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The
Course Syllabus: A Learning-Centered
Approach
Review by Jan Keith Farmer
Across
the country colleges and universities
are changing their focus from what faculty
teach to what students learn. A
learning-centered course syllabus can
help students understand their expanded
role and provide faculty an opportunity
for scholarly reflection as higher education
continues to transform its commitment
to student learning. Judith Grunert’s
book, The Course Syllabus: A Learning-Centered
Approach, helps "frame the
process" for developing a student-centered
syllabus and answer the question, "What
do students need to know in order to
derive maximum benefit from this educational
experience." Part
I of the book discusses the implications
of a learning-centered approach to both
students and faculty. This section
describes a process to plan a learning-centered
syllabus that includes well-articulated
sections to:
- Develop a well grounded rational
for your course.
- Decide what you want students to
be able to do and assessment measures.
- Define and delimit course content.
- Structure
your students’ active
involvement in learning.
- Identify and develop resources.
The planning
process also has a detailed discussion
on composing a learning-centered syllabus.
I found the research and focus questions
on scholarly reflection about teaching
in Part I particularly helpful. Many
specific examples of syllabi with a learning-centered
perspective are provided in Part II.
The author believes that, while the contents
of a syllabus may vary according to course
type, underlying rational, and audience,
all syllabi should do the following:
- Describe the course, goals and objectives.
- Describe the structure of the course
and its significance within the general
program of study (particularly any
nontraditional aspects of it that may
be new to the students).
- Discuss what mutual obligations students
and instructors share.
- Provide critical logistical and procedural
information about what will happen,
when, and where.
Part
III provides an annotated list of readings
on general teaching, active learning,
cooperative learning, critical thinking,
assessment, student differences, and
course and curriculum design. It
also contains references on developing
a professional teaching portfolio to
document innovations in your teaching.
Developing a learning-centered syllabus
will be challenging. It will require
a shift from what you are going to "cover"
to a concern for active engagement. Student
engagement is enhanced by challenging
your students while providing resources
and tools for them to maintain their
sense of self-efficacy. It will require
self-reflection about the content and
purpose of your course. Indeed,
this self-reflection may be the most
significant outcome of developing a learning-centered
syllabus.
Title: The Course
Syllabus: A Learning-Centered Approach
Author: Judith Grunert
Price: $16.00
Publisher: Jossey-Bass
Year: 1997
Pages: 112
ISBN-13: 978-1882982189 |
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