Syllabus

Syllabus for an online course is like a content page for a textbook. It is an orienteer for the instructor and the students in the learning process. There are certain requirements for an online syllabus:

Welcome Note and Course Description
It is the first step in creating online learning community. Any traditional class starts with welcome and a short introduction of the course. Online course is not an exception. Welcome note sets the students on positive experience in your classroom and welcomes them to it.

Faculty Profile (instructor(s) introduction)
A simple bio with an optional picture will show the instructor’s personality, so that the students feel the instructor’s presence right away.

Course Goals and Objectives
Both the instructor and the students should know what the goal of the course is. The goal usually answers the question: What knowledge (skills) will the students gain when the course is completed? Once the goal is established, objectives for the course are formulated. Objectives are tasks that the students should complete in order to achieve the main goal.

Policies: Office Hours, Grading, Communication, Feedback, Academic Integrity
The mentioned policies will give the students clear directions on when the instructor is available, during what period of time the instructor will respond to an e-mail (usually 24-48 hours), or will provide feedback on a submitted assignment or a post in the Discussion Board. Grading policy (including grading rubrics) will provide students with guidance on how they will be assessed and also will help avoid miscommunication on final grades. Online cheating is a big problem that is why it is better to include the policy on Academic Integrity in an online syllabus, rather than not.

Schedule
The content of the course should be well organized and presented in a timeline.

Materials
All materials that students are expected to obtain should be included in the syllabus, including authors, editions, versions etc. If possible, a place where those materials can be purchased should be included in the syllabus.

Assignments
All assignments that students are expected to complete should be included in the syllabus, with their due date specified. There might be an additional need for guidelines for the assignments to be included.
There might be other information to be included which is specific for each separate course.
The OIT staff will be happy to assist you in establishing, and formulating the goals and objectives for your course. 
Our contact information:

Dr. David Demers
Director of Instructional Technology
(203) 396-8369
Alyssa Ferdinando
Digital Library & Learning Resources Multimedia Specialist
(203) 365-7613
Ekaterina Ginzburg
Digital Learning Support Technician
(203) 365-7613