Course Introductions
Course Welcome
The course homepage is inviting, visually appealing, and easy to understand and directs learners to what they need to do to get started in the course.
The course Home page is logically organized, easy to understand, and branded to immediately engage learners in the course site. The Home page creates a welcoming entry point to the course and includes information about what students should do after entering a course site for the first time. Consider utilizing the Canvas Template, which provides a basic Home page structure that you can modify to fit your specific needs.
The course introduction includes information on how to navigate the learning management system (LMS) and where to find course materials and submit assignments.
Information is provided in written or video format to guide learners through the course navigation, including where to find course materials and how to submit assignments. Typically, this information appears on the Home page or within a Start Here module. Instructors may also describe the course navigation during a live class session, but including this guidance in the course site makes it easier for learners to locate and access as needed.
An inviting welcome message is easy to locate, provides a course overview, introduces the instructor, includes instructor contact information, and establishes the instructor’s presence in the course.
Information about the course’s purpose, structure, and instructor should be easily accessible to learners. This can often be found on the course Home page, in a Start Here Module, or within the syllabus. The course introduction can be presented in written, auditory, and/or video format.
The welcome message should be inviting, encourage learner engagement in the course, and showcase the instructor to establish their professional persona, personality, and presence in the course. For example, the instructor might share some of their hobbies and interests and describe their professional experiences and expertise.
The introduction should also include the instructor’s preferred name, institutional email address, phone number, office location, and office hours.
EXCEPTION: Courses with on-campus or synchronous sessions may opt to introduce the course during a live class. In those instances, it is still important to include instructor contact information within the course site so that it is easy for students to locate and access. It is also recommended that instructors record introductory class sessions so that learners can review them as needed.
Learners are asked to introduce themselves to their classmates to build community.
A meaningful introductory activity creates a learning environment where students are valued as individuals and feel as though they belong to a community. The form and function of the introductory activity are dependent on the purpose and nature of the course. Often this takes the shape of an introductory discussion where learners introduce themselves in a way that also relates back to the course focus. For example, a forum might ask learners to share what they want to gain from the course, past experience with the material, personal information, academic reflection, etc. Students may also be invited to add an image to their LMS profile or to create a video introduction that targets key ideas that will be addressed throughout the course.
EXCEPTION: Courses with on-campus or synchronous sessions may opt to include an introductory activity during a live class. For instance, in a pair and share learners may be asked to share a related professional experience with a classmate and then introduce their partner to the rest of the class.
Syllabus
The course syllabus is current and easy to locate and access.
Learners can easily find and view the syllabus within the course site. The syllabus should be accessible in the Syllabus course link, but it may also appear in other areas of the course such as the Home page, a Start Here module, etc.
The course syllabus contains all updated course, institutional, and department/program-specific required components (for a list of updated University policies, please refer to the Syllabus Template). Consider utilizing the Canvas Template, which updates automatically when Butler revises the required institutional policies.
The course purpose, structure, and modality is written in a way that makes it easy for learners to understand.
The syllabus should include an overview of the course purpose, structure, and modes of delivery. Often, this begins with the description from the Course Catalog; however, additional information is needed to further clarify the focus, methods of instruction, and expected modes of engagement. For example, if multiple modes of instruction are required (such as synchronous and asynchronous or both on-campus and virtual class sessions), the syllabus should explain the various modalities and how frequently learners will engage in each modality.
University, program, and course outcomes are present within the syllabus.
University, program and course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) are prominently located in the syllabus. Courses within the Core Curriculum must also include the Learning Objectives and Learning Outcomes for the respective Core Component.
Prerequisite courses and skills are explicitly defined.
The syllabus defines prerequisite courses and skills that learners need to be successful in the course. Even if there are no official prerequisites, the syllabus should describe expected skills and knowledge that will help learners prepare for the demands of the course, including related technology and digital literacy skills.
Instructions on how to purchase and/or access all course materials and technologies are clear.
Learners are provided with clear, detailed information regarding course materials, including what is required and what is optional, where they can access the resources, the associated costs, and what options they may have. Course materials may encompass books, articles, audio and video content, technologies, hardware, software, or publisher content. For publisher content, instructions for how to obtain and use required access codes are provided. If a resource is only available on one platform or in one modality, learners are notified about those limitations.
Links to privacy policies for all course tools requiring accounts are provided.
Students should be equipped to make informed decisions about their technology use; thus, it’s important to provide direct links to privacy policies for all account-based technologies used in the course. The Syllabus Template includes a link to a collection of privacy policies for Butler-supported tools, but the course syllabus should also include links to privacy policies for other course-specific technologies that require learners to log in.
Links to accessibility statements for all course technologies are provided.
To help learners with diverse abilities access the technologies in the course, the syllabus must provide direct links to accessibility statements for all technologies used in the course. The Syllabus Template includes a link to a collection of accessibility statements for Butler-supported tools, but the course syllabus should also include links to accessibility statements for other course-specific technologies. If an accessibility statement is not available for a particular technology, the course should link to the vendor’s Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), if available, or note that an accessibility statement does not exist for that tool.
Students are directed to tutorials and support services for course technologies.
The syllabus explains how learners can receive technical support for course technologies, including where to go for help with the LMS and links to relevant tutorials. Consider using the Syllabus Template, which includes a Technology Support section, to guide the development of this content.
Expectations for student interaction with the course content, instructor, and peers are detailed and engagement is encouraged.
The syllabus outlines expectations for learner-to-content, learner-to-instructor, and learner-to-learner interaction, including the required formats, frequency, depth, and protocols. Instructions define communication expectations and the course netiquette policies related to emails, discussions, assignments, live class sessions, and other interactions.
Multiple forms of interactions should be intentional and proactively built into the course, and active learning should be encouraged.
Course and university policies are clearly defined in the syllabus.
The syllabus includes all course and institutional policies, such as attendance and participation; student conduct; workload expectations; lecture capture; academic freedom; academic integrity; accomodations for documented disabilities; accommodations for religious observance; the Butler mission statement; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and reporting discrimination or harassment. Consider utilizing the Syllabus Template when structuring your policies, as it details all required policy statements and offers suggested language for optional content.
The grading policy and schema are coherent and consistent with the assignments in the course.
A clear grading scale that depicts how course grades will be calculated is present in the syllabus. Points, percentages, and/or weights for each assignment (or category) are clearly explained.
Moreover, the syllabus must define grading policies, such as late work, incomplete grades, and grade disputes. Grading policies are easy for learners to interpret and comprehend.
Assignments and course settings in the LMS match the grading schema and policies provided in the syllabus.
The syllabus explains instructor communication protocols, including expectations for email and discussion replies, announcements, and timely and substantive feedback and grades.
The syllabus indicates how soon the instructor will reply to emails, reply to discussion posts, post announcements, provide feedback on tasks, and grade assignments.
Prompt feedback is a powerful impetus for learning. Federal regulations also require regular and substantive interaction in online courses, which can, in part, be supported through frequent and timely instructor engagement. Thus, best practice (regardless of modality) suggests replying to student emails within two business days and providing feedback on assignments within one week of the due date. Additionally, feedback must be relevant to the course outcomes, content, or activities. Therefore, the syllabus should describe the anticipated instructor feedback to clarify its focus and frequency.
The course highlights student and academic support services available to learners.
The syllabus should spotlight student and academic support services that are particularly relevant to their success in the course. Such services include advising, campus life, career, counseling, financial aid, health and recreation, honors, language, the library, math, orientation, registration, study abroad, testing, tutoring, supplemental instruction, veteran, and the writing center. Consider utilizing the Syllabus Template, which links to all student and academic support services at Butler.
Schedule
The instructor provides a detailed course schedule that identifies assignment due dates.
A weekly or module-based course schedule identifies the list of assignments, activities, readings, online meetings, and additional student deliverables as well as their due dates. It may also be useful to include topics, expected completion times, or point values for tasks. The schedule may be provided as part of the syllabus or a separate file located near the syllabus. Instructors may opt to use Butler’s Course Schedule Template to guide its creation.
Instructors are encouraged to designate due dates in all assignment settings within the course. This will enable learners to easily view the assigned tasks within the Canvas Calendar, Course Summary (in the Syllabus), and automated Notifications.
The rigor of the course is appropriate for the discipline, course level, modality, and term length.
The course is designed to spur student academic and intellectual growth appropriate for the discipline, course level, modality, and term length. This will be evidenced in the quantity and quality of the course assignments and materials.
The course pace and sequencing is appropriate for the discipline, course level, modality, and term length.
The schedule of course activities is appropriately paced and sequenced given the discipline, course level, modality, and term length. Student workload is reasonable and evenly distributed.
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