Creating a Student Centered Syllabus

Tom Ott & Melissa St. Pierre, Educational Support Services & Counseling

The concept of “student-centeredness” is one that entered the vocabulary of higher education many years ago and the impetus to incorporate this philosophy into our classrooms is pervasive. But what exactly is meant by this term? Grunert (1997, pg. viii) suggests:

A transformation is underway in American higher education, shifting the focus away from what faculty members teach to what students learn – from what Barr and Tagg (1995) have called the instructional paradigm to what they call the learning paradigm. This new perspective calls for a shift in the faculty role from disseminator of knowledge to facilitator of learning. This shift calls for changes in how we think about the courses we teach, how we design students’ learning experiences, and how we articulate our expectations of our students and ourselves.

Carrying this idea a step further, what is meant by the idea of a student-centered syllabus? How does this manner of thinking alter what we include or exclude in this important course document?

A traditional syllabus’ primary purpose is to provide a source of information for students about the course they are taking. Some view it as a “legal document” that serves as a contractual agreement while others see this “mandatory” course component as something you do the first day of class but never reference again. Similarly, a student-centered syllabus also provides a source of information on the course. However, the student-centered syllabus distinguishes itself in several ways, including:

1. It is quite comprehensive and provides students with many details.

2. It clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of all participants in the course.

3. It discusses the learning strategies used in class, such as role playing, group work, discussion, and other activities.

4. It prompts you to include information that supports and encourages student learning.

5. It moves you from the perspective of one professor to the minds of many students.

The primary purpose of this presentation is to provide faculty members with a summary of the current literature on the topic. Participants will also receive a template that they can use to compare their current syllabus to the idea of a student-centered syllabus.

Sample 1 student-centered syllabus (word document)

Sample 2 student-centered syllabus (word document)

Checklist for student-centered syllabus

Additional Resources

References