Course Redesign Workshop

1
Course Redesign Workshop Session I Syllabus
Development (Jeanne Foley)
This work is supported by U.S. Department of
Education FIPSE grant number P116B06011.
2
A. Course Calendar

• Items to consider
• Section/topic coverage and homework due dates
• We cover 1 section most days occasionally 2
  sections/day or 1 section/2 days.
• Our homework problem sets typically number
  anywhere from 10-50 problems.
• Our target is median time spent of 90 minutes.
• Adjust after first semester to get average of
  assignment medians at 90 minutes with a range of
  60-120 minutes.
• We recommend having the homework for each section
  due at the start of the class period the day
  after its covered in lecture.

3

• Review days
• Allowing a review day before each quiz and test
  lets students digest the material for that unit.
• This also encourages completion of practice
  test/quiz. (No new homework assignment due on day
  of quiz/test. So students have time to complete
  the practice quiz/test.)
• Review day class sessions
• Short review lecture covering major topics and
  common problems.
  (Use
  Item Analysis function to see which problems are
  taking students longest to figure out.)
• Questions from students who have started the
  practice quiz/test.
• Time for students to start the practice quiz/test
  in class.

4

• Quizzes and tests
• Frequency
• Quiz every 3 to 5 sections.
• Test after every 2 to 3 quizzes.
• Practice versions
• Rationale Simulate conditions of test vs.
  homework (timed, no online help)
• Format One and a half times as many questions as
  regular test one and a half times as much time
  allowed.
• Number of tries We now allow unlimited tries.
• Points We now give 10 of points on regular
  test/quiz only the best score of all tries
  counts.

5
Sample Calendar

• (Blank Fall 2007 Calendar form and sample are
  available on your CD-ROM.)

6
Sample Calendar (ctd)

• (Blank Fall 2007 Calendar form is available on
  your CD-ROM.)

7
B. Course Polices

• Items to consider
• Attendance points
• Why or why not?
• How many?
• Conditions?
• Independent contracts
• Conditions?
• Start date?
• Contract forms

8
Sample Independent Contract(See notes packet
and CD for copy)
9
Sample Course Polices(See notes packet and CD
for copy)
10
C. Grading Polices

• Items to consider
• Determine category weights
• Homework
• Quizzes/tests
• Attendance/other
• Determine number of items in each category
• Assign weights to each item in category

11
Sample Grading Policy(See notes packet and CD
for copy)
12
Syllabus Refinement Time

• These items will be used in the first session
  tomorrow morning. There will be more time
  available in the open lab tonight for revising
  these.
• Course Calendar
• Grading Categories and Weights

13
Lunchtime!

• Todays lunch
• is provided
• courtesy of
• Pearson Education.