DHC Faculty Handbook :: Seminar Orientation

INTRODUCTION - Syllabus Design Tips

Writing Your Syllabus for the Honors Seminar

Over the past three years no two seminars have been exactly alike or have followed the same time line. As a result this page contains a list of possible items your syllabus might contain but it is not meant to be a definitive list. Items 1-7 are probably the most important items to have on your syllabus at the beginning of the quarter. The other items may be stated in very general terms or left completely open to be negotiated latter with your students. How much detail you want to include on your syllabus depends on your personal teaching style. However, keep in mind that regardless of how well you plan, most seminars are in some ways an exercise in flexibility.

You do not have to hand-out your syllabus on the first day of class. Think about the tone you want to set as you make the decision about when to hand-out the syllabus. You may simply want to give them contact information on the first day, then jump into some general introductions, team building activities and topic introductions. Before the end of class on the first-day you may want to mention that you are aware of the fact that they are all waiting for the syllabus, and let them know the reason you chose not to hand it out on the first day and then tell them when they can expect to have the syllabus.

The following is a list of items you may want to include on your course syllabus:

Title of course and course number (HNR 094)
Day(s), time, and place class meets
Name of instructor
Day(s), time, and place of office hours
Required and optional texts and readings (the DHC has ordered copies of A Pocket Style Manual by Diana Hacker for students, you may want to list it as required reading)
General statement or purpose of the course (this course is designed to engage you in solving the problem of...... or by the end of the quarter we will work in teams to answer the question.....)
Course goals (as a result of taking this course, you will be aware of and informed about......be able to articulate...be able to discuss, debate, and develop...) This is where you an use any combination of what you would like your students to be able to do with the DHC goals and objectives listed on the Suggested Grading Scheme page. Smith & Razzouk suggest that this is by far the most important element of the course information document.
Course policies (may include student responsibilities, as well as instructor responsibilities in the areas of attendance, grading, assignments)
Course schedule (may be chronological or topical; holidays if no classes are to be held, due dates for assignments, Convocation date) This is one area where you my want to be flexible. If you intend to have speakers or field trips be sure to list the dates. Rather than try to predict where the class will be going in terms of solving the problem, only list dates and the skills you will be introducing (October 6 - Team Building Exercises and How to Run an Effective Meeting)
Course evaluation procedures (In the past some seminars have had students participate in the assessment process. The Suggested Grading Scheme page lists possible areas of evaluation.)
Campus resources for students (Campus Writing Center, Student Handbook, DHC Web page, Learning Skills Center, Instructional Media Services)

Web Resources

Syllabus Design and Active Learning- This is a page that has useful tips for designing a syllabus that encourages students to take an active role in the class.

A Course Planning Guide - Not designed specifically for a DHC seminar, but does have a well thought out set of 11 questions to ask yourself before the first day of class.

Sample Syllabi From Past DHC Seminars

Solar Energy

Industrial Ecology

Transformation of the Health Care System

Violence in the Media

Paparazzi, Celebrities and the Media

References:

Smith, R., and Razzouk, N. (1993). Improving Classroom Communication: The Case Of The Course Syllabus. Journal Education for Business 68:215-22.

Uno, Gordon. (1998) Handbook On Teaching Undergraduate Science Courses: A Survival Training Manual. University of Oklahoma.

Paparazzi, Celebrities and the Media

SPRING 1998

Barbara Sellers-Young

basellersyoung@ucdavis.edu

Class Web Page

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

This class focuses on two areas: the "how to' of the research process--discovery and presentation--and group process. The topic for this class is the relationship between all forms of photo and print media and the creation of celebrity status. In the consideration of this topic we will be, during the course of the term answering the following questions. These questions are not unique to this topic, but could be applied to other research in the humanities and social sciences. While I have delineated five areas of research and related questions in order to provide some structure to the seminar, this does not mean that I have identified every possible method of considering this topic. The decisions on which topic to focus, how to approach discovering information, etc, will be negotiated as part of the ongoing process of the class.


1) Defining the area of focus:: Realizing we cannot hope to cover the entire subject, what event or aspect of the topic such as history, technology would we like to concentrate?

2) Discovering where to find information:: What are the sources of information you want to incorporate in the study? Qualitative? Quantitative?

3) Determining how the material found should be evaluated:: What are the methods you can use to evaluate the quality of the material? Quoting circles? Peer Reviewed information? Perceived status of print material or media program? Cross-checking sources? Coherency of argument? Other methods?
4) Deciding what should be the important elements considered in analyzing and comparing the information:: Are you comparing images? Language phrases? Organizational style?
5) Determining how to come to some conclusions based on the available information:: Or, on what set of information are we going to base our conclusions? Are your conclusions closed or open ended leading to more questions?
6) Creating a method for organizing the material for presentation to others.: How should we organize the website, five minute presentation, and poster session? What methods of information sharing are the most productive? How does visual and aural information construct its impact?

COURSE GRADE

Participation (individual and group assignments) 30%
Learning Experience Portfolio 30% (Due June 10)
Final Project 40% (Due June 6)

ASSIGNMENTS

Individual and Group Assignments: There will be several small individual and group assignments. Your participation will be evaluated on your promptness, organization and depth of thought.

Learning Experience Portfolio

1) Summary Statement (one or two pages): Provides an overview of your experience in the class. This should be based on a regularly kept journal. The journal should include three types of information: 1} your work with the group, 2) reflections on material you discovered in the process of your research in the course including books, websites, journals, etc., and 3) your thoughts on the presentations by yourself and others including strengths, weaknesses, etc.
2) Materials: This section includes samples of materials you prepared for your or your group's presentations.
3) Conclusions (two to three pages): An essay that discusses your final conclusions on the topic.

Final Project: This final presentation is a group project. It is in two formats: 1) a website with a completion date of June 10th and 2) a five minute talk and poster presentation that is given on June 6th.

SCHEDULE

April 6: Introduction: Problem, identify sources; Assignment: Prior to next class, investigate sources and be prepared to discuss it at the next class.
April 8: Individual presentations and share further thoughts on sources of information/data related to this particular subject area; choose topic on which to focus; choose aspects of topic on which to focus; Discussion: What makes a good working group; create first groups; Assignment: bring some new element of information to discuss on Monday
April 13: Discussion: How to evaluate different forms of data; Forms of constructive feedback; Group work--Assignment: Each group is responsible for bringing on April 22 or 27th a visitor to class or some other form of information on the topic. Other forms of information might be films, video tape segments of programs, material from internet sites, and others.
April 15: Group mini-reports on preliminary discoveries.; Discussion: How to further define, delimit or broaden the topic.
April 20: Discussion: How to analyze and compare information
April 22: Visitor or other presentation organized by the groups
April 27: Visitor or other presentation organized by the groups
April 29: Group Meets
May 4: Discussion: How to draw, infer, construct conclusions from information; differences between closed and opened conclusions
May 6: Discussion of preliminary thoughts
May 11: Discussion of preliminary thoughts
May 13: Discussion: How to organize material for presentation; Create three new groups for final presentation: Website, Five Minute Presentation, and Poster Session
May 18-20: Work in Groups
May 25: Check in share preliminary reports of progress for final presentations; Work in Groups
May 27: Work in Group to create final presentation
June 1: Presentation on progress from website, five minute presentation and poster groups
June 3: Work in group to revise final presentation
June 6: FINAL FORMAL PRESENTATION
June 8: Discussion and evaluation of formal presentation
June 10: Learning Portfolio Due and Website Completed; Discuss and review website