ftla 2014 syllabus redesign presentation

8/13/2019 FTLA 2014 Syllabus Redesign Presentation

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FirstImpressions


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How do you think your students

perceive you? Do you believe itis a fair representation of you ordoes it really matter?


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Why?

First Impressions and Professor Reputation: Influence on StudentEvaluations of Instruction

Buchert, Stephanie; Laws, Eric L.; Apperson, Jennifer M.; Bregman, Norman J.

Social Psychology of Education: An International Journal, 2008-Nov

We examined the effects of professor reputation versus firstimpressions on student evaluations of instruction. Students in19 Psychology courses completed course evaluation surveyseither before meeting the instructor or 2 weeks into thesemester.

Both groups then completed the course evaluation again at theend of the semester. Unlike evaluations completed prior tomeeting the professor, students' ratings 2 weeks into thesemester did not differ from end-of-semester evaluations.

Therefore, students considered first impressions more importantthan professor reputation as determinants of their end-of-thesemester evaluations. Results suggest that students formlasting impressions within the first 2 weeks of classes.


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During her time at Harvard, Nalini Ambady performedan experiment to examine the effect of first impressions

on perception.In this study, she divided students enrolled in a collegeclass into two groups. She showed each group videoclip of the professor in action. One group saw clipswhich depicted the professor as cold and uncaring. The

other group saw clips which portrayed the professor aswarm and caring. Each student was asked to write anevaluation of the professor after viewing the clip.

At the end of the semesterthe students who saw thevideos depicting the professors as warm and caring stilldescribed him as warm and caring. Those who beganthe semester thinking the professor was cold anduncaring ended by describing the professor as cold anduncaring.


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Students in a physiology course at Loyola University ChicagoStritch School of Medicine were asked to evaluate 16

professors who lectured during the course. Students had theoption of evaluating each professor at the start of the course, orwaiting until the course ended. Students were allowed tochange their minds before the evaluations were finalized at theend of the course.

The study, published in the December 2010 issue of the journalAdvances in Physiology Education,included 144 students.Twenty-six percent filled out evaluations at the start and 65percent waited until the course ended. Nine percent did notsubmit evaluations.

The scores professors received on early evaluations weremarkedly similar to the scores they received on evaluationsmade after the course ended. (In statistical terms, the

correlation was .91.) And students rarely changed their mindsabout professors -- only 3 percent of evaluations were revisedbefore the evaluations were finalized.


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Does this really matter in

students learning?


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students who experience informal interactions tend to bemore motivated, engaged, and actively involved in thelearning process (Thompson, 2001; Woodside, Wong, &Weist, 1999).

Informal interaction between students and faculty has

been identified as a primary agent of college culture, andhas an important influence on the attitudes, interests, andvalues of college students (Chickering& Reisser, 1993;Lambert, Terinzini, & Lattuca, 2007; Pascarella, 1980b;Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991, 2005; Thompson, 2001)

Faculty members allowing students to use their first

names are perceived as higher in warmth,approachability, and respect in comparison to facultymembers who are addressed by formal titles (McDowell& Westman, 2005).


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First ImpressionsSyllabus Redesign

Visual

Language

Content

First Day

Introductions

Planned lesson


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Learner-Centered Syllabus

A learning centered syllabus requires that youshift from what you, The instructor, are going to

cover in your course to a concern for what

information and tools can provide for your

students to promote learning and intellectualdevelopment

(Diamond, pp. xi).


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Learner-Centered Syllabus

Define students' responsibilities;

Define instructor's role and responsibility to students;

Provide a clear statement of intended goals and student

outcomes;

Establish standards and procedures for evaluation;

Acquaint students with course logistics;

Establish a pattern of communication between instructor and

students;

Include difficult-to-obtain materials such as readings, complex

charts, and graphs.

(Diamond, pp. ix):


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Content

Mandatory Content: (LACCD)

Office hours

Contact information

Approved Course SLOs

Basis of Grading

Work Product

Grading Criteria

Accommodation Statement for Students with Disabilities

Reference to the student code of conduct as it applies toacademic dishonesty

You can not count attendance as part of the grade or take offpoints for lack of attendance


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What else should we have?

Teaching Philosophy

Purpose of the course Course Objectives

Other student resources on campus (labs/ counseling / financialaid )

Textbook ISBN number

Study skill suggestions

Online resources & difficult-to-obtain materials like videos,readings, charts and graphs.

Establish a pattern of communications between instructor andstudent

Course title, number, credits

Time, Dates & Location List Important Campus dates (drop dates, registration dates, etc.)

Prerequisites to the course


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Activity

Looking at your syllabus, what would you like to

add on your syllabus?

What can you remove from your syllabus?


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Homework and classwork will be assigneddaily. Homework assignments are due at the

beginning of the classand no late homeworkis accepted. If you are absent on any given dayyou are responsible for having the work by thenext class meeting.Your test score will belowered by 10 percent for every missedassignment.

Taken form a 1997 syllabus for Bamdad Samiis Algebracourse.


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Regular and punctual attendance is expectedfrom all of us. Unlike most other courses,

missing just one mathematics class willimmediately place you at a disadvantagebecause it is difficult, if not impossible, to catchup on the missed material by yourself.

To be successful in this and any other mathclass, expect to spend at least two hours forevery class hour. The majority of learning thatyou do in college courses takes place outside ofclass. What you get out of this class will depend

on how much you put into it. Mathematics is nota spectator sport, you have to put in the work tosee the results. Participation is greatlyencouraged!


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I like my classes to have a fun, encouraging

environment. I expect you to come to class with

a commitment to learn, take good notes and

participate in discussions and classwork. I like

group learning in my class. I expect my

students to work together and encourage each

other. With that being said, I do expect students

to abide by the code of conduct in the collegehandbook. Please do not disrupt the class by

talking during lecture or using profane

language. I do encourage you to talk and work

together during classwork time, but please keepyour conversations to a whisper and make sure

they are math related.


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Activity

Pair-Share Activity:

What strikes on looking at the language?

Would you change the wording you see and canyou think of a better way to use the words?


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First Day Lesson Plan:

PrepareWhy is this course important? What do you want to say about thesyllabus? How will you describe the course content, and your role inpresenting it to students?

You want your students to be excited, and filled with anticipation.

Sell

Dont focus on the "do's and don'ts." The content is what motivates thestudents not the rules. Put a difficult equation on the board or ask sometough questions to demonstrate what skills and information students willlearn in the course. Be enthusiastic and optimistic about the course.

Maybe a little razzle dazzle?

Something a little out of the ordinary, unusual or special. Maybe ayoutube video? Whatever it takes to make students realize the potentialvalue and intrinsic interest of the course material.

Share

Who are you? What knowledge and experience do you have with thecontent? Why do you teach college students? Tell students whateveryou feel comfortable having them know.


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Learn about your students

Let them know that you care about who they are as a

person. You can give them five minutes to write a short

paragraph summarizing what they'd like you to knowabout them, maybe including some of their fears and

expectations about the course.

I like to ask them about their favorite cartoon or movie

when I take roll.

Introduce them to each other

Have some sort of icebreaker activity

Do a sample lesson

Show them what they can expect


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Other suggestions

Growth Mindset discussion

First day anxiety free write

Stereotype threat discussion

ftla 2014 syllabus redesign presentation

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