Course Design/Creating Syllabi Engineering Teaching Excellence Institute Kathryn Dimiduk

Course Context Place in curriculum Prior year’s content Textbook prerequisites follow-on courses co-requisites Prior year’s content Textbook Professor’s list of major topics (by name not textbook chapter) Math, computer, other skills students have or need

Course Content Outline of course by topics Skills to be learned Novice to Expert Thinking

Schedule/Calendar University Calendar Exams Lectures How many, in class or evening Lectures How many Length Events (using class time)

Schedule/Calendar Assignments Type How often How many

Master Plan for Course Class organization Teaching methods Content grid Topics Skills – spread out across course Thinking – guide towards more expert patterns

Course Planning Spreadsheet Main topic Sub topics Needed skills Skills to be taught Notes: Lab, HW demo, readings, active learning

Course Planning Spreadsheet Example Main topic Subtopic Needed skills Skills to be taught Notes Electro-statics 30% of course Charges, Conductors insulators, background Demo: electroscope, action at a distance, charging by induction Coulomb’s Law Electric Forces Calculus Superposition Superposition activity Gauss’ law Vector Calculus Symmetry to simplify Colored chalk to show structure of examples Electric potential Divergence Demo: van der graaf generator

Course Planning Spreadsheet cont. Main Topic Subtopic Skills needed Skills to be taught Notes Capacitors Capacitor energy storage - bang Circuits 10% of course Series, parallel Kirchoff Algebra Linear algebra Calculator matrix sol Error checking Group hard algebraic problem: how to check work Capacitors, resistors, inductors Conceptual checks of answers, Conceptual understanding Clicker Q

Master Plan for Course Detailed Schedule on Calendar Days for lectures Fit grid on calendar “adjustment days” expand or contract content so fits as semester progresses Exams

Course Calendar Example Week Date Lecture Reading HW 1 Jan 19, 2009 Intro Charges materials Ch 1: 1-3 Jan 21 Charging Coulomb’s Law, Ch 1: 4-5 Jan 23 Superposition & activity Ch 1:6-8 2 Jan 26 Gauss’ law Ch 2: 1-2 HW 1 due Ch 1: p 4, 17, 23 and … See blackboard

Comments on Calendar Plan whole semester in advance Hand out one of following Entire calendar One month at a time Until the next test A less detailed version Shock absorber days to adjusting timing Less important material Applications that can be added or omitted Label calendar Tentative

Aids on CD Blank and sample course planning spreadsheet Course calendar for spring 2009 for MWF course and for TR course Detailed outline of this talk University information Exams Rooms Services ….

Master Plan for Course Lets you do the planning just once Keep on track, less worry Adjust content to fit schedule chapter by chapter Don’t skip last chapter(s) due to poor planning Take Notes on schedule for next time

Using Clickers Clickers Real time feedback Easy to collect teaching data Students learn more effectively Questions get easier to write with practice

Active Learning Possibilities Clickers Think Pair Share Minute Papers Clear – Muddy Simulations Worksheets Hands-on activities Attend active learning talk for more information

Balancing your total workload, how long should you spend creating 1 lecture? (A) 1 hour or less (B) About 2 hours (C) 3-5 hours (D) 6 or more hours (E) Just wing it

How much time will it take you to design a course? (A) About a day (B) About a week (C) At least a month (D) All available time and more (E) Why didn’t someone tell me I was teaching before the course started?

How much time outside of class should students spent on a 4 credit course? (A) 1 hour or less (B) 2-3 hours (C) 4-6 hours (D) 7-9 hours (E) 10 or more hours

Creating a Syllabus Course description or content or goals What are you teaching How are you teaching it Why is it important

Syllabus content: logistics Basic course information Course name and number Class time and location Prerequisites Credit hours Grading options if available

Syllabus content: logistics Instructor information Your name (and rank?) Your email Your office or dept. office Phone number – yours or dept. office Any contact encouragement or rules Office hours

Syllabus content: Logistics Other teaching staff Team teachers TA(s) Grader(s) Lab TA(s) For each give name and appropriate contact info

Syllabus content: logistics Required materials Textbook Course packet Lab manual Calculator or computer or programs Other required materials

Syllabus content: policies Course Policies What do the students need to know right away What needs to be in writing Attendance rules No cheating How to hand in work

Syllabus content: policies - grading How will the course be graded What will be graded? What weight will be given to each component? Will any grades be dropped Late policy Excused and unexcused absences What is allowed What will happen What documentation is needed

Syllabus content: teaching How will the course be taught Lectures Active Learning Homework Reading Papers or reports Labs …..

Syllabus content: Support Services Verified Disabilities will be accommodated Tutoring through …. Extra help available through …. Office hours other

Syllabus content: logistics Technology Blackboard Class website Wiki Clickers etc

Syllabus content: course content and schedule What material will be covered in the course Tentative schedule for covering material or approximately how much of the course is on each topic When will exams be given When are major assignments due Any special events

Syllabus - finishing Components - select and add as needed Reread for tone – does the syllabus welcome the students and share the excitement of learning? Proof read – first contact with students– Errors make a poor first impression Have someone else proof read Make enough copies or post to website

Questions?