This is a presentation on how to make a more engaging syllabus.

1. Syllabus Redesign
Deanna Heikkinen
Los Angeles Valley College
West Los Angeles College

2. The Syllabus
 The syllabus is often the first impression that a student
gets of the professor and the class.
 It should be engaging and informative.
 The syllabus needs to let the student know the
instructor’s expectations as well as:
 Course materials
 Course assignments
 Course description, SLOs, and objectives
 Due dates
 Grading criteria
 Student services available (including DSPS)

3. The Traditional Syllabus
 The traditional syllabus is black and white
text
 It can be intimidating to students
 Definitely not engaging
 My old syllabus

4. The Syllabus Redesigned
 There is a lot of potential to make the
syllabus more engaging
 Bring color into the mix
 Let technology be your friend
 My new syllabus

5. Delivery Method
 Have a personal Website
 Weebly.com
 http://professordeannaheikkinen.weebly.com/
 Email to students
 Etudes
 Online
 Web-enhanced

6. How to go from plain to exciting!
 Warning: This takes a lot of time and
energy…but the payoff is worth it!
 Microsoft Word
 For design
 Adobe Acrobat (PDF)
 Accessibility check
 Distribution

7. The First Page
 What to include:
 Course info
 Image of you
 Contact info
 Social media info
 Something about you
 Teaching philosophy

8. The Second Page
 What to include:
 Course Description
 SLOs
 Course Objectives
 All of the above in
plain English

9. The Third Page
 What to include:
 Textbook information
 Important Dates
 Reading Assignments
 What to expect from
the course

10. The Fourth Page
 What to include:
 Evaluation information
 Assignment information

11. The Fifth Page
 What to include:
 Grading expectations

12. The Sixth Page
 What to include:
 Grade tracker
 Contact sheet

13. The Seventh Page
 What to include:
 Plagiarism information
 Repeatability information
 Attendance policy

14. The Eight Page
 What to include:
 Disabilities Services
 Financial aid
 Writing/tutoring
 Accommodations
statement

15. How to Create the New Syllabus
 Microsoft Word 2013
Open a new
document

16. Create Text Boxes with Flair!
1. Click on insert
2. Click on Text
Box
3. Scroll though to
find the one you
want to use

17. Create Your Content
Type right in
the text box.
Note: There are different shapes
and styles of the text boxes –
you can change them but I
recommend that you use the
shapes and styles to your
advantage

18. A Closer Look at the Content
 The Modern Student
 Engaging content
 Do not be afraid to experiment
 Tell your students your experimenting
 Ask for feedback

19. Breaking Down the Language
 Include the formal but also speak in colloquial terms
COURSE DESCRIPTION
From the holistic and cross-cultural
comparative nature of anthropological
study, this course offers students a
broad survey of Native Peoples living
in North America, with an emphasis
on cultural traditions of
California. The various groups
surveyed are viewed as they existed
at time of contact. Issues facing
modern native groups will be
explored. Students will investigate
the effects of culture contact, culture
change processes, differential power
relations, and the resilience of culture
traditions.
What is this class about?
VS.
This class is a survey of Native American
groups that lived in the United States prior to
contact. These groups had contact with one
another but many different ways of life. You
will learn how different these groups were
and how those differences are often regionally
based depending upon the environment they
lived in.

20. Include Important Dates
Important Dates:
Don’t
forget
to
include
the
holidays
Last day to drop with a full refund
Last day to drop without a “W”
Film report Due
Veteran’s Day Holiday
Website Review Due
Last day to drop with a “W”
Thanksgiving Holiday
Digital Project Due
Final Exam due
Drop dates are
important
10/25/13
10/25/13
11/3/13
11/11/13
11/17/13
11/27/13
11/28-29/13
12/1/13
12/13/13
**Note: There will be 9 discussion posts and 8 quizzes due throughout the course.
Please see the ETUDES discussion board and Assignments, Tasks, and Surveys Tab for
due dates.
Assignment and regular
due dates are maybe the
most important item!
If there are weekly
assignments you can
condense the
information if you want.

21. Textbook Information
Include a picture
of the textbook
Textbook:
ISBN is
critical
Mark Q. Sutton, An Introduction to
Native North America, 4th ed.
Pearson, 2012
ISBN: 9780205121564
Publisher Website:
http://bit.ly/1eKdvwO
**Note – You need the listed edition for this class**
Include a link to the
publisher website
Let students know
if older editions
are allowed

22. Reading Assignments
Date the reading is due
Date Due
10/27/13
11/3/13
11/10/13
11/17/13
11/24/13
12/1/13
12/8/13
12/13/13
Textbook Reading Assignments
Chapter
Topic
1
Introduction
3 and 4
Artic and Subarctic
5 and 10
Plateau and Plains
6
Northwest Coast
7 and 8
Great Basin and California
9
Southwest
11 and 12
Southwest and Southeast
13
Contemporary Issues
I list the chapter and the topic separately.
The topic is an abbreviated chapter name. I
also include the reading assignments
separately from the important dates/due
dates. I think this highlights the reading
assignments.

23. Assignment Information
This is a good place to include any policies
you have for assignments. How to turn
them in, etc.
ASSIGNMENTS
If you do not have a computer at home, you may use the Open Computer Lab
during posted hours, located in Library, 2nd floor. Not having internet or a
computer is not a valid excuse for late, incomplete, or missing assignments.
ASSIGNMENT SHEETS WILL BE POSTED ONLINE.
All of face to face classes are web-enhanced or
I teach online, so the assignment particulars
are on the course website. You can also include
assignment descriptions if you would like.

24. Evaluation
EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE
Final
exam, 75
Digital
Project, 60
Film
report, 30
Quizzes, 1
20
Discussion
s, 185
Website
Review, 30
Discussions
Website Review
Film report
Quizzes
Digital Project
Final Exam
185 points
30 points
30 points
120 points
60 points
75 points
500 Total Points
450-500
400-449
350-399
300-349
299 and below
possible
A
B
C
D
F
Include a visual
representation of points.

25. Expectations
GRADING
Your grade in this course will largely be based upon your journal writing
responses, examinations, and discussion posts. I have expectations for the work
required for each level of academic accomplishments. You can measure your
performance throughout the course by the following criteria:
Grade A: Deeply engaged in course material and discussions. An “A” student asks
questions, participates in course discussions and does above average assignments. This
student writes in the discussion forum regularly and has thoughtful comments and
questions. This student logs on to the course website at least 5 times a week and has
learned an above average amount of information and through readings, discussions, and
examinations and is able to interpret their meanings. They present insightful interpretive
claims that are unusually perceptive and may be unexpected.
Grade B: This student is engaged in course material and discussions. A “B” student asks
questions, participates in discussions and does above average on examinations. This student
writes almost regularly in the discussion forum but does not always have thoughtful insight
or questions into the readings. This student logs in at least four times a week and has
learned an above average amount of information. This student through
examinations, readings, and discussions is able to identify key points but lacks clarity in
interpretation of some topics.
I like to include a breakdown of what I expect for each grade
earned. That way a student can determine what they need to
do to achieve their desired result in the course.

26. Academic Policies and Student
Services
Academic Policies
Use hyperlinks to
actual district, board
or campus policies
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY AND PLAGIARISM
Academic dishonesty of any type by a student provides grounds for disciplinary action by the instructor or college.
Plagiarism is the use of others’ words and/or ideas without clearly acknowledging their source. When you incorporate those
words and ideas into your own work, you must give credit where credit is due. Plagiarism, intentional or unintentional, is
considered academic dishonesty and is not tolerated. Anyone found to be plagiarizing or cheating will (1) receive a zero (fail)
on the assignment, and (2) be referred to the Vice President of Student Services for further disciplinary action, following due
process. For more information please see the Board Rules on Student Discipline.
COURSE REPEATABILITY
Effective Summer 2012, course withdrawal (“W”) will count as an attempt at a course in the same way substandard grades
(“D”, “F”, or “NP”) always have. Only three attempts of any one course will be allowed, with some exceptions.
ATTENDANCE AND DROP POLICY
The only students who may attend classes are those who have been admitted to the college and are in approved active
status. Students are expected to attend every meeting of all classes for which they are registered. Violation of this regulation
may result in exclusion from class as specified in Administrative Regulation E-13. If you stop attending a class (or wish to
drop a class) you must drop the class yourself – officially – over the Internet. Failure to do so may result in a grade of “F” in
that class.

27. Closing thoughts
 Personalize your syllabus
 Make it interactive
 Engage your students
Grade Tracker – Fill in the total points from each assignment. Divide by the total
possible points to get your grade on that assignment. To get your final grade, add all
of your points and divide by 500.
Discussions
Quizzes
Film Report
Website Review
Digital Project
Final exam
Total

28. Questions?