You may remember the syllabus. Handed out on the first day of class, it was a revered and simple artifact that would outline the plan of a college course. It was a pragmatic document, covering contact information, required books, meeting times, and a schedule. But it was also a symbolic one, representing the educational part of the college experience in a few dense and hopeful pages.

That version of the syllabus is gone. It has been replaced by courseware, an online tool for administering a class and processing its assignments. A document called “syllabus” persists, and is still distributed to prospective students at the start of each semester—but its function as a course plan has been minimized, if not entirely erased. First and foremost, it must satisfy a drove of bureaucratic needs, describing school policies, accreditation demands, regulatory matters, access to campus resources, health and safety guidelines, and more.

Last week, the office of the provost at Washington University in St. Louis, where I teach, sent out a new syllabus template for faculty use. It’s nine pages long and suggests that any detailed course content—a list of study topics, assigned readings, and weekly homework assignments—be sequestered at the very end. This is not unusual. I’ve seen and heard the same thing from colleagues all across the country, at schools big and small, public and private. At colleges and universities everywhere, the syllabus has become a terms-of-service document.

The change happened slowly. Long before courseware made it obsolete, the syllabus was pulled in two directions. On one side, it recorded a deliberate pedagogical plan plotted out by an expert. The syllabus, in its very brevity, offered evidence of that expertise. All of Greek lyric poetry or organic chemistry or political economy boiled down to this simple, confident itinerary. The syllabus was also meant to capture the letter and spirit of the learning environment: the nature of assignments, what success would mean, how the class would operate, the instructor’s style. It was a hallowed artifact in the mind of educators.

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But on the other side, students never seemed to read our syllabi. They didn’t know which practicing would be coming next, or what would be on the exam, or when the papers were due. A tradition of professorial barbs and sneers developed around that state of affairs: It’s on the syllabus! Didn’t you read the syllabus? Intention underlied impatience: The traditional university student matriculates to learn but also to become an independent adult. In its own small way, as a document that could and should be consulted, the syllabus gave students an opportunity to exercise self-reliance—and teachers a way of holding them accountable.

Even though most students wouldn’t encounter syllabi until college, their legend leaked out. The syllabus encapsulated the educational side of college life. This wasn’t just a course plan; it was a document that mediated the student’s relationship with the professor. It was a contract, and those who paid that contract insufficient mind—students who might find themselves in breach—were considered lazy, incompetent, or truculent.

Then, 21st-century software upended how courses were run. Whether built in house or licensed, learning-management systems became commonplace. The move made sense: The web had fully matured, and you could bank, pay bills, shop, and socialize online. Why not manage your classes too? But courseware would explode the syllabus into shrapnel. Sure, you could just post a PDF of an old paper syllabus online, but courseware lets you install weekly “modules” that show materials and assignments for each class meeting. It offers places to store readings and other resources. It lists teachers’ contact information and facilitates announcements. Suddenly, professors could also change their course plans on the fly, tweaking subjects and assignments as they liked. Adopting the legalese that now seemed best suited to the context, we’d put a broad disclaimer on our syllabi: “subject to change.”

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In effect, what had been marked as the “syllabus” section of a course website was no longer needed for that purpose. Now it was just a list of course policies. The syllabus had long been described as a course contract, an agreement between teacher and students about what would take place in the classroom and on what terms. But the “contract” part of that arrangement took over for the “course.”

For a time, courseware was optional. Some faculty kept using paper syllabi; others adopted the online tools. Some used a combination. But as universities invested big bucks in courseware, and as courseware companies made big bucks selling it, the pressure to adopt it increased. Student demand followed: They became irritated and confused by the notion that each course might be managed in a different way, and courseware gave students more information and greater feedback—or a sense of it, anyway. In particular, courseware’s ability to store and display grades allowed students to check in frequently—perhaps obsessively—on their performance, making courseware-run courses feel more student-centered than other kinds.

During the same period in which courseware was completing its takeover, the faculty-student relationship changed. Tuition prices rose, and the student’s role became more like that of a conventional customer. I’ve seen conflicts over grades or late assignments inspire faculty to add greater detail and more contract riders to their syllabi. Concerns about mental health, accommodation, disability resources, gender identity/personal pronouns, classroom climate, harassment and sexual assault, and other matters gave rise to pages’ worth of boilerplate. The pandemic demanded the addition of health and safety protocols. New ways of cheating, such as Chegg and ChatGPT, demanded fresh language about academic integrity. And each new policy clarification can beget subordinating policy clarifications; for example, using a software package called Turnitin to detect plagiarism requires that professors disclose that work submitted to courseware will be funneled through Turnitin, which vacuums data from those papers to benefit its business.

Read: The first year of AI college ends in ruin

If the syllabus had simply gone away, educators could mourn its loss and move on. Instead, the document persists as the bloated corpse of what it used to be, and also as a ghost haunting the distributed, corporate information systems that have slowly replaced it.

Professors still cling to their old-fashioned syllabi in private. They share them with their colleagues looking for course ideas. When proposing new courses to department heads, they still draw up plans in which subjects and materials, and assignments and schedules, take the place of quasi-legal notices. The syllabus as it used to be is for faculty’s eyes only.

Students, for their part, may be better off with the syllabus dead. (Used effectively, courseware serves their needs quite well.) But the bureaucratization of the traditional course plan has changed what it feels like to teach, and to be taught. The syllabus used to make a promise: that the classroom was a distinct place, separated from the world even if still coupled to it, where a common project would be undertaken, and during which trust would be presumed. Now it’s just the opposite, more a legal waiver than an invitation—just another contract rendered in fine print. If students don’t bother practicing syllabi today, who can really blame them?

Constructing a syllabus is an important component of the course design process. The following materials reflect a research-supported framework to help create a pathway to success in your course. Each semester, Innovative Learning reviews the syllabus framework, identifying needed updates and resources.

The Word files linked below outline Required and Recommended components for your syllabus. Many of these components are already in your Brightspace shell. They just need updates specific to your course. The files below include language that comes directly from University policies or is suggested by the University Senate or specific units. Other sample language reflects an autonomy-supportive classroom that can influence student perception and performance (Young-Jones, Levesque, Fursa & McCain 2019). Italicized text indicates notes to instructors. Plain text provides examples of language.

Tips for creating your syllabus:

• Don’t revise what you don’t have to. Resources listed under University Policies and Statements and the Student Services widget in the Brightspace shell are updated each semester and automatically populated. You may call these resources to your students’ attention.
• Instructors cannot see the Student Services widget in Brightspace, but you can see the most exact version of it here.
• Feel free to add additional resources that might help your students to your syllabus.

Once your syllabus is complete, please also upload it to Purdue’s Course Insights syllabus archiving system. For questions related to the syllabus framework, email innovativelearningteam@purdue.edu.

Note: The Purdue syllabus guidelines are influenced by Instruction Matters: Purdue Academic Course Transformation (IMPACT) and the resources available through Purdue’s Brightspace learning management system (LMS). It also addresses criteria of the valid and reliable syllabus rubric published by the University of Virginia Center for Teaching Excellence (Palmer, Bach & Streifer 2017). Components fall under five categories: 1) Essential course information, instructor contact information, and course description, 2) Specific, student-centered learning outcomes and objectives that are clear, articulated and measurable (Bristol et al 2019), 3) Assessment strategies for all graded assignments that make explicit connections between learning outcomes, activities, and content, 4) Pedagogical approaches and activities that help students achieve the course outcomes and objectives, and 5) Policies and approaches that foster engaging, student-centered learning environments.

References

Adena Young-Jones, Chantal Levesque, Sophie Fursa & Jason McCain (2019): Autonomy-supportive language in the syllabus: supporting students from the first day. Teaching in Higher Education. DOI: 10.1080/13562517.2019.1661375.

Levesque-Bristol, C., Flierl, M., Zywicki, C., Parker, L.C., Connor, C., Guberman, D., Nelson, D., Maybee, C., Bonem, E., FitzSimmons, J., & Lott, E. (2019). Creating Student-Centered Learning Environments and Changing Teaching Culture: Purdue University’s IMPACT Program. National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA).

Palmer, M. S., Bach, D. J., & Streifer, A. C. (2014). Measuring the promise: A learning‐focused syllabus rubric. To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development, 33 (1), 14-36.

Top Enterprise Best Practices for Securing, Administering & Recovering M365

Date: Friday, July 8th at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET

Good administration of a Microsoft 365 tenant can require a completely different set of policies and procedures from what many organizations have been using for on-premises administration. The shift to Microsoft 365 is causing IT departments to revisit and revise their policies to ensure users can work remotely while still getting access to the data they need. Striking the proper balance between access and security can be difficult.

In this session, Nathan O’Bryan (MCSM: Messaging, MVPr Office 365) will explore Best Practices for Securing, Administering & Recovering M365 to ensure security, and compliance while maintaining the appropriate levels of access for end-users.

Here is the AGENDA for the summit:

9 a.m. PT / 12 noon ET
What's Hot in M365 for Security, Backup & Recovery

10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET
Top Enterprise Best Practices for Securing, Administering & Recovering M365

11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET
Hottest Third-Party Solutions

Register now!

About the presenter:

Nathan O'Bryan, Microsoft MVP

Nathan is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Master: Messaging and a five time former Microsoft MVP for Office Servers and Services from Portland, OR. He specializes in Exchange, Office 365, Active Directory, Azure and Teams. Nathan works as an independent consultant, and actively contributes to the Exchange and Office 365 communities by writing articles for several tech websites and his own blog.

Tue, 17 May 2022 03:22:00 -0500 en-US text/html https://redmondmag.com/webcasts/2022/07/securing-managing-and-recovering-microsoft-365-summit-session-2.aspx?tc=page0

For a better experience, click the icon above to turn off Compatibility Mode, which is only for viewing older websites.

The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) supports Drexel University instructors in course development, including the development of course learning goals and the design of assessments and learning activities to meet those goals. This site provides links to a number of resources that can assist instructors in that process, as well as links to important policies and information that instructors at Drexel should use in the creation of their syllabi. In addition to these resources, TLC consultants are available for individual consultations at any stage of the course and syllabus development process.

Drexel University Policies and Practices

Drexel University Student Services

Strategies and Best Practices

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 17:07:00 -0500 en text/html https://drexel.edu/teaching-and-learning/resources/syllabus-and-course-development/

Research indicates that syllabi can increase student motivation and create equitable learning environments through transparency about key expectations for student learning and engagement. Consistent with the University’s Course Syllabus Policy, all courses at Saint Louis University are expected to have a syllabus, and all syllabi are expected to provide students with basic information about key aspects of the course.

Below are the required syllabus components for all SLU courses, as well as recommended syllabus components and other considerations that can enhance syllabi. Click the down arrows next to each header to expand the text and learn more. 

Please note: Academic units and programs (like the University Core) may require you to include additional information in your syllabus. Please check with program leaders if you need information about additional, program-specific syllabus content you should include. 

Required Syllabus Components

The University's Course Syllabus Policy aims to ensure that all students have access to consistent information about their courses and about University-level policies. The policy identifies nine components that must be a part of every course syllabus. These nine components constitute a minimum; academic units may require additional components, and instructors may choose to include other information. The policy specifies the information that must be included in every course syllabus, but it does not dictate a particular format or order for how this information is presented in a syllabus.  Academic units may require additional components to be included in course syllabi, and individual instructors certainly will want to add other course-specific information, as well. Required syllabus statements are available as a module in the Canvas Commons, for those who wish to import the statements directly into their Canvas courses. Click here for a printer-friendly version.

1. Course Information

a. Course number/section
b. Course meeting time(s) [if applicable]
c. Location [if applicable]
d. Pre-requisites/Co-requisites [if applicable]
e. Catalog Course Description

2. Instructor Information

a. Instructor name (including TA and peer instructors, if applicable)
b. Where, when, and how to contact the instructor

3. Learning

a. List course learning outcomes, objectives, and/or competencies

4. Required Materials and/or Equipment

a. Textbooks and/or course texts
b. Other materials and/or equipment (e.g., calculators, art supplies, lab safety equipment, medical equipment, hardware requirements, software access, virtual proctoring requirements, digital storage devices, special clothing, musical instruments, etc.)

5. Evaluation and Grading

a. List of components on which students will be evaluated (e.g., exams, projects, essays, participation, presentations, etc.)
b. Grading scale(s) governing the course
c. Policy on late or missing work/exams
d. Penalties on missed classes and/or tardiness [if applicable]
e. Catalog Course Description

8. Disability Accommodations

Insert and/or link to the required Disability Accommodations Syllabus Statement
Note: Due to accreditation requirements, regulatory differences, and/or location-specific resources, the School of Law, the School of Medicine, and SLU Madrid have their own standard language for syllabus statements related to disability accommodations. Faculty in those units should seek guidance for syllabus requirements from their dean's office.

9. Title IX

Insert and/or link to the required Title IX Syllabus Statement
Note: Due to accreditation requirements, regulatory differences, and/or location-specific resources, the School of Law, the School of Medicine, and SLU Madrid have their own standard language for syllabus statements related to Title IX. Faculty in those units should seek guidance for syllabus requirements from their dean's office.

Recommended Syllabus Components

In addition to the nine required components listed above, many instructors also find it useful to include information about or guidance on a range of other topics. The following list is drawn from common practices at SLU, as well as from the literature on effective syllabus construction and on creating inclusive courses that support student learning and success. This list is by no means exhaustive or in order of priority. Note: For some academic units, items on this list also may be required. Click here for a printer-friendly version.

Other Course Information

• An expanded description of the course, its priorities, key concepts, etc.
• Course schedule with due dates for assignments, exams, reading, and other activities
• Disclaimer about the possibility of changes to the course schedule

Information about Learning Activities/Assignments

• Description of informal learning activities students will engage in (e.g., informal in-class activities, participation expectations, service-learning experiences, etc.)
• Articulation of the link between course assignments/activities and state learning outcomes, objectives, and/or competencies

Additional Information about Academic Honesty

• Unit-level academic honesty policies and practices [if applicable]
• Course-specific guidance on academic honesty
• Statements of professional ethics or codes of conduct [if applicable]

Other Course-Specific Information

• Insert a basic needs security syllabus statement (like this one, which was developed at SLU to alert students to campus resources for things like food and shelter insecurity)
• Course etiquette/civility policies or other expectations about interactions between and among members of the class
  • With a significant number of SLU courses now being conducted via various distance education modalities, a University-wide recommended syllabus statement on distance education etiquette is warranted. This statement is recommended for all syllabi for all courses at all locations (except the Madrid Campus) offered by the colleges/schools and other academic units reporting to the University Provost.
• Information about what will happen in cases of inclement weather
• Information about relevant safety/security protocols and procedures (e.g., location of eye wash stations, active shooter response, etc.)
• Distinction between "excused" and "unexcused" absences [if applicable and consistent with University attendance policy]
• Statement that student work in the course may be used in course/program assessment
• Information about requirements for experiential/off-campus learning (e.g., liability waiver, background check, internship learning contract, service expectations, etc.)

Other Considerations for Course Syllabi

Below are additional suggestions drawn from the literature on effective syllabus construction and adopted by some SLU instructors. The Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning can assist instructors who wish to learn more about items on this list. The Reinert Center website also may provide additional information about these considerations. Click here for a printer-friendly version.

Consider Adding a Graphic Syllabus

A graphic/visual representation of the major components of a course can help students connect to the larger purpose of a course and/or to better understand the relationships among the components of the course. Learn more about the content of a graphic syllabus here.

Share your Teaching Philosophy

Sharing a brief description of your philosophy of teaching can give students a way of understanding what they will experience in your course and why.

Articulate What Constitutes Engagement in Your Course

Explaining what constitutes successful "engagement" or "participation" in your course helps to make those expectations explicit and visible for all learners. This can be especially helpful for first-generation and international students, as well as others whose backgrounds may not have prepared them well to understand the "hidden rules" of successful academic engagement.

Share Tips for Success

Consider sharing tips for how to be successful in the course. For example, you might provide guidance on effective study strategies for your particular content area or tips for how to read course content effectively. Generic study or practicing strategies may not work for your particular discipline or the kinds of concepts or texts you teach. Being transparent about what successful students do in your course or your discipline can help students meet your high expectations.

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 01:05:00 -0500 en text/html https://www.slu.edu/provost/faculty-affairs/teaching-resources-for-faculty/course-syllabus-information/index.php

We live in a time where the profound impact of technology in everything that we do is so much deeper, so much broader, whether you’re talking about precision agriculture, or precision medicine, the future of connected products, smart cities or smarter factories.

Read more…

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 06:27:00 -0500 en-US text/html https://news.microsoft.com/ignite-envision-2017/

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FAQs

Does Microsoft offer free shipping?

Yes, Microsoft offers free shipping on all orders, so there’s no need to worry about any additional costs! What’s even better is that it's expedited shipping, so you can expect your order to arrive within 2-3 days. 

Can I track my Microsoft order?

Yes, you can track your order from Microsoft. To track your Microsoft order, head to the ‘Order History’ page on your account. If the status of your order is ‘Shipped’, you can click on the ‘Track Shipping’ link below the status information. You can’t check if the order is still ‘Pending’ - that means it’s not out for delivery yet.

Does Microsoft do gift cards?

Yes, they do. So you can give your loved ones the gift of choice with a Microsoft or Xbox gift card! Choosing one of these gift cards gives the recipient the chance to get devices, games, software, apps, movies, and more.

How do I redeem a Microsoft or Xbox gift card?

If you’ve been lucky enough to receive a Microsoft or Xbox gift card, it’s super easy to redeem it. You'll need to have a Microsoft account, and once you’ve signed in, head to the Redeem page where you can then enter the 25-character code. 

Does Microsoft have Black Friday sales?

Yes, they do. You'll already be able to find a dedicated Black Friday page on the Microsoft website, it doesn’t have any Black Friday deals yet (it’s way too early!) but it does let you know there will be some this year! Check back on this page this Friday, November 24 as we’ll have an updated list of Microsoft Black Friday deals.

What’s the Microsoft returns policy?

You can request to return a product up to 30 days after receiving your purchase for a refund. This does not include original shipping costs. To request a return, go to the ‘Order History’ page on your account and select ‘Request a Return’. Follow the instructions and once approved, you’ll get a prepaid shipping label. Ensure your items are in their original packaging and brand-new condition before sending them back. Please allow for 3–5 business days to get your refund once Microsoft has received your items.

Do Microsoft purchases come with a warranty?

Yes, they do. All Microsoft devices and accessories come with a Standard Lifetime Warranty. You can further protect your devices using Microsoft's Complete Protection Plan. This offers extended hardware and accidental damage coverage, as well as unlimited technical support after your purchase.

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Hints and tips

Shop Store Deals: Microsoft has a dedicated deals page that showcases all the bargains you can find in the Microsoft store. There’s a whole bunch of deals available from Xbox, Surface, PC, and accessories, be sure to check them out.

Student & Military Discount: Great news for any students, teachers, parents, or military, you can enjoy a 5 to 10% discount at Microsoft. What’s even better is you’ll get free access to Office 365! To get your discount, enter the email address you use with your Microsoft account. If you qualify, you’ll be approved immediately.