International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Volume 2, Number 1, January 2008
Return to current issues pageResearch Article
Abstract
How Students Use the Course Syllabus
Current literature says little about how students use a course syllabus. We surveyed students regarding how frequently they consulted their General Psychology syllabus and other syllabi, what they looked for, and where they kept them. All 112 students responding prior to midterm and 91 of the 93 students responding six weeks later reported they still had their syllabus. Almost half of the students in the first administration looked at their syllabus less than two hours before class. Six weeks later, nearly half of the students looked at the syllabus the day prior. Students looked most frequently at whether there was a quiz scheduled that day, the topic of the day’s class, what they should read for class, and what homework was assigned. Results contradict faculty lore that students lose or do not look at their syllabi, though students may not use the syllabus in ways faculty might expect.
Keywords: Syllabus, Student Use; Student Time Management
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Sharon Calhoon
Indiana University Kokomo
Kokomo, Indiana, USA
scalhoon@iuk.edu
I earned my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Alabama. I taught undergraduate psychology courses at Indiana University Kokomo for 15 years, earning the Claude Rich Excellence in Teaching Award, the Trustee’s Teaching Award, and selection to the Faculty Colloquium on Excellence in Teaching (FACET). Dr. Becker and I have published articles on syllabi in Teaching of Psychology and Quick Hits for New Faculty. I am now the full-time director of IU Kokomo’s Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. Current projects include reviewing submissions to the Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, guiding campus efforts in assessment of student learning, mentoring new faculty, and assisting with our self-study for Higher Learning Commission re-accreditation.
Angela Becker
Indiana University Kokomo
Kokomo, Indiana, USA
abecker@iuk.edu
I received my M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Emporia State University and my Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology (with emphasis in Cognitive Development) from Texas A&M University. In my current position as Associate Professor of Psychology in the Social & Behavioral Sciences Department at Indiana University Kokomo I teach general psychology, research methods, cognitive psychology, lifespan development, psychology of learning and a variety of special-topics seminar courses. Current research interests include syllabus use, effectiveness of recitation sessions for student success in General Psychology, critical thinking, and achievement motivation/goal orientation. I have received several teaching awards: IU Kokomo’s Claude Rich Excellence in Teaching Award, Trustee’s Teaching Award, and selection to the IU Faculty Colloquium on Excellence in Teaching (FACET).