1Running head: HIGHER EDUCATION COURSE SYLLABI REVIEW

12HIGHER EDUCATION COURSE SYLLABI REVIEW

Case Study 2: Higher Education Course Syllabi ReviewNicole GottleibLoyola University Chicago

Selecting course syllabi on a particular subject from various institutions proved harder than I hoped. I found myself torn between wanting to review courses similar to what I know and what I studied in my undergraduate program, and wanting to review courses that are more closely related to what I am interested in as a student affairs professional which is not necessarily classroom coursework. I eventually settled on courses focused on women in leadership, which is both interesting in its ability to be applied to professional development and outside the classroom learning, and for the fact it is such a broadly discussed course, found in a multitude of departments across institutions. The following sections of this paper will outline the five courses I found and the content covered in each syllabus, followed by a breakdown of the themes discovered within in all five syllabi and any differences and critiques/concerns. I will also incorporate content and critiques from literature within my discussion of themes and trends. Additionally, in order to maintain a sense of organization as I both review and then discuss themes and trends within the syllabi, I will be bullet-pointing specific sections of each syllabus and noting if any of the syllabi are missing certain sections or have included additional sections. These bullet points will very roughly fit within some of Finks (2013) outline for designing courses for significant learning. The goal is for this method to help highlight differences and similarities within my first section of this paper, so that I can effective analyze those similarities and differences in the following section. Overview of Syllabi for Women in Leadership CoursesPenn State University: Womens Leadership InitiativeThe first syllabus is from Penn State University and is a course titled Womens Leadership Initiative: Leadership Concepts and Competencies, which is listed in the institutions College of Health and Human Development (Diehl, 2015). This course stands out as unique initially because it is one-half of a year-long requirement for students who have been selected to participate in the institutions Womens Leadership Initiative. Therefore, it is not simply a course that students can join based on meeting prerequisite requirements, but one that they are invited to join because of [their] potential to become an outstanding lifelong leader (Diehl, 2015, p. 2). The syllabus is 13 pages, with final six pages consisting of a detailed class schedule and assignment deadlines, which outlines the Date, Time, Place Attire, the topics, and the readings and assignments due each class. Basic components of syllabus include: This course outlines the instructor and department information, the materials required, grading scale, breakdown of how grades will be determined, grading criteria, attire for specific sessions of the course, and policies on submitting assignments, attendance, and general university policies. Learning goals: This course includes four learning goals that are very broad and brief for example, Develop a deeper knowledge of herself and others and Develop leadership skills (Diehl, 2015, p. 2). Teaching/learning activities and feedback/assessment procedures: A few of the methods used in the course are: Written reflections on leadership Service hour requirements and a related paper Communication skills through written communication with mentors, questions in advance and thank you notes after for panelists/guest speakers, and required attendance and summary/commentary paper on a speaker series event at the institution Leadership assessments and exercises, consisting of an interest and skill survey, assessment on the ethical leadership of a public presentation, and observing and analyzing an out-group (Diehl, 2015, p. 5) An exit-ticket exercise within each class that allows students to move on to the next agenda item (Diehl, 2015, p. 5) And a written personal leadership philosophy statement that is worked on throughout the length of the course. Ability for students to evaluate course: There do not appear to be any formal methods for students to evaluate the course listed on the syllabus.Harvard University: Women and Leadership The second syllabus is from Harvard University, from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, and is a course titled Women and Leadership (Kellerman, 2014). This course is designed to provide students with ideas, information, and insights that pertain to women and leadership but specifically states it is not a course that aims to train women on how to become leaders or to become better leaders (Kellerman, 2014, p. 2). The course description also goes into some depth about the current state of women in leadership in the United States. The syllabus is 13 pages, with the last seven pages consisting of a class-by-class overview that includes the main topic, readings, and any assignments that are due. Basic components of syllabus included: Course description, course format, course requirements, grading overview and outline, a note about policies within the course (no electronics, attendance policy, etc.), breakdown of course readings, and a date-by-date breakdown of each class and assignments. Learning goals: The instructor does not clearly articulate learning goals. Teaching/learning activities and feedback/assessment procedures: Grades are only based on oral participation and two required papers. The instructor mentions that the course will be seminar style because she likes a lively classroom and that it will be a mix of lectures, questions and answers, debates and discussions, presentations and problem solving (Kellerman, 2014, p. 3). Ability for students to evaluate course: There do not appear to be any formal methods for students to evaluate the course listed on the syllabus.University of Wyoming: Women and Leadership The third syllabus is from the University of Wyoming and is also titled Women and Leadership, though this one is in the universitys Department of Women and Gender Studies (Moran, 2012). This course provides an opportunity for students to examine women and leadership and to develop personal insight and skills for exercising leadership (Moran, 2012, p. 1). The introduction to the course also makes sure to highlight the fact that there will be a significant service-learning component to the course that allows students to work with community organizations (Moran, 2012, p. 1). The syllabus is eight pages, with a two-and-a-half page outline of the class schedule and two final pages of rubrics for the main assignments for the course. Basic components of syllabus included: This course outlines the instructor and department information, required texts, overview of assignments and their related value within the grading system, the grading rubric, and university policies such as the disability statement and academic dishonesty. Learning goals: The learning outcomes are listed as five bullet points that are each one sentence, with one that seems to be based on university-wide goals rather than the course goals. Some examples include students will understand the differences in leadership styles, particularly regarding gender and students will explore the diversity of womens leadership (Moran, 2012, p. 1). Teaching/learning activities and feedback/assessment procedures: As previously mentioned, the course incorporates service learning, which includes an added requirement of reflection papers based on the service learning experience. The other two large assessment procedures are a research paper and an oral presentation of the research topic. Additionally, there is an expectation of participation in class discussions. Ability for students to evaluate course: There do not appear to be any formal methods for students to evaluate the course listed on the syllabus.Iowa State University: Women in Leadership and Public Service The fourth syllabus is from Iowa State University and is titled Women in Leadership and Public Service, and this course is cross-listed in Liberal Arts and Sciences Cross-Disciplinary Studies and in Womens Studies (Bystrom, 2005). This course is described as a focus on womens political leadership and public service in the United States (Bystrom, 2005, p. 1), which is a bit more focused on leadership within one field than the other courses reviewed, but still within the same realm. This syllabus is six pages and the last three pages consist of an outline of the class schedule. Basic components of syllabus included: And overview of the required texts and readings, a breakdown of the requirements and related grading scale, and a few university policies, such as academic dishonesty, accommodations for special needs, attendance, and classroom conduct. Learning goals: The closest item in the syllabus to learning goals are the objectives of the course, which are included in the paragraph about the course description, and are somewhat hard to decipher. The objectives align with learning activities more than goals, as highlighted below. Teaching/learning activities and feedback/assessment procedures: The learning activities seem to include discussions on historical differences in the kinds of political leadership and public service in which women have engaged (Bystrom, 2005, p. 1) as well as theories and perceptions/expectations relating to womens leadership, and presentations by women leaders. There is also an outline of the assignments, which include a paper and presentation following an interview with a woman leader and attendance at an outside-class presentation along with a summary and analysis paper. Finally, the course includes a final essay examine on course readings, discussions, and guest speakers. Ability for students to evaluate course: There do not appear to be any formal methods for students to evaluate the course listed on the syllabus.Florida International University: Women and LeadershipThe fifth and final syllabus is from Florida International University, from the institutions Center for Womens and Gender Studies, and is yet again titled Women and Leadership (Eaton, n.d.). According to this syllabus, the course will examine the personal, social, and structural dynamics that differently affect women and men as leaders, particularly in terms of how they are viewed, how their contributions are evaluated, and what kinds of opportunities are available to them (Eaton, n.d., p. 1). The course description is thorough and outlines additional topics in addition to highlighting how students will be able to explore their own leadership attributes and develop an understanding of who they are as leaders (Eaton, n.d., p. 1). This syllabus is 11 pages, and includes about a one-page short course outline followed by a detailed course outline over the final five pages. Basic components of syllabus included: This syllabus includes the instructor details, an outline of course materials, an overview of assignments and grades, as well as general policies on being absent and/or late, conduct, and academic integrity. Learning goals: The learning objects for the course are broken down into a primary and secondary objective, both of which are outlines in detail and include a brief breakdown of the methods that will be used to assessed the objectives. The primary objective is to begin to uncover and understand the unique challenges, constraints, and opportunities that face women today as they ascend to leadership positions (Eaton, n.d., p. 1). The second objective is to allow students to reflect on their own experiences and to think about their own assumptions and to help them develop their own perspective and leadership style (Eaton, n.d., p. 1). Teaching/learning activities and feedback/assessment procedures: The in-class activities are not clearly outlined, beyond readings and assignments therefore, it is not clear if the class is a lecture, seminar, and/or another style. The assessment procedures, however, are clearly outlined, including how they relate to the course objectives. The assessment procedures for the primary objective are response papers, case study paper, and class participation. The assessment procedures for the secondary objective are a personal philosophy of leadership paper and class participation. Ability for students to evaluate course: There do not appear to be any formal methods for students to evaluate the course listed on the syllabus.

Themes and Trends Found within the SyllabiThere were many themes and trends and differences that I noticed throughout the five syllabi. However, in relation to the literature that we read for this weeks Curriculum class, I want to highlight two noticeable trends. The first I will outline is that of the general structure of the syllabus, including the amount of detail used to explain the elements of the course and the sections included within the syllabi. The second theme is that of the differences between the inclusion (or lack thereof) of course goals and objectives, as well as the associated methods of teaching and learning and related assessments, and what those indicate about the learning experience. Ill then conclude this paper with a personal reflection on which courses stood out to me as the ones I would be interested in taking, as well as potentially using as an example for a similar course of my own design in the future.The initial difference that popped out at me when I pulled up five syllabi of courses on women and leadership, including three that had the exact same title, was the variety in length of syllabi. The longest were 13 pages and the shortest was less than half that length, at six pages. My assumption was that the shorter syllabi would be the least outcomes-centered and would indicate low levels of student engagement (Nilson, 2010, p. 18). However, that assumption was inaccurate. One of the longest syllabi, also from the most prestigious institution out of the five courses reviewed, was the least outcomes-centered of all. Additionally, the language used throughout the syllabus from Harvard even gave the impression that the instructor viewed herself as a sage on the stage (Wagner, 2012, p. 161), and that she had the most knowledge on the subject to share (Kellerman, 2014). In comparison, the second shortest syllabus, only eight pages long, included very specific learning outcomes and highlights the inclusion of service learning, which meets Finks (2013) standards for active learning as it is outlined in the syllabus as a direct experience that works to benefit the community and connects academic content with real community issues (Moran, 2012, p. 1). Additionally, the syllabus also details the assessment and reflection aspect of the service learning experience, which is the second component of active learning (Fink, 2013). Therefore, although the length and detail included in each syllabi was the first difference I noticed and made an assumption on, it ended being an inaccurate assumption as I learned that short syllabi can be more outcomes-focused and show an more integrated course design than longer syllabi (Nilson, 2010; Fink, 2013).Related to the syllabi length and detail, I also saw a trend in the inclusion of clear course outcomes and how they related to an emphasis on significant learning. As mentioned in the previous section as well as the above paragraph, some syllabi included specific course outcomes that were clearly designated as such on the syllabus. However, not all of the courses included this element on their syllabi. Three out of the five courses included specific outcomes, some that seemed more specific and able to be met than others (Diehl, 2015; Moran, 2012; Eaton, n.d.). However, two courses did not include learning/course outcomes, and both of these syllabi were harder to follow and to feel confident in the experience and knowledge that would be gained by students at the end of the course (Kellerman, 2014; Bystrom, 2005). Basically, the syllabi that lacked clear goals or outcomes also seemed to be more focused on providing foundational information on women in leadership, which is why it was much harder to determine if students would be able to have significant learning experiences based on the information in the syllabi (Fink, 2013). Associated with the course goals and outcomes was the inclusion of learning techniques and assessments in the syllabi. Two of the three courses that included specific outcomes also had detailed teaching activities, with both incorporating service learning, as well as assessment methods that involved reflection on learning experiences (Fink, 2013). The course at Florida International University (Eaton, n.d.) only partially incorporated those components, as the syllabus included a primary and secondary learning objective with assessment methods for each, but did not outline the teaching activities in as much detail as the courses at Penn State and the University of Wyoming (Diehl, 2015; Moran, 2012). The two remaining courses that did not clearly outline objectives or outcomes that related to student learning experiences also incorporated the most traditional methods of assessment. Both the Harvard and Iowa State courses (Kellerman, 2014; Bystrom, 2005) fit more of an audit-tive assessment method, though they are not as basic as two midterms and a final, (Fink, 2013, p. 93). They both have limited requirements that must be submitted for a grade aka, a learning assessment and the Iowa State course is the only one of the five to include a final exam. Although it may be clear at this point from both the breakdown of the course syllabi and my analysis of two of the trends that stuck out within the five documents, there were two courses that stood out to me as the most engaging, unique, and student-centered. These two courses are the Womens Leadership Initiative: Leadership Concepts and Competencies from Penn State, and Women and Leadership from the University of Wyoming. Both of these courses were the closest to meeting both Finks (2013) and Nilsons (2010) requirements for outcomes-centered and integrated course design. That is, these two courses seemed to include a high level of student engagement with student-active teaching activities (Nilson, 2010, p. 18), and integrated the elements of the learning goals, the processes for feedback and assessment, and the teaching/learning activities (Fink, 2013, p. 71). And it turns out, those elements make for the most appealing course on paper.

References Eaton, A. A. (n.d.). Women and leadership (Unpublished course syllabus). Florida International University: Miami, FL. Retrieved from http://faculty.fiu.edu/~aeaton/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Women-and-Leadership-UNDERGRAD-Syllabus.pdfBystrom, D. (2005). Women in leadership and public service (Unpublished course syllabus). Iowa State University: Ames, IA. Retrieved from http://www.public.iastate.edu/~wsprogram/pdf/las333%20s05.pdfDiehl, A. (2015). Womens leadership initiative: Leadership concepts and competencies (Unpublished course syllabus). Pennsylvania State University: University Park, PA. Retrieved from http://www.hhd.psu.edu/media/wli/files/WLI_Syllabus_SP15.pdfFink, D. L. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Kellerman, B. (2014). Women and leadership (Unpublished course syllabus). Harvard University: Cambridge, MA. Retrieved from http://www.hks.harvard.edu/syllabus/MLD-324M.pdfMoran, M. (2012). Women and leadership (Unpublished course syllabus). University of Wyoming: Laramie, WY. Retrieved from http://www.uwyo.edu/wmst/_files/syllabi/wmst1900-01_moran_201310.pdfNilson, L. B. (2010). Outcomes-centered course design. In Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors (p. 17-31). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Wagner, T. (2012). Creating innovators: The making of young people who will change the world. New York, NY: Scribner.