what to do when the course description does not match what is taught

by Ms. Alicia Kemmer 6 min read

How do I write a course description for my course?

Mar 01, 2022 · 1. Add an introductory 2-3 sentences at the beginning of your description: Highlight what your course is (a high level overview) and how it will benefit students. Do not ask questions or "pitch" students here -- instead, focus on the problem your course is solving in a positive and inspiring tone. 2. Add in 1 sentence 'heading' after your 2-3 ...

What should I read about a course?

Oct 05, 2021 · Lesson Summary. When your major and career choice don't match up, there's no need to worry. By building experience through internships and college activities and by taking classes or workshops, a ...

What are the situations in which you can match match the campus?

May 01, 1994 · Course Requirements. Explain exactly what a student is expected to do in your course including a clear description of the tests administered, the papers written, and the oral presentations made. Course Calendar. Your calendar contains the dates of specific lecture topics, reading assignments, exams, and deadlines for papers and other projects.

What are course codes and how do they work?

Step 1: Arrange program-level SLOs and courses for the degree program/major into a table List the program-level SLOs along one axis and the courses for the degree program/major along the other axis. At minimum, a program should include core or required courses for the degree program/major. Programs may

Can a professor deviate from the syllabus?

A syllabus is often considered to be a kind of contract, which the instructor would be violating if they changed the terms without notifying the students. But in the case you're describing it's more likely either you or the instructor made an error in calculating your grade.Dec 28, 2017

Can a teacher go against the syllabus?

According to one study, more than 74 percent of faculty members view a syllabus as a contractual agreement, and that means professors who break them should face serious repercussions – just like their students. Unfair, unilateral and often last-minute calls for drastic change cost students their time, money and sanity.Jan 16, 2018

Are syllabi legally binding?

Contracts are legally enforceable documents; syllabi are not. Syllabi have persisted in the culture of higher education and are foundational parts of the pharmacy curricula that encourage students to develop an acceptance of a lifelong responsibility for learning.

What to do if a student does not understand what they are learning?

When Your Students Are ConfusedAsk yourself how important the concept is. ... Explain the concept again. ... Find another way to explain it. ... Try whole brain teaching. ... Use another format. ... Build in time to walk around and answer questions.

Can a professor change the grading scale at the end of the semester?

Many professors curve their exam in some way to alter the grade distributions. Some professors think this isn't necessary until the end of the semester and "curve" by altering cutoffs rather than adjusting final averages. Sometimes you, as a student, deserve the grade you got.Dec 16, 2015

Can a professor lower your grade?

Professors sometimes lay out their grade-change policies in their syllabi. For example, some professors will regrade an assignment but reserve the right to lower the final grade. Others may require students to write an explanation for why the assignment deserves a higher grade.Nov 3, 2021

Is a course syllabus a legal document?

Your course syllabus is generally regarded by your students, your institution, and the courts as a legally binding contract. To protect yourself and meet student needs, you must supply certain information. If you desire flexibility, you must build it into the document.

Can a syllabus be changed?

There are times when it's appropriate to make a change to the syllabus during the term. For example: You are teaching the course for the first time and designed a final assignment that was too ambitious for the students.Nov 19, 2018

Why is course syllabus important?

A syllabus lets students know what the course is about, why the course is taught, where it is going, and what will be required for them to be successful in the course (Altman & Cashin, 2003).

How would you respond to a student who is struggling to understand a concept after you've given several examples and explanations?

When students struggle with difficult concepts, start by using examples and counter-examples. For instance, when teaching that a number is divisible by 2 if it ends in an even number (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8), you should give them lots of examples (2, 48, 356) and counter-examples (9, 83, 761).

How can you help a student if he or she has difficulties understanding concepts even after explaining multiple times?

Concept linking activities: Invite students to take the role of a specific concept explored in a unit, and ask them to sit in a circle of four or five people, each representing a different concept. They then make connections to each other, explaining how and why they connect using evidence from prior learning.Sep 10, 2019

How would you describe a struggling student?

Sometimes the first sign of a struggling student is a report card, other times the signs are not so clear...a child who suddenly doesn't want to go to school, spends longer and longer amounts of time trying to complete homework, or who says the teacher doesn't like him...all are subtle signs that intervention is needed ...

What is transferable skills?

The trick with transferable skills is to learn how to express that you have them and what they are. For example, Janine needs to know how to express to employers that she has all of these great skills. She'll want to put some on her resume and others in her cover letter.

What is Janine's major?

Janine is a computer science major , and she's a senior in college, but she just realized recently that she doesn't want to work in technology. Instead, she's decided that she really wants to work in human resources (HR).

Why is a syllabus important?

In addition to informing your students, a good syllabus provides a record of your course for colleagues who may teach it later. It can also aid departmental and institutional curriculum planning, and assist outside agencies in assessing your program’s goals and effectiveness.

What is the process of writing a syllabus?

The very process of writing a well-constructed syllabus forces you to crystallize, articulate, organize, and communicate your thoughts about a course. This thought and writing produces what Gabbanesch (1992) calls the enriched syllabus, which compels you to publicly reveal your previously well concealed assumptions.

How many purposes does a syllabus serve?

The course syllabus serves at least seven basic purposes (Rubin, 1985). Some of these directly serve your students and are readily apparent to them. But as you will see, the syllabus should serve some of your needs as well. In summary, a syllabus:

Why are course syllabi important?

Your course syllabi are an important teaching legacy. They often provide the only permanent record of your teaching philosophy, commitment to teaching, and pedagogical innovations. If you keep old copies of your course syllabi and read several years’ worth at one sitting, you can easily see how you have developed as a teacher.

What is a syllabus?

A syllabus tells your students whether you view learning as an active or passive process and whether you emphasize knowledge enhancement, skill building, or a combination of both.

What should students understand about the content of a course?

Students should understand what content they will learn, what skills they will develop, and what attitudes, values, and feelings may change as a result of taking the course. Including such information will help you develop some well considered course objectives, if you have not already done so.

What should be included in a college catalog?

This usually comes directly from your institution’s catalog and should include a brief description of the following items: the major topics covered; the knowledge, skills and attitudes acquired; prerequisites; and any special opportunities (e.g., field trips).

What is a course code?

Colleges use course codes to describe and organize their courses in a way that can be easily understood by both colleges and students (if said students have translation guides, that is). They consist of four important blocks of information. 1. Course Prefix.

Who is Abigail Endsley?

Abigail Endsley. A former student counselor and Accelerated Pathways student, Abigail is now a writer and Accelerated Pathways Content Manger who's passionate about empowering others to achieve their goals. When she’s not hard at work, you can find her reading, baking cupcakes, or singing Broadway songs. Loudly.

Do remedial courses count as college credits?

Remedial courses do not count for college credit. Students only take them if they aren't able to start 100-level work yet. 100-200 courses are “lower-division” courses—often covering a wide range of foundational topics. 300-400 courses are “upper-division” courses.

What is the prefix for a college course?

1. Course Prefix. The first part of a college course code is simple: a series of letters indicating the course's general subject. This is the course prefix, and it’s fairly intuitive. Tip: if you get stuck wondering what a particular set of letters means, compare several courses sharing the same prefix. Or Google it.

What does the first digit of a course number mean?

The one thing to remember about course numbers is that the first digit indicates what level of study your course is . That is likely the only uniform (and truly helpful) piece of information these numbers will provide for you. 3. Course Name. The third element of a course code is obvious: the name of the course.

What is the third element of a course code?

The third element of a course code is obvious: the name of the course. A course's name tells you what that course is about, and is actually the most useful way to compare courses.

What is course description?

The last thing you'll read about a course is its description. A course description is a general explanation of its topics and teaching methodology. This will give you added information about the course and the way it’s taught.

What is learning goal?

Learning goals are broad, general statements of what we want our students to learn and provide: Setting goals gives us a real road map to where we want to go. The same when we provide goals to learners. Learning goals are the heart of a course design and need to be made clear at the planning stage. An instructor can use those goals as a roadmap ...

How to use learning objectives as a roadmap?

The best way to use goals as a roadmap for a course design is to make them more clear and concise by determining specific learning objectives. Learning Objectives are measurable subgoals of a lesson and inform particular learning outcomes. Writing learning objectives keeps you focused and helps you in planning.

Who is Anthea from LearnWorlds?

Anthea is a Course designer and Content Creator for the LearnWorlds team. She holds years of experience in instructional design and teaching. With a Master of Education (M.Ed.) focused in Modern Teaching Methods & ICT (Information & Communications Technology), she supplements her knowledge with practical experience in E-Learning and Educational Technology.

What is the difference between learning goals and learning outcomes?

On the other hand, learning objectives are also referred to as learning outcomes because they are immediately linked to the expected outcomes; what we can expect learners to be able to do by the end of the course.

What is the purpose of preparing quality educational materials?

To prepare quality educational materials using learning goals, objectives and outcomes is a challenge worth pursuing. It will translate into a higher valued course, satisfied students and will help you in the process of creating your own course.

What organizations help you with college application?

These organizations might include Questbridge, Upward Bound, the Boys and Girls Club, or others.

Who is Monikah Schuschu?

Monikah Schuschu is an alumna of Brown University and Harvard University. As a graduate student, she took a job at the Harvard College Office of Financial Aid and Admissions, and discovered the satisfaction of helping students and parents with the often-baffling college admissions process. She also enjoys fiber art, murder mysteries, and amateur entomology.

What is weighted GPA?

Essentially, a weighted GPA is one in which the number of points awarded for an A grade in the course varies, usually according to how difficult the particular course is. For instance, a high school might use a scale of zero to four for most of its courses, but a scale of zero to five for its honors, AP, or IB courses.

Is it easy to estimate your chances of getting into college?

Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances.

Do IB and AP courses count as college courses?

In this context, AP and IB courses do not count as college courses.

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