Decoding the "Read the Syllabus" Meme: A Comprehensive Guide
The course syllabus serves as the backbone of many courses, the means by which teachers deliver their expectations and policies to students. However, the struggle to get students to thoroughly read the syllabus has become a ubiquitous experience, so common that it has even permeated popular culture. This article delves into the reasons behind this phenomenon, explores innovative solutions like the "Syllabus Scavenger Hunt" and the "Zine Syllabus," and examines the importance of well-designed and comprehensive syllabi.
The Syllabus Struggle: A Shared Academic Experience
Many instructors can relate to the experience of the first days of college courses being monotonous, with professors simply reading through their syllabi. It's a common practice: pass out the syllabus and say, in an affected “I’m like you; I’m cool” voice: “I know you guys can read and will do so on your own time.” But then also spend The Whole Semester, like everyone else in the profession, answering questions that are answered by the syllabus. This often leads to the adoption of an annoyed-professor tone when reiterating information already provided. The ubiquity of this situation has spawned countless memes online.
The act of reading through the syllabus can feel like a participation in the cycle-of-abuse thing that academics do when they get a little shred of power. Despite efforts to avoid this cycle, many professors find themselves repeating information already present in the syllabus throughout the semester. "It's in the syllabus" somehow doesn’t mean that anyone is going to know it by heart or even want to reference it. This is a relatable situation, analogous to asking one's mother where the mustard is in the fridge, despite knowing it's easily found with a quick search. Maybe there is something Freudian going on in this after all? Maybe we just want to . . .
Innovative Approaches: Engaging Students with the Syllabus
To combat syllabus apathy, some instructors have devised creative methods to encourage engagement. One such method is the "Syllabus Scavenger Hunt." This activity involves creating a list of questions, based on information within the syllabus, and challenging students to find the answers. It’s a real trick: give a fun name that evokes childhood to something that is really boring and tedious. But still pretend it is fun and reward students for doing it, which basically describes my pedagogy.
This activity can be structured in various ways. For example, students can be divided into groups and assigned a subset of questions to answer and present to the class. This sort of low-stakes activity is so great because it forces the students to talk to each other (I always remind them to introduce themselves because if I don’t, they mightn’t), and then it enables me to observe the class dynamics right away: who opts to do the presentation? Who gets left out when the groups self-select? (I always immediately say “Oh you join these people” to make sure that awkward moment ends quickly.) Are there students who already know each other? Are there groups that have suddenly switched into speaking in Spanish? (I encourage that, though I have colleagues who police it-which seems weird to me. It’s cool to hear students explain things to each other in a different language and it also lets me see who needs what sort of assistance. The fact that I will collect this handout and give a grade for doing it ensures that during these presentations, students appear to be scrambling to fill in the answers. This also means that they will interject and ask their classmates to repeat things. I love this set up because the class will usually start to own the progress through the handout. Even though the stakes are so low (this will account for literally .000000000008% of their grades), students will take it seriously. Also the questions are pretty provocative: why do my students need a New York Public Library card this semester? Why is it sometimes better to get an “F” than a “D” on your transcript at our school?
Read also: Decoding Academic Records
Another innovative approach is the "Zine Syllabus," which presents course information in a visually appealing and engaging format inspired by zines. Zines are small-batch, self-published “magazines”, usually made by-hand and then photocopied by an individual or small group. They have their roots in fanzines, self-published comics made by fans of a certain media properties which were popular in pre-Internet days. But they’re also rooted in the radical knowledge-sharing practices of marginalized communities; if you’re a Black queer person in the 1980s who wants to inform their community about the local ball scene, you may not be able to get a book published or get your own TV show, but you can make a few photocopies at your local library. (Note: QZAP, the Queer Zine Archive Project is a robust collection of past and present queer zines, and you should totally spend some time rummaging through it!)
This approach aims to make the syllabus more accessible and enjoyable to read, increasing the likelihood that students will engage with the material. Maybe if reading the syllabus was, I dunno, fun, students would be inclined to read it more. But it’s about more than just engaging students with pretty colors. What if your syllabus was your map to the course, a field guide that you could keep in your back pocket and whip out whenever you needed to make a quick reference? What if it had affirmations that reminded students that they’re valued and doing a great job? What if you could establish an “as your instructor, I give a shit about you” tone from the first day of class? Zine syllabi would also introduce students to radical forms of knowledge-sharing that could change the way they pursue education long-term. “Screw paying $200 for a textbook; here’s a free pamphlet of everything you need to know. Take a few for your friends, too.” The way it should be!
Key Elements of an Effective Syllabus
Regardless of the format, a well-designed syllabus should include essential information that clearly outlines course expectations and policies. A comprehensive syllabus should include the purpose of the course with the course description. Based on a review of syllabi, it's surprising to find that when you go and look at syllabus well, it’s not in the syllabus. This is likely due to a lack of training and models.
Key components of a syllabus include:
- Instructor Contact Information: This includes the instructor's name, office hours, email address, and other relevant contact details. Appointing the professor can automatically populate contact information.
- Course Description and Objectives: A clear and concise overview of the course content and the learning outcomes students are expected to achieve. I generally include the purpose of the course with the course description.
- Grading Policies: A detailed explanation of how student grades will be calculated, including the weight of each assignment, exam, and project. I had not yet abolished grades in my class, so on the grading scheme page I was sure to remind students as much as possible that their grades don’t define them.
- Course Schedule: A schedule of topics, readings, assignments, and due dates. Imagine having a form that auto-populates with a schedule of dates that you could add readings and assignments without figuring out the calendar.
- Required Materials: A list of textbooks, software, and other materials students need for the course.
- University Policies: Information on academic integrity, disability services, and other relevant university policies. Additionally, programs could automatically fill school policies like; disability policy, honor code, harassment, and safety.
- FAQ: A list of Frequently Asked Questions. There are two things that each appeared only once in a syllabus that I think I would add; one is a list of FAQs and other while I don’t necessarily like what it suggests.
The Role of Institutions in Supporting Syllabus Creation
Schools could and should help their teachers. With today’s learning management systems school should be able to create a page template for the syllabus. The advantages a lot of the information could be auto-populated, for example when the course is assigned the syllabus page auto-populates the course title, description, room and meeting times from the course catalog. Additionally, programs could automatically fill school policies like; disability policy, honor code, harassment, and safety. A form that could be used to add all the additional information that faculty added themselves. Not only would this help save time, but it would also lead to consistency and support both new and experienced faculty include all the necessary components of a syllabus.
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tags: #read #the #syllabus #meme #explained
