As instructors begin to think of the start of the upcoming semester, many start with a review and revision of their course syllabus. As you think of how you might prepare your syllabus, we wanted to share some information from a book entitled “What Inclusive Instructors Do: Principles and Practices for Excellence in College Teaching” by Tracie Addy, Derek Dube, Khadijah A. Mitchell, and Mallory SoRelle. While there are many great lessons to be learned from the book on how to be a more inclusive instructor, we share a few ideas specifically from Chapter 3 for you to think about as you prepare your syllabus for the upcoming semester.

3 Frameworks for Approaching the Syllabus

Chapter 3 begins with several frameworks for how instructors approach their syllabus. These frameworks are the syllabus as a contract, the syllabus as a communication tool, and the syllabus as an organizational document.

• Syllabus as a contract. – Those who think of the syllabus as a contract see it as a way to lay out the explicit responsibilities of students and their instructors.
• Syllabus as a communication tool. – Those who think of the syllabus as a communication tool are more attuned to the tone of the document and the message they are conveying to students through the document.
• Syllabus as an organizational document. – Those who think of the syllabus as an organizational document place emphasis on the content by sharing major assignments, due dates, and general layout of the course.

In considering these common frameworks for the syllabus, which framework do you think most aligns with your main goal? Can you incorporate aspects of some of the other approaches to create a hybrid? What changes can you make to ensure your syllabus serves you and your students by possibly using all three frameworks in your syllabus?

Other Aspects of an Inclusive Syllabus and Course Design

Drawing from several of the key ideas in the chapter, we encourage you to consider if your syllabus also does the following. Many of these concepts are demonstrated through the syllabus as a point of entry for the course and are also reflected in the overall course design and continue as the course progresses. We invite you to reflect on the following questions:

• Does the syllabus/course help to make space for all students?
• Does the syllabus/course promote student engagement?
• Does the syllabus/course give students the tools for success?

We will provide examples for each of these reflection questions for you to consider as you potentially revise your syllabus for the start of the semester.

Does the syllabus/course help to make space for all students?

One way to make space for all students is to reflect on the required course materials. In thinking about the materials, are there diverse voices and perspectives represented? Including the voices of authors from diverse perspectives is one way to help all students feel a sense of belonging in the course. While including many voices in the course readings and materials is a good place to start, going beyond considering the authors themselves, the course should make meaningful connections to students’ lives – including the lives of students from a variety of backgrounds. The course materials can be one way to make space for all students.

Does the syllabus/course promote student engagement?

The suggestions made in the chapter to help promote student engagement include using a friendly tone and creating a sense of community. By inviting students to be actively involved in course decisions and discussions, students will often show more engagement. Another aspect of engagement is setting expectations for student participation and classroom citizenship. In working to achieve a positive classroom environment where all students feel that they are respected and can engage, we may have to examine our own assumptions about how we establish inclusive participation. Whatever those expectations may be, they should be articulated to students clearly in the syllabus and modeled in early interactions in the course.

Does the syllabus give students the tools for success?

This final reflection question has broad application across instructional decisions. One way that the syllabus and course design can give students the tools for success is to provide multiple modalities for learning. While many will refer to learning styles in this line of thinking, learning styles have been found to be a neuromyth (Dekker et al., 2012). Instead, multiple modalities mean providing multiple ways for students to interact with the content so that students use a variety of senses and skills throughout their learning in the course. An example would be providing students with written text and a video. 

Another way the syllabus and course design can give students the tools for success is to provide resources for success. These could include sharing with students how to find help from resources for academic related needs (such as tutoring, writing support, or research support from the libraries) as well as wellness needs (such as counseling and the health center). 

The final way that the syllabus and course design can give students the tools for success is to provide the rationale for various aspects of the course. Instructors often forget how important it can be to explain the why behind an assignment or exam. Providing this explanation for various facets of the course can help students to see the bigger picture of their learning and to feel more vested in their learning. These are just a few ways that the book suggests giving students the tools for success.

Conclusion

We have only begun to scratch the surface of the important ideas that are shared in the book entitled “What Inclusive Instructors Do.” The summary of ideas that we have provided here are meant to help you as you begin to consider your syllabus and course design in preparation for the next semester. We highly recommend adding the book to your reading list, as there are many more recommendations from the authors on how to create a more inclusive learning environment.

References

Addy, T., Dube, D., Mitchell, K.A., and SoRelle, M. (2021). What inclusive instructors do: Principles and practices for excellence in college teaching. Stylus Publishing LLC.

Dekker, S., Lee, N.C., Howard-Jones, P., & Jolles, J. (2012). Neuromyths in education: Prevalence and predictors of misconceptions among teachers. Front Psychology, 3(429). doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00429.