused on achieving the learning outcomes, as well as determine if the class is on track and whether adjustments to the schedule are needed. The authors show how, by adopting a welcoming tone and clearly stating learning outcomes, your syllabus can engage students by explaining the relevance of your course to their studies, create an all-important positive first impression of you as an instructor, and guide students through the resources you will be using, the assignments ahead, as well as clear guidance on how they will be assessed. Referred to frequently as the course progresses, an effective syllabus will keep students engaged and on task.Christine Harrington and Melissa Thomas lead you through all the elements of a syllabus to help you identify how to present key messages and information about your course, think through the impressions you want to create, and, equally importantly, suggest how you can use layout and elements such as images and charts to make your syllabus visually appealing and easy to navigate.

THERE ARE MANY REASONS to think very strategically about your course syllabus. Researchers have found that strong course design has been linked to positive outcomes such as increased student satisfaction, retention, and achievement of student learning outcomes in college (Rienties & Toetenel, 2016; Stewart, Houghton, & Rogers, 2012). In addition, student engagement and motivation have long been linked to higher levels of achievement at the college and university level (Walker, Greene, & Mansell, 2006; Waschull, 2005). As Goodman and colleagues (2011) discovered, students who have higher levels of motivation are more likely to exert more effort on tasks, which in turn leads to higher levels of academic achievement. Knowing the important connection between motivation and achievement, faculty constantly try different teaching and learning techniques aimed at increasing student engagement and motivation. One very powerful and often overlooked motivational tool is the course syllabus.

When professors use the syllabus as a vehicle to share their passion for their discipline and their desire for students to be successful, students become much more excited about the course and learning new content and skills. In other words, the positive energy generated by the faculty member about the course can be contagious. For example, professors can communicate why the course content matters and the benefit of learning the knowledge and skills described in the course learning outcomes. Similarly, when professors use the syllabus to clearly map out a learning path for their students and identify meaningful assignments and learning activities designed to help students achieve the course learning outcomes, students can immediately see the value of learning tasks. Students appreciate it when faculty provide details about the learning tasks and their value, perceiving both the course and the professor in a more positive manner when details mapping out the learning path are provided (Harrington & Gabert-Quillen, 2015).

As the syllabus is typically presented on the first day of class, or sometimes even prior to the start of the semester, it is the first opportunity faculty have to set the stage for future student success. As students begin a new semester, they often experience a variety of emotions. For instance, students may be excited about a new, fresh start and look forward to the learning journey. However, students may also be apprehensive and unsure of what this new learning experience will be like for them. A motivational syllabus that maps out the learning path can foster positive emotions and engagement right from the start of the semester. In other words, the syllabus can set the tone for the positive learning experience that will take place throughout the semester.

Developing or revising a syllabus is also an excellent opportunity for faculty to get excited or reenergized about the course. Thinking seriously about the learning possibilities for the semester can be a very engaging experience for faculty. Taking time out prior to the start of the semester to carefully consider what types of learning activities and tasks will best assist students with achieving the course learning outcomes is time well spent. In addition to this being a motivating task for faculty, creating or redesigning a syllabus is also a planning opportunity. Mapping out the learning path for students will save faculty time throughout the course of the semester. When a well-developed plan has been outlined in the syllabus, faculty will be able to devote their time to implementing effective teaching practices and working with students on an individual basis rather than focusing energy on issues related to course design and assignment development. Perhaps the most rewarding part of a redesigned syllabus that motivates and clearly maps out the learning path is that students will be more likely to achieve at high levels. There is nothing more rewarding than watching students grow and excel!

Unfortunately, many faculty see preparing the syllabus as a mundane ritualistic task of itemizing rules, expectations, and due dates that must be followed or completed each semester rather than as an exciting opportunity to map out the path of learning for students. Because faculty members have numerous responsibilities, of which teaching may not even be the primary focus, many faculty approach the task of revising a syllabus as a clerical one, primarily changing the due dates to reflect the current semester. Some faculty may perceive that they do not have much control over the content and design of the syllabus, as there may be departmental or institutional templates that must be used. As a result, faculty may overlook the importance of this document or view the purpose of this document in a very narrow way, primarily focusing on the syllabus as a document that communicates expectations.

In addition, many faculty view the syllabus primarily as an agreement or as a contractual vehicle to communicate policies. When faculty focus on policies, this can result in a syllabus that has a legalese feel to it. In other words, the syllabus becomes a long list of dos and don’ts rather than a document that focuses on course value, goals, and activities (Wasley, 2008). Rubin (1988) referred to those who create syllabi with a long list of rules about topics such as missing class and turning in work late as “scolders.” Scolders view the syllabus as a legal document, a contract of sorts that students latch onto so they can follow the rules of the course. Rubin (1988) also discovered, when working on general education requirements at the University of Maryland, another type of syllabi writers: the “listers.” The listers are those faculty members who are trapped into an even older meaning of the syllabus, merely listing readings or topics in some order that is apparent only to them, the syllabus writers.

Reconceptualized as a motivational tool, the syllabus can be an extremely useful resource for students and an opportunity for faculty to think critically about the course as a whole. Faculty can use the syllabus to map out the learning path for students and as a mechanism to start building a learning community within the course. When faculty create a new syllabus, or revise an existing syllabus, it is the perfect opportunity to step back and reflect on the purpose of the syllabus and how to make the most of this important resource. In essence, the syllabus can be used as a motivational course design tool, communicating to students the goals of the course and the path students can take to meet with success. When faculty view the syllabus as a potential tool to enhance the learning experience in terms of motivation, communication, accountability, and curriculum mapping, the end product will be one that will best serve students and faculty. In other words, the syllabus needs to be thought of not as a set of rules and expectations but rather as the foundational document that sets the stage for student success and acts as a planning tool for faculty.

HISTORY OF THE SYLLABUS

The purpose and use of the syllabus has evolved over time. In the seventeenth century, a syllabus was basically a table or index in a book. In the eighteenth century, the term syllabus entered the academic realm and became a list of subjects or lectures to be covered in a course (Snyder, 2010). At the turn of the twentieth century, the syllabus became more comprehensive and longer in nature, in part due to the proliferation of photocopying machines in the 1960s that made them easier to reproduce (Snyder, 2010).

One of the most significant shifts related to the content and structure of syllabi was seen in the 1980s when teaching theorists touted the syllabus as a powerful teaching tool, adding many of the conventional elements that we see today, such as learning outcomes (Wasley, 2008). Since that time, teaching and learning professionals have been advocating that the syllabus could be much more than a simple overview of the course, arguing that students would benefit from a syllabus that had more extensive information on assignments, expectations, and resources related to the course. Ganon (2016) and Matejka and Kurke (1994), for instance, suggested that in addition to communicating expectations, the syllabus could also be used as a planning tool or cognitive map for the course. Others have argued that the syllabus could also be used to encourage, guide, and support students (Grunert O’Brien, Millis, & Cohen, 2008; Palmer, Wheeler, & Aneece, 2016).

SYLLABUS AS CONTRACT METAPHOR

One of the most commonly held beliefs about the syllabus is that it is a contract between the professor and the student. But a syllabus is not, in fact, an enforceable contract, as several court cases have concluded (e.g., Collins v. Grier, 1983; Gabriel v. Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences–Vermont Campus, 2012; Miller v. MacMurray College, 2011, as cited in Kauffman, 2014). Kauffman (2014) reiterated that a contract is an agreement, but not every agreement is a contract. A contract must have consideration before it is enforceable, and there is nothing a student gives to a faculty member to constitute consideration (Kauffman, 2014). Consideration is the benefit that each party gains from a contract, such as when you pay for an item at a garage sale and the seller gains money. Many in higher education are tempted to say that the student pays for an education and the faculty member gains a salary, but that contract is between the university and the student and the university and the faculty member, not between the faculty member and the student. In addition, if liability is the legal concern, then the only liability on a faculty member would be if his or her “conduct is alleged to be arbitrary or capricious or to constitute bad faith” (Collins v. Grier, 1983, as cited in Kauffman, 2014). It follows that the syllabus should set up a classroom environment that is fair and equitable to all students, should have clearly stated policies and procedures, and should be honest and not misleading. The biggest takeaway from this discussion is that the syllabus has been challenged on legal grounds that it acts as a contract, and to date the syllabus has not been found in courts to be a legally enforceable contract between a faculty member and a student.

Some faculty who view the syllabus as a contract ask their students to sign the syllabus, indicating that they have read and agree to the expectations described. Slattery and Carlson (2005) noted that this practice was even highlighted as a best practice in the literature. However, having students sign the syllabus as if it were a contract is no longer being touted as an exemplar practice because of the tone it sets for the class.

Beyond the fact that a syllabus has not been treated as a contract in our legal system, the “syllabus as a contract” metaphor has negative consequences. Wasley (2008) stated, “A syllabus bloated with legalese and a laundry list of dos and don’ts have turned the teacher–student relationship into an adversarial one” (para. 10). In essence, a long list of rules sends the message that you believe your students are going to engage in inappropriate actions, so it is your job to communicate the rules and potential consequences for breaking them. Although rules and policies are important, Singham (as cited in Wasley, 2008) stated that focusing on rules and policies “turns the classroom into a quasi-courtroom, with students and professors on opposing sides” (para. 48). This goes against everything we think the relationship should be between a student and a professor and has the potential to start the course on a negative tone even before the first class meeting.

Communicating expectations in a more positive way results in better outcomes. Littlefield (1999, as cited in Slattery & Carlson, 2005), for example, found that students were more likely to remember information in a warm, student-friendly syllabus compared to a less student-friendly syllabus. Relatedly, Palmer and colleagues (2016) found, “When students read a learning-focused syllabus, they have significantly more positive perceptions of the document itself, the course described by the syllabus, and the instructor associated with the course” (p. 44). The learning-focused syllabi in this study had a positive, inviting tone, especially in the policy and expectation section. One example of positively stated policy information is “Once in class, it is expected that students will be attentive, including taking notes, and that students will show respect to their classmates and the instructor” (Palmer et al., 2016, p. 41). Another example of a positively stated policy can be found in the Appendix, which contains a sample syllabus. The academic integrity policy in the “Important Policy Information” section on page 157 begins by stating, “All students are expected to engage in academically honest work” and then goes on to talk about the importance and benefits of academic integrity. This contrasts with other syllabi that have a more negative approach, focusing on behaviors students need to avoid and the consequences for not doing so. Perry (2014) added, “Using the business model of a contract gets in the way of learning” (para. 3), and we couldn’t agree more. The contract metaphor does not serve teaching and learning goals well.

VALUE OF THE SYLLABUS

Learning is a complex process. There are a number of resources available to help students learn and achieve course goals. As the professor and expert in the field, you are the most important resource. On the basis of your subject matter and pedagogical expertise, you design learning experiences for your students that will help them achieve the learning goals of the course. Throughout the semester, you make yourself available to students to answer their questions and provide assistance with tasks as needed. In addition, you also select and create resources that will support students throughout this learning journey. First and foremost, you determine, perhaps in collaboration with faculty colleagues in your department, the learning outcomes or goals for the course. You also determine the types of assignments or assessments that will provide evidence that students have achieved these learning goals. Finally, you determine what resources, such as the textbook or other materials from the vast literature in the field, and learning activities will best assist students with learning the course content and achieving the goals of the course. The course syllabus is your one resource that pulls it all together and clearly communicates the course goals and learning path.

The syllabus is often the first introduction your students will have to you and your class. Many of us send our syllabus to students via e-mail prior to the start of the semester or post the syllabus in our course learning management system or on the website, giving students the opportunity to see the syllabus prior to meeting us in person. In this case, the syllabus can provide students with an introduction to the course. More specifically, the syllabus communicates the purpose of your course, maps out the learning path for your students, and establishes how you see your role as the course instructor. Some students may even make decisions about whether they will take your course based on th...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Praise for Designing a Motivational Syllabus
• Half-title Page
• The Excellent Teacher Series
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Series Preface
• 1 History, Value, and Purpose of the Syllabus
• 2 Applying Course Design Principles to the Syllabus
• 3 Core Components
• 4 Policies and Resources
• 5 Design Considerations
• 6 Evaluating the Syllabus
• 7 Using the Syllabus
• Appendix: Sample Syllabus
• About the Authors
• Index
• Also in the Excellent Teacher series
• Backcover