Developing A Syllabus and Writing Learning Outcomes

DEVELOPING A
SYLLABUS AND
WRITING
LEARNING
OUTCOMES
Instructional Objectives for this Session
 Provide an understanding of the nature and purposes
of syllabi
 Enable participants to prepare better syllabi with clear

course objectives and learning outcomes
10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 2

Learning Outcomes for this Session
 Compare and contrast different kinds of syllabi.
 Evaluate syllabi on the basis of how they support learning.
 Describe the characteristics of quality instructional
objectives and learning objectives.
 Compare and contrast instructional objectives and
learning outcomes.
 Write quality instructional objectives and learning
objectives.
 Explain how well-written objectives support student
learning.
What is a syllabus?
 A syllabus is a legally-binding contract between the

instructor and the student.

What is a syllabus?
 Two fundamental criteria:
 1. It should include all the information that students need to

have at the beginning of the course.

2. It should include all the information that students need to
have in writing.

BASIC PURPOSES
 Describe the course, its goals, and its objectives.

 Describe the structure of the course and its
significance within the general program of study
 Discuss what mutual obligations students and
instructors share.
 Provide critical logistical and procedural information
--what will happen, when, and where.

WHAT ELEMENTS SHOULD A
SYLLABUS CONTAIN?

Required Elements of a Course Syllabus
 Course Information  Assessment Policy and Tools
 Faculty Information  Learning Activities and Tasks
 Course Description  Regulations
 Course Objectives  References and Additional
Resources
 Student Learning Outcomes
 Appendices
 Content Distribution
 - Course Matrix
 Delivery Methods  - Evaluation Criteria (Rubrics)
 Learning Resources and Media
Kinds of Syllabi
 Content-based :
What the instructor will teach
 Process-based :
How the instructor will teach
 Outcomes-base :
 What the student will learn
Example: Process (PBL)
Course Information
Day and Time Class Meets
Will longer meeting times be needed?
Time to accommodate out-of-class research?
“Custom” schedule vs. standard meeting times?
Place Class Meets
Fixed seating vs. moveable seats
PBL or case study room option

Instructor Information
Phone Numbers, E-mail
Class and/or group phone numbers
Newsgroup, class mailing lists, chat rooms
Educational Philosophy
What you value and why

Text, Readings, Materials
Textbook(s)
Is one needed? Daily use? Reference? Choices?
User-friendly for independent study?
Does text address all learning issues?
Supplementary Readings
Electronic reserve
Web sites
Off-campus student accessibility to these

Course Calendar/Schedule
Dates for Exams, Quizzes
Group components?
Time constraints: in-class, out-of-class, or take-
home?
(Out-of-class exams slots require advance planning
for room scheduling, i.e., listing exams in course
registration booklet)

Course Policies
Attendance, Lateness
Effect on group progress and dynamics
Participation
Clear expectations for individual, group
Grading
Balance in individual vs. group accountability
Process skills: how much are they valued?

Available Support Services
Library
Research skills, available data bases
Library tours
Computers and Electronic Resources
Using e-mail, Internet and access to same
Using specialized software: spreadsheets, statistics
Program/platform compatibility for sharing work

WHAT IS AN OBJECTIVE-BASED SYLLABUS?
 A reflective exercise that addresses the question:

What do students need to know in order to derive
maximum benefit from this educational experience?
 A change in focus that affects the students’ role,

requiring them to be responsible for their own
learning

BASIC GOALS OF AN OBJECTIVE BASED SYLLABUS
 Answers the questions:
What do students need to learn (goals and objectives)?
 What assignments, classroom activities, and

pedagogical approaches will help students reach these
goals?
 How will you determine that students have

accomplished what you set out to teach them?

Course Descriptions
 Explaining, briefly, what your course is all about
 The “big picture”

Interrogatory Course Description
Interrogatory:
Political Sciences 340
Individual Responsibility in Organizations
This course examines research on responsibility and
relates it to how we run our business, government,
educational and other institutions. What do we do
that sabotages responsibility? How can you design
organizations so that people feel responsible? Is
there a relationship between responsibility and
efficiency? If so, why is it a secret?
Method: collaborative inquiry.

Declarative Course Description
History 212
Renaissance Europe
This course will examine the cultural and intellectual movement

known as the Renaissance, from its origins in fourteenth-century
Italy to its diffusion into the rest of Europe in the sixteenth
century. We will trace the great changes in the world of learning
and letters, the visual arts, and music, along with those taking
place in politics, economics, and social organization. We will be
reading primary sources as well as modern works. Discussions
on issues and group presentations will be the main focus of our
work.

Course Description: Tips
 You may want to use statements such as:
 The students will explore ……
 [List the topics covered in brief descriptive phrases] will be examined in
relation to…..
 There will be emphasis on ….
 If the first line of a description does no more than repeat the

course title, omit it and go on to the next line.
 If a term such as "laboratory", "seminar" or "workshop" is used

in the title, you don’t need to repeat it in the description.

If the course number or title adequately indicates the relative

sophistication of the course, it is unnecessary to use "introduction
to" or "advanced study of" in the course description.
In general, the course description should cover the course aims,
structure (methodology) and assessment.
Use action words, active voice, convey a user-friendly tone, and

use tasteful humor if you deem appropriate.

 Limit the description to about 35 words
 Proof read!!

Instructional Objectives
 Broad statements reflecting what students should

learn as a result of taking the course.
 Express the general focus of the course and help

students understand the direction the course will take.

Examples
 “Students will develop a basic speaking knowledge of the

French language that will enable them to carry on a simple
conversation with a native French speaker.”
 “Students will be able to apply basic economic concepts to

current economic situations.”

 Use general terms such as: students will acquire,

know, understand, appreciate, grasp the significance
of, believe, internalize, experience, recognize, identify
etc.
 Ask: In what ways will students be “different” when

they finish the course?

Objectives are:
 stated in abstract terms. It is non observable

/non measurable. It describes what we think
students should know and know how to do, and
what attitudes they should have by the end of
the course.  knowledge, skills, attitude.

Objectives are:
 concerned with students, not faculty, and will

guide students in their studies.
 provide a basis for setting curriculum priorities

to focus on the most meaningful content
throughout the course.

Examples of Objectives
 Students will be able to differentiate between hard woods
and soft woods.
 Students will comprehend principles of ethics in the work

place.
 Students should demonstrate a critical understanding of the

historical and contemporary methods of experimental
psychology.
 Students should be able to apply basic principles of human

metabolism.
Examples of Objectives
 Students will develop an understanding of important

concepts and methods in the field of literary criticism.
 Students will learn how to use basic chemical concepts in

a laboratory experiment.
 Upon completion of this course, students will recognize

how cardiac abnormalities manifest clinically as disease
processes .
Program Goals
General Instructional Objectives
Course Learning Outcomes

Developing Objectives
1. Brainstorming what ideal students at the end of

your course and based on your instruction should
know, learn, be able to do, etc.
2. Keep in mind how your course fits with other courses

in the program.
3. Discuss your responses.

Learning Outcomes
Written statements of what students are expected to

learn and perform in a course
State what we want students to know and be able to

do as a result of their learning experiences in a course
Clarify to students our expectations

Purposes
 Increase students’ awareness of and reflection on

their own learning;
 Help students understand where they are supposed to

be headed or what they are aiming for as learners;
 Help establish a common language among faculty,

students and other stakeholders for describing and
assessing course content;

Purposes
 Provide advisors with a useful tool for helping advisees

make decisions about course registration;
 Help faculty self-assess/reflect on practice;
 Define potential evidence bases for course revision and

design; and
 May satisfy important accreditation requirements by

external evaluators.
Writing Learning Outcomes
Bloom (1956) defined three different domains of knowledge:
 Cognitive domain (thinking, knowledge): student cognitive

behavior is categorized into six levels ranging from simple (knowledge)
to more complex behaviors (evaluation)
 Affective domain (feeling, attitudes): this domain ranges from

receiving going up to internalizing.
 Psychomotor domain (doing, skills): this taxonomy ranges from the

simple act of perception to the highest level of behavior, organization.

Examine the following statements: Which in your judgment
are acceptable Learning Outcomes? Why?
“By the end of the course, I will be able to demonstrate to

students how to set up lab equipment.”
“By the end of the course, students will be able to set up

laboratory equipment based on specified tasks and purposes”
Student focused versus Teacher focused

course will instill an
By the end of the semester, the
understanding of the scientific method.”
By the end of the semester, students will be able to

analyze what constitutes valid and invalid
conclusions
Focused on the process versus focused on the Outcome.

 Students will write a lesson plan at the end of
each chapter.
 Students will design different lesson plans in

relation to a variety of instructional models such
as inquiry model, cooperative learning, lecturing
etc.
Activity based versus outcomes based

How many learning outcomes in a course
should we develop?
 You may want to develop as many outcomes as needed in order to

clearly indicate to the students what they will gain from the course.
 Each major topic in the course should have one to three

learning outcomes.
 Each 45-hour or three-credit course should have between five

and 12 learning outcomes.

Learning Outcomes -- More Tips
 Check whether your students’ intended performance is

observable.
 Check whether you can assess/measure your students’

observable performance.
 Align course learning outcomes with the mission and goals of

your program.
 Indicate the type and level of knowledge, attitude and skills

which are expected of students upon completion of the course.

Learning Outcomes -- More Tips
 Make sure each statement has one action verb. Do not

include more than one expectation in one statement
because the required assessment methods may differ.
 Focus on the learning result (i.e. product or

performance) that the student will exhibit and not the
learning process or your instruction.
 Write learning outcomes which can be measured by

more than one assessment method.

Developing Learning Outcomes
Effective learning outcomes must:
Have an action word that describes what the

student will do differently as a result of your course
Describe meaningful learning

Developing Learning Outcomes
Effective learning outcomes must:
 Be measured/verified
i.e., you can measure students’ ability to
achieve
them
 Represent high levels of thinking, rather than
trivial tasks
 Be written in plain language students can
understand

Examples
1.Bio 100/101
General Instructional Objective/Goal:

 Students will be able to understand how the biological sciences explain
the natural world.
Specific Learning Outcome:

Students will:
1.Design an experiment, based on a reasonable scientific hypothesis,
to demonstrate how an environmental factor affects a living organism
2. Choose 2 biological concepts from the following list and explain how
they are related: ecology, cell function, evolution, genetics.
Examples
2. English 110
General Instructional Objective/Goal:

 Students will understand how major works of literature explore the human
condition and examine human values.
Specific Learning Outcome:

Students will be able to:
 Identify the characteristics inherent in literature, such as emotional,
intellectual and aesthetic design, on problems of the human condition.
 Relate the characteristics of literature to larger cultural and human values.

Examples
2. Course Learning Outcomes (Educ. 245)

You should be able to:
 describe the cognitive, social, physical, emotional and language
development of students in the elementary school;
 demonstrate (in writing and actual teaching) how to implement
effectively major instructional methods, approaches and techniques in
teaching the language arts in the elementary school;
 plan lessons based on the language arts components under student-
centered classes in the elementary school;
 Reflect on your teaching practices;
 assess your peers’ micro teaching practices;
 develop your philosophy of teaching the language arts in the elementary
school, supported with evidence.

Summary
A syllabus is a contract. Write it carefully.
Begin with the big picture (course description)
…add the idealized final product (instructional objectives)
…provide specific, observable, measurable learning outcomes

Summary
Then, and only then, are you ready to plan your

content and activities.

References
 http://universitysenate.syr.edu/curricula/writing.html
 http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/en/wtts/description.htm
 http://precollege.case.edu/syl/CreativeWritingEquinox07.pdf
 http://www.ctl.sas.upenn.edu/tips/index.html
 http://www.usm.maine.edu/olli/national/pdf/USM-PR_Tips.pd
f

SEATWORK
 Re – create a course outline based on a professional course that you have previously taken.
 Topics for this course outline should be divided into 15 weeks, 5 weeks/term (Prelim, Midterm, Final).
 Format:
Program: BS _____________________
Course/Subject:_________________
Semester offered, Year Level ( 2nd Sem., 3rd year)
A. Course Description
B. General Instructional Objectives
C. Week / Topics
1 Wk 1 topic
1 Learning outcome 1
2 Learning outcome 2, etc.
2 Wk 2 topic

THANK YOU…

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DEVELOPING A

 Enable participants to prepare better syllabi with clear

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 2

 A syllabus is a legally-binding contract between the

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 4

 Two fundamental criteria:

 1. It should include all the information that students need to

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 5

 Describe the course, its goals, and its objectives.

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 6

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 7

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 10

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 11

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 12

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 13

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 14

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 15

 A reflective exercise that addresses the question:

 A change in focus that affects the students’ role,

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 16

 Answers the questions:

What do students need to learn (goals and objectives)?

 What assignments, classroom activities, and

 How will you determine that students have

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 17

 Explaining, briefly, what your course is all about

 The “big picture”

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 18

Method: collaborative inquiry.

This course will examine the cultural and intellectual movement

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 20

 If the first line of a description does no more than repeat the

 If a term such as "laboratory", "seminar" or "workshop" is used

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 21

If the course number or title adequately indicates the relative

Use action words, active voice, convey a user-friendly tone, and

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 22

 Limit the description to about 35 words

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 23

 Broad statements reflecting what students should

 Express the general focus of the course and help

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 24

 “Students will develop a basic speaking knowledge of the

 “Students will be able to apply basic economic concepts to

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 25

 Use general terms such as: students will acquire,

 Ask: In what ways will students be “different” when

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 26

 stated in abstract terms. It is non observable

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 27

 concerned with students, not faculty, and will

 provide a basis for setting curriculum priorities

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 28

 Students will comprehend principles of ethics in the work

 Students should demonstrate a critical understanding of the

 Students should be able to apply basic principles of human

 Students will develop an understanding of important

 Students will learn how to use basic chemical concepts in

 Upon completion of this course, students will recognize

General Instructional Objectives

Course Learning Outcomes

10/25/2020 ZNServo-Sabio, PTRP, DHPEd 31

1. Brainstorming what ideal students at the end of