Contributed by Jane Nguyen, Instructional Designer I (CSE)
In my last article, I encouraged professors to convert their syllabi from long, text-based PDF or Word documents to more interactive web pages. Doing so increases the chances of students reading it in full at the beginning of the semester and subsequently revisiting it. I would like to continue the discussion this week, expounding on yet more approaches and considerations.
First, the concept of an interactive syllabus takes a constructivist approach, meaning students build knowledge through task completion and active experiences as opposed to passively receiving information. Though an interactive syllabus typically does not function as a feedback-giving diagnostic, nor is it adjustable to learners’ knowledge, it is a learner-manipulated environment in which concepts are presented in different ways and at different times. This results in multiple and adaptive interpretations necessary for knowledge acquisition.
This past week, in exploring where to start in creating an interactive syllabus, it occurred to me that interactivity has different levels. A maximally interactive syllabus may have students frequently doing something, such as dragging & dropping items, mouse-hovering over image links, entering text responses to questions, etc. Faculty should not feel they have to leap up to this high level of interactivity. (Too much of it could be distracting anyway).
Professors may want to, for now, simply upgrade their current PDF or Word document syllabus to a webpage in which there is more visual appeal, embedded videos, and clickable menu items. This is still a better experience for students, as chunked, digestible information is livelier and addresses different learning styles. This is because a webpage can have embedded audio and video files for auditory learners, and colorful graphs, charts, maps, etc., for visual learners.
Other items frequently found on course syllabi are course-related links provided by the instructor. These might be web pages related to course content; articles, podcasts, & videos related to the field; or Amazon.com links of recommended books. On a Word or PDF syllabus, they are often long "gibberish" URLs or links with simple text descriptions that may appear plain and uninteresting. On a webpage, links and resources can be made more dynamic with color, image links, and embedded videos.
Even with a webpage syllabus that is not highly interactive, it is still important to keep different levels of internet connectivity in mind. If an instructor provides a resource that requires a plugin or a computer with a lot of strength, a simpler, low-bandwidth option should be provided for students that do not have fast, strong Internet or powerful computers.
While a webpage syllabus may not be functionally interactive, it is still possible to create an interactive and constructivist experience (wherein students construct meaning in order to learn) by having them navigate the webpage and complete a syllabus assignment as they do so. They may be asked to reflect on the learning objectives, evaluate the fairness (or not) of the late work policy, write a short response to the introduction video, etc.
If you are interested in upgrading your syllabus and would like help getting started, feel free to reach out to an instructional designer. We are happy to help.
