Flipping your syllabus from teacher to student centeredness

The syllabus is the blueprint for learning in higher education; it narrates the story of the larger learning experiences instructors and students should expect to encounter as they navigate the terrains of a course. It also represents the "logic" or "theory" of a course: If instructors and students use the syllabus as a guide, engage seriously in the content and activities laid out, then learning experiences should occur. Innovative syllabi bring together and make clear instructors' expectations for student learning (Learning Goals), the evidence and performance tasks (Evaluation Plans) needed to determine whether those visions have been realized, and define the most effective instructional activities (e.g. readings, laboratories, demonstrations, etc) to maximize student learning. We will look at the anatomy of an innovative syllabus and determine at least three ways to improve our own learning blueprints. After taking this workshop, participants will be able to integrate outcomes, practices opportunities, and criteria into their syllabi.