As a former online student, I cannot oversell the importance of an “indestructible” online syllabus. Does such a thing exist? We can certainly try. Luckily for our esteemed colleagues at Oakland University, CETL offers a pretty high brow approach to attaining a very effective syllabus (see their Syllabus Resources). It doesn’t matter if you’re teaching on-campus courses, blended/hybrid, HyFlex, or fully online... the staples of quality syllabus design rollover into all college course formats.

With an awareness that technology is used in all course formats, one of my favorite sections to recommend adding to a syllabus is the “technology backup policy.” What this means is that if (or when) a student has issues with their internet connection, or their computer crashes, etc. they still have a responsibility to turn their work in on-time. 

In other words, “my dog ate my homework” as an excuse has evolved over the years into other, more technological excuses. If you state up front that students need to plan for tech issues, weather, and acts of God--you will be closing that excuse loophole and, more importantly, helping students plan for the unexpected. The sample below outlines some important points to help circumvent foreseeable technology issues. 

Sample “Backup Plan” Syllabus Language

Required Technology and “Backup Plan”

In order to fully participate in this course you will need:

• A dependable internet connected device with the most updated versions of your favorite web browser installed. While smartphones and tablets can sometimes support e-learning, consistent access to a laptop or desktop is recommended.
• In the event that your computer crashes or internet goes down, it is essential to have a “backup plan” in place where you are able to use a different computer or travel another location that has working internet.

Any files you intend to use for your course should be saved to a cloud solution (Google Drive, OneDrive with free access of Office 365, etc.) and not only to a local hard drive, USB stick or external disk. Saving files this way guarantees your files are not dependent on one device that could fail.

So give it a try! Having a tech backup plan section in your syllabus helps eliminate tech issues as a barrier to completing work on time. And since you have Moodle at your disposal, I highly recommend following up with a syllabus quiz that asks specifically about this policy to really drive the point home with your students. You may find some students will thank you when they don’t lose their paper because they knew to save it in the cloud. Keep in mind, you will still have the occasional natural disaster that knocks out power for a 20-mile radius... this IS Michigan afterall! Sometimes issues cannot be avoided, and those student accommodations are always to your discretion.

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About the Author

Dr. Nic Bongers is the Senior Instructional Designer in e-Learning and Instructional support at Oakland University. Nic invites OU faculty to meet with his Instructional Design Team to discuss new ways they can assist you with your online course. Outside of Instructional Design work, Nic is a guitar connoisseur and will be teaching an Honors College course titled: Guitar Anatomy & Aesthetics in January 2024. See e-LIS’ Faculty and Staff Resources page to learn more about support the instructional design team offers.

Cartoon by T. Russels Harris. Others may share and adapt under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC. 

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Have you experienced students missing the prompt for an essay, trailing off during a presentation, or viewing assignments as a series of unconnected ideas? One approach that can make a big difference to students’ success is to make the process of teaching explicit through three simple words: task, purpose, criteria. Teaching students “how to learn” is a life-long skill worth developing. A more transparent approach to teaching helps ensure equity in educational quality, motivates students, and makes their courses relevant.

Include Task, Purpose, and Criteria

1. Take an existing assignment.
2. Create sub-headings: task, purpose, criteria; now you’re ready to fill in each section.
3. Task: what, exactly, instructors are asking students to do.
4. Purpose: why students have to do it.
5. Criteria: how the work will be evaluated.

Students benefit from explicit assignment guidelines, especially when we have a specific goal in mind. A task may need to be broken down into a few components to lead students in the intended direction. This works for more open-ended, student-directed activity as well, as a task explaining acts of exploration, inquiry, and curiosity can ensure students of the freedom they can take.

Students complete many assignments simply because they’re listed in the syllabus, and the assignments are given with little or no explanation at all. Linking to the course learning outcomes can show students how the work connects to the course’s larger purpose. A clear purpose can include making an informed decision about a major or a career, or monitoring how their views change, etc.  

Criteria refers to meaningful and transparent assessment. Going beyond spacing, type size, or vague elements such as “follow directions,” transparent criteria examples include “identifying real data sets that are realistic and consistent with expectations,” or “demonstrating knowledge of how the auto industry is responding to the changing behavior of buyers.”

Results

After implementing this technique, I’ve noticed a positive change in the quality of assignments for more students. Transparent teaching allows more students to exceed expectations. OU students have shared stories throughout the semester and teaching evaluations about how a particular project helped them in another class, student organization, or job interview. These stories may be a result of how explicit teaching helps students better identify connection points, value, and increases their engagement and motivation with the material. 

Why This Matters

While this technique may seem evident to instructors, it is surprising how often these are not identifiable by students. Additionally, changing demographics make transparent teaching more critical. Identifying purpose and clarity helps all students understand and explain the value of their academics to themselves, their family, and friends. Additionally, students focus more on the intended academic outcomes vs. guessing what is required of them. Understanding the “rules of the game” can be especially tricky for underrepresented students, and this type of teaching technique provides navigational capital (e.g., reading a syllabus, assignments, talking to professors, etc.). 

A simple test for instructors is to have an outside individual read an existing assignment, and determine what the task requires, why it is relevant, and how they will be graded. If these three points are not clear, imagine how easy it is for students to miss the prompt as well.

Prompt Students to Do This For Themselves

Talk with students explicitly about how you are making expectations and goals clearer through these practices, and encourage them to do the same for themselves in other courses. When they look at something their professor assigned, can they identify the task, purpose, and criteria? If so, they will feel more confident and focused in their work. By identifying the purpose for themselves, they may even be more motivated. If they aren’t confident in how they have defined task, purpose, and criteria, they can ask their professor in a way that shows them they have made an earnest attempt. Instead of asking “What exactly am I supposed to do?” they ask a more pointed question, like “These are the criteria I identified. Is there anything else I should be sure to include?”

References and Resources 

Berrett, D. (2015, September 21). The Unwritten Rules of College.
Winkelmes, M. A. (2014). Transparency In Learning And Teaching In Higher Education. TILT Higher Ed.

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About the Author

Molly Gagnon is a Special Instructor for the Management and Marketing Department at Oakland University. Molly teaches marketing and contemporary world business. In an attempt to turn her thumb green, Molly is trying gardening this summer.

Edited and designed by Christina Moore, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Oakland University. Others may share and adapt under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC. 

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