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Syllabus Template for Online Courses
One of the keys to successful distance education programs is quality teaching. Teaching off-campus requires different strategies of interaction, content presentation, and evaluation. The faculty development opportunities and areas of support for the off-campus faculty member continue to expand.
Developing Online Courses
Faculty Workshop
Guiding Principles and Standards of Practice for Online Programs
Syllabus Template for Online Courses
Teaching at the University Center of Greenville
Template: (download WORD document here)
Course Number and Title
Term
Introduction to the Course
[course description from catalog]
Introduction to the Instructor(s)
Name
Contact Information
Introduction/Brief Bio
Photo
Office Hours - Electronic, Physical
E-mail response statement - I will respond to all e-mail correspondence within 48 hours, except on weekends.
Introduction of Other Leaders in the Course
Course Requirements
Pre-requisites
Textbook & Other course Materials
Listing of Textbooks, etc.
Textbooks may be ordered from the Clemson University Bookstore or any of the other sources available on the Internet. Other web sites such as campusi offer a price comparison of textbooks by seller.
Minimum Technical Requirements
- Access to e-mail and the Internet
- Internet browser Internet Explorer version 5.5 or greater, Netscape 6.2 or greater, or another equivalent level of browser.
- Current version of an operating system, a word processing package, a spreadsheet package, presentation software, and the Macromedia Flash Player.
- Microphone for group presentations; the web camera is optional.
- Since this course involves sending and receiving large files of information and meeting online, you may find that a high speed Internet connection is advantageous.
Time Commitment and Weekly Interactions Requirements
To be successful in this online course, you must be willing to allocate sufficient time to access course materials, participate in online classes and discussion groups, and complete all of the assignments. Similar to traditional classroom courses, you will interact with the content, your teacher, and your classmates on at least a weekly basis through course assignments, asynchronous discussion, and synchronous meetings as indicated in this syllabus. During this course, you should plan on scheduling 12 to 15 hours per week.
Attendance Policy
Only one "student choice" e-absence from the synchronous classes is allowed. Whenever possible, students should notify the instructor of the intended absence in advance. Additional absences may be excused at the discretion of the instructor and will be considered only when appropriate documentation has been presented within one week of the absence. Each additional unexcused absence will result in a 5% point deduction from the final grade. The instructor reserves the right to assign a failing grade to any student who misses more than two synchronous classes.
Students are required to wait 15 minutes for the instructor to arrive for a synchronous class. If the instructor has not arrived within 15 minutes, you may leave.
Academic Integrity Policy
As members of the Clemson University community, we have inherited Thomas Green Clemson's vision of this institution as a "high seminary of learning." Fundamental to this vision is a mutual commitment to truthfulness, honor, and responsibility, without which we cannot earn the trust and respect of others. Furthermore, we recognize that academic dishonesty detracts from the value of a Clemson degree. Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing in any form.
Key Dates
Beginning Date
Last Day to Add
Last Day to Drop Without Record
Last Day to Drop Without Final Grade
Ending Date
Navigating the Course
Getting Started
The electronic classrooms for this course are located in Blackboard and Breeze.
To gain access to the course you need your Clemson Student ID (username) and password.
Blackboard
- Open your Internet browser to MyCLE or, log onto Clemson University's website, www.clemson.edu, and select MyCle on the top navigation bar.
- Login using your Clemson University Username and Password.
- The "Welcome," page has a list of your current courses. Select the course and enter the Blackboard classroom.
Announcements
Course Announcements
Course Documents
Syllabus
Assignments
Course Materials
PresentationsStaff Information
Contact information for teachers and resource people
Communications
Discussion Boards
Group Pages
Sending E-mail
Chat Rooms
Roster
CalendarDiscussion Boards
Discussion ForumsExternal Links
Web page links to external resources outside of Blackboard
Tools
Grades
Course Evaluation
User ManualContent Collection Tab
Library E-Reserves (under Institution Content)
Breeze
- Open your Internet browser
- Enter the URL for the course: http://breeze.clemson.edu/xxxxxxx
- Select the option to Enter as a Guest
- Enter you name and click on the Enter Room button
The Breeze Classrooms Camera and Voice
Web Cam pictures
Microphone controls
Attendee List
List of attendees in the Breeze meetings
Share
PowerPoint presentation
Shared DocumentsChat
Attendee, presenter, and host comments and discussions
Note
Notes
Poll
Question and multiple choice answers
Communicating Electronically
Netiquette Expectations
Always practice Internet Etiquette when communicating electronically. The purpose of communicating electronically in an online course is to share information.
- Be respectful of other participants, their time, their bandwidth, and their opinions.
- Remember that you are communicating with people who do not have the advantage of seeing your body language or hearing your voice inflections, and who may interpret your message differently than you intended.
- Using ALL CAPS may be interpreted as shouting
- Use humor and sarcasm carefully (we can't see the "twinkle in your eye"); add emoticons to provide a visual representation of your intent
- Keep your critiques constructive; antagonistic criticism is called "flaming" and may cause an unwanted reaction
- Remember that you are judged by the quality of your writing.
- Spelling and grammar do count
- Be coherent and succinct
- Do not plagiarize; respect copyrights
- Do not depend on a single source when contributing new information from external resources
- Be professional
Sending and Receiving E-mail
The instructor(s) will respond to all inquiries, questions, and other electronic correspondence within a timely, but not necessarily immediate, manner. Most electronic communications will be answered within 48 hours. All e-mail messages from the instructor(s) will be sent to the student's Clemson University e-mail address. To avoid having your message mistakenly identified as SPAM, please identify the course in the subject line (xxxxx xxx).
Learning Expectations
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, the student will be able to:
- ...
- ...
- ...
- ...
- ...
Grading Policies
GRADING SCALE
Weight of Assignments, Participation, Other Assessments
Course Assignments
Synchronous Meetings
Students are expected to participate in the weekly synchronous meetings. Each class will be facilitated by the instructor and include student team presentations. All students are expected to actively participate in class discussions.
The synchronous classes will be every [day] at [time, Eastern Standard/DST] beginning [date] and will be facilitated through the Macromedia Breeze software. Each class will be at least one hour in length. The meetings will be recorded for later review.
Students will need a microphone for the group presentations; a web camera is optional. The only software requirement is the Macromedia Flash Player available at no cost at www.macromedia.com
The Internet URL for this course is http://breeze.clemson.edu/xxxxxxx/
If you have difficulty connecting to the meeting, contact the instructor at [phone number].
All assigned readings must be completed before the meeting.
Discussion Board Forums
Discussion Board Forums are designed to facilitate asynchronous interactions about a particular thread or topic. You enter the discussion on your time schedule, read the postings, add comments, and introduce new material related to the topic. The purpose of a threaded discussion is to expand your knowledge through the collective research and comments on the subject. To be successful in online discussion forums, you need to visit the site frequently and become actively engaged in the process.
- Research the topic and add constructive comments and information
- Practice professional netiquette when communicating with others
- Visit the discussion frequently
- Stay on the subject
- Share relevant experiences and external resources
- Strive for quality more than quantity of postings
- Include open-ended questions in your postings to encourage dialogue
All students are expected to participate in all Discussion Board Forums. Participation will be graded on the equality of the posting, the use of outside resources, sharing information from agencies, and/or specific programs, and contributions to new knowledge.
Access to the Discussion Board forums is through Blackboard. Post your initial responses to the forum by Friday at 11:00 p.m., Eastern Time (EST/DST). Reply to the initial discussion postings of other class members by Sunday at 11:00 p.m., Eastern Time (EST/DST).
| Criteria | Excellent | Good | Average | Below Average | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postings | 5 postings; well-distributed throughout the week |
4 postings; well-distributed throughout the week |
3 postings; well- distributed throughout the week |
2 or less postings throughout the week |
No postings |
| Description of Contribution | Use of Analysis, Synthesis, an dEvaluation; Critical and/or creative contribution; Very clear that readings are understood and incorporated well into responses; Asks questions that extend the discussion; makes insightful, critical comments; Contributes new information and identifies the source |
Use of Comprehension and Application; Readings are understood and incorporated into responses; Exhibits good insights and understanding of discussion question; Relates the issue to prior material covered in the course |
Use of Knowledge; Postings are not on tract with readings Repeats basic correct information related to discussion |
Seemingly, no evidence that readings were understood or incorporated into the discussion; Did not do the readings |
No participation |
Individual Assignments and Projects
Topic and content expectations
Format expectations (APA Style, # of pages, font size, spacing)
Submission instructions (e-mail attachment)
Team Presentations
To be successful in a virtual group, you need excellent communications skills and a willingness to collaborate. Your team may meet in a variety of different ways, including chat rooms, discussion boards, e-mail messages, and telephone calls. Group pages for your team are located in Blackboard in the Communications area.
- Be an active team player
- Contribute to the assignment and share the work load
- Share your thoughts about the process, problems, and concerns
- Provide constructive feedback to the other group members
- Remember that this is a learning process and should increase your knowledge
Criteria for forming a team
Topic and content expectations
Format expectations
Due date and time
Submission instructions
- Presentation
- Discussion Board Forum (Team members do not need to post an initial response to their own forum; they do need to respond to their classmates)
- Report
Peer evaluation instructions
- Each team member will submit a graded evaluation of the other members of the team based on
- Collaborative effort and contribution to the research
- Contribution to the preparation of the presentation and report
- Participation in the presentation
- Submit a graded evaluation of each team member (maximum of 100 points) to the instructor via e-mail by [date and time]
- An average of the team scores for each member will be calculated into the final grade
Final Project/Presentation
Topic and content expectations
Format expectations
Due date and time
Submission instructions
Peer evaluation instructions if this is a team effort:
- Each team member will submit a graded evaluation of the other members of the team based on
- Collaborative effort and contribution to the research
- Contribution to the preparation of the presentation and report
- Participation in the presentation
- Submit a graded evaluation of each team member (maximum of 100 points) to the instructor via e-mail by [date and time]
- An average of the team scores for each member will be calculated into the final grade.
Tests, Exams, Other Assessments:
- Day, time, length
- Format
- Proctoring instructions
- Submission instructions
Schedule and Calendar
Week/Area xxx - Dates: Topic
Readings
- Include source and location
- Include instruction on how to access, as needed
Assignments/Projects
Discussion Board Forums
Presentations
Synchronous Meeting
Other
Other Resources