Designing a Syllabus and Course Guidelines

This information should be presented clearly, especially if an online course requires synchronous attendance or group meetings.

Any special notes regarding online or hybrid course offerings are worth including here if they support student achievement of the learning outcomes. For example, faculty may expect learners to log in a certain number of times or recommend a certain number of hours be dedicated to specific tasks each week.

Faculty must list readings in the short, formal syllabus (see required syllabus above). Recommended readings and/or media may be included in the longer document using a hyperlinked or annotated format to assist students in accessing the materials and/or deciding which materials will assist them in meeting their own learning goals. 

Instructors are urged to indicate to students how they intend to use the university learning management system, which is Canvas. If teaching a face-to-face course, instructor use varies. Some may use Canvas to house the syllabus and course policies, guidance and guidelines and other course documents; others may make full use of Canvas features to serve a "virtual teaching assistant" function. 

Hybrid and fully online courses must provide information about this and other instructional technology necessary for the students to successfully complete the course.

Example:

This course will be delivered in Canvas. Course materials, discussions, activities, assessments and assignments, as well as student grades, can be accessed through canvas.ohio.edu. Continuous 24/7 Canvas support is available through the “Get Help” link in the lefthand navigation menu in Canvas or by visiting the Office of Information Technology’s Canvas student help page.

Connecting a course to a major or a career pathway is a powerful pedagogical strategy with several key benefits. Instructors may accomplish this in the expanded course description/goals, or include a separate section to do so.

1. When students see how course content directly applies to their future careers or chosen fields of study, they may invest greater effort in learning, participate more actively in class discussions and assignments, and retain material more effectively, because it feels relevant and purposeful.
2. From a programmatic perspective, linking courses to majors and careers ensures that courses build on one another meaningfully, reinforces learning outcomes aligned with institutional goals, and strengthens arguments in program reviews and accreditation processes regarding curricular alignment with student success.
3. Faculty can design assignments that simulate workplace scenarios or require the use of professional tools, making assessments more authentic and practical and easier to evaluate against industry benchmarks or professional standards.

Students respond well to learning more about faculty. CTLA recommends the following information be included at a minimum. In addition, teacher self-disclosure may contribute certain value, as long as the information shared is appropriate and builds trust and rapport, making the instructor more approachable and "human." Studies in communication and pedagogy often find that moderate, relevant self-disclosure increases perceived instructor immediacy and student motivation.

1. Office hours and location: Faculty may also want to describe the purpose of office hours, how they might be used and how they benefit or contribute to the learning experience. 
2. Phone and email address, including contact preferences and anticipated timeframes for response: It is especially important to set expectations for response times early in a course. In addition, faculty should consider providing tips for effective communications.
3. Brief instructor biography: Faculty might share their own career paths, how they became interested in the discipline and what continues to challenge them and hold their interests. They might also share their own research in the field as appropriate for the course level.
4. Brief teaching philosophy statement/approach to teaching: Research in pedagogy and learning sciences shows that when instructors explain how and why they teach the way they do, it can positively affect student understanding, engagement and trust. For example, if an instructor explains that discussion-based learning is meant to promote critical thinking, students may be more willing to participate. Explaining hat collaborative work builds real-world problem-solving skills can improve acceptance of group projects.

One of the most critical components of course policy, guidelines and guidance sections are related to how student performance will be measured. The more transparency provided, the better. Instructors should always provide information on grading scales used. In addition, CTLA recommends the following if relevant:

1. Grading rubrics
2. Coursework guidelines (deadlines, submission, format, etc.)
3. Rationale for required assignments/course work
4. Participation requirements or goals and how participation is measured

The CTLA highly recommends instructors invite feedback from students and collect early-term or midterm feedback, which the literature indicates may positively impact end-of course student evaluation of teaching. 

Example

Your feedback is an important part of improving this course. During the semester, you will have opportunities to provide early- or mid-term feedback about what is helping your learning and what could be improved. I review this feedback carefully and, when possible, make adjustments to better support your learning. Your thoughtful and constructive input helps create a more effective learning environment for everyone.

Students are invited to provide feedback on aspects of instruction and the course that is particularly valuable. Periodically, I will ask for brief anonymous feedback and will share a summary of what I hear along with any changes I plan to make in response.

Brief but clear policies on the following aspects of the learning context contribute to student understanding of expectations and success in the classroom (virtual, hybrid, or face-to-face).

1. Classroom use of cell phones, tablets, laptops and other electronic devices
2. Expectations for classroom engagement, language and behavior, and/or respectful dialogue
3. Policy on absences (to complement OU policy on religious observances)
4. Policy on making up work
5. Guidance for productive conversations or classroom discussions
6. Accessibility Services

The CTLA has highly recommended instructors have a clear and specific policy on student use of GenAI in the course. Faculty fellows and instructors who have completed the GenAI in Teaching and Learning faculty development certification leave with a policy that reflects their own teaching philosophy and disciplinary approaches to GenAI.

Some of the OU faculty who have completed the certification have shared their policies for adaptation.

Sample language that can be adjusted in a syllabus:

Basic Information:

All students and employees at Ohio University have the right to work and learn in an environment free from sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct. With the exception of the confidential resources listed below, all OHIO employees are required to report any instances of sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Civil Rights Compliance (CRC). 

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct, and you would like to make a report, please contact OHIO’s Director of Civil Rights Compliance (CRC) and Title IX Coordinator. Ways to make a report include:

• Visit Civil Rights Compliance(opens in a new window) and click the "Submit a Report" button
• Walk-in or mail:
  Office of Civil Rights Compliance
  Kerri Griffin, J.D., Director and Title IX Coordinator
  Ohio University
  Lindley Hall 006
  Athens, Ohio 45701
• Phone: 740.593.9140
• Fax: 740.593.9168
• Email: titleix@ohio.edu or civilrights@ohio.edu

When a report is made to CRC, it leads to outreach where the alleged victim can receive information about their options for medical services, counseling, reporting to law enforcement, requesting an investigation, and other supportive measures, such as assistance with class adjustments, work schedules, housing arrangements, etc. If you are not yet ready to have something that happened to you or someone else reported, you can speak confidentially with the Survivor Advocacy Program (740-597-SAFE or https://www.ohio.edu/survivor(opens in a new window)), Counseling and Psychological Services (740.593.1616 or https://www.ohio.edu/student-affairs/counseling(opens in a new window)) or Campus Care (740.592.7100).

Longer Personalized Option:

We all share in the responsibility to create a safe learning environment for students and the campus as a whole. With the exception of the confidential resources listed below, all OHIO employees are required to report any instances of sexual harassment or other sexual misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Civil Rights Compliance (CRC). If you share that you or another OHIO student has had any of these experiences (including, but not limited to, through class discussion, papers, office hours or other scenarios), it is my responsibility to notify CRC.

Your safety and the safety of others is important to me. Therefore, I take seriously my responsibility to report to the Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Civil Rights Compliance. Reports are made to the Title IX Coordinator electronically at https://www.ohio.edu/civil-rights by selecting the “report sexual misconduct” tab, by phone at 740.593.9140,by fax at 740.593.9168, or by email at titleix@ohio.edu or civilrights@ohio.edu.

When a report is made to CRC, it leads to outreach where the alleged victim can receive information about their options for medical services, counseling, reporting to law enforcement, requesting an investigation, and other supportive measures, such as, assistance with class adjustments, work schedules, housing arrangements, etc.

If you are not yet ready to have something that happened to you or someone else reported to CRC, you can speak confidentially with the Survivor Advocacy Program (740-597-SAFE or https://www.ohio.edu/survivor), Counseling and Psychological Services (740.593.1616 or https://www.ohio.edu/student-affairs/counseling) or Campus Care (740.592.7100)

Confidential Resources

No information will be shared with third parties without your written permission, except in circumstances involving potential harm to self or others (e.g., suicide, homicide or other life-threatening behaviors), suspected child or elder abuse or neglect and court subpoena of counseling records.

• Counseling and Psychological Services – 740.593.1616
• Campus Care – 740.593.1660
• The Survivor Advocacy Program – 740.597.SAFE (7233)

Private Resources

Conversations are kept as confidential as possible, but information is shared with key staff members so the University can offer resources and accommodations, and to take action if necessary, for safety reasons.

• Ohio University Police Department – 740.593.1911
• The Office of Civil Rights Compliance – 740.593.9140
• The Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility – 740.593.2629

1. A welcome-to-the-course statement early in the syllabus.
2. Advice for success
3. Frequently asked questions (FAQs) from students
4. Student Affairs One-Stop Student Resource Hub
5. A basic needs statement: Any student who has difficulty affording groceries of accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or who lacks a safe and stable place to live and believes this may affect their performance in the course, is urged to contact the Dean of Students Office for support. The Food Pantry is located on the 5th floor of Baker Center and is open to all students. Additional resources can be found on the Dean of Students website(opens in a new window) under Bobcats Helping Bobcats.

A complete calendar of activities, including readings, materials to review, relevant session activities, assignments, assessments, etc., adds a level of transparency to the course that supports excellence course design, connection of course elements and student learning.

The CLTA encourages faculty who use Canvas to post these items with due dates. The Canvas course calendar is a centralized tool in the global navigation menu that automatically displays all assignments, quizzes and events for all courses, acting as a hub for scheduling and organization. It allows users to filter by course, change due dates via drag-and-drop, and add personal events, with changes automatically syncing across the syllabus and gradebook.