A syllabus typically lays out guidelines and procedures for how a course is to be conducted — when papers are due, which textbooks will be used, and so on — but in a remote course, procedural guidelines are of critical importance. They are the reference point to which students turn when uncertainties arise, and the arbiter in all questions regarding course policies.
Writing about distance education, Tait (2000) refers to three areas in which students in remote/virtual learning environments need particular support:
- cognitive support: course materials, textbooks, discussions;
- affective support: a welcoming environment, a sense of community; and
- systemic/administrative support: clear, transparent, student-friendly administrative processes and guidelines.
Students need to know:
- how to access the course syllabus, and what elements it contains
- how course meetings will be organized (e.g. how and when Zoom invitations will be sent)
- how to locate and use external resources: text files / audio and video resources / URLs for internet resources
- how students should contact the instructor
- where students can turn for help when technical problems arise
- how to submit assignments: file formats / how to label files / deadline policies
- procedures for taking tests: how tests will be given / how students are expected to complete and submit them
- if (and how often) students are expected to contribute to course forums.
“Even if you intend to explain assignments and procedures later in the course, it’s best to state them up front in the syllabus as well.”
Ko & Rossen, p. 121
References & Resources
Ko, S. and Rossen, S. (2017). Creating an effective online syllabus (Chapter 5, pp. 111-137). Teaching Online: A Practical Guide (4th ed.). New York and London: Routledge.
Murphy, L. (2015). Online language teaching: The learner’s perspective. In Hampel, R. and Stickler, U. Developing Online Language Teaching: Research-based Pedagogies and Reflective Practices. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 45-62.
Tait, A. (2000). Planning student support for open and distance learning. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning, 15(3), 287-299.