Understanding  the directions and expectations for assignments presented in a new course syllabus can prove to be confusing, frustrating, and represent significant challenges to students.  It is difficult for students to deliver what is hoped for and expected when what is hoped for and expected is unclear. 

Every time I welcome and engage a new class, I contemplate ways for how I can make it easier for students to understand the syllabus and what will be expected of them from assignment to assignment.  The very last thing online instructors want to hear a student say after an unsatisfactory performance of an assignment is, "I am so sorry.  I did not understand.  What can I do?"  This article asserts a viable approach to enhancing student understanding of the class syllabus, it assignments, and its assignments' expectations.

What is a Syllabus?

Merriam - Webster's Online Dictionary reports a syllabus is a summary outline of a discourse, treatise, or course of study or of examination requirements (Merriam - Webster, 2012).  What does this mean?  How does it have practical application for beginning or continuing online students, many of who will not have attended school in any context in five or more years?  It can often mean the same may not indicate to an online instructor they are not clear on syllabus expectations, particularly with assignments until poor performance of assignment has been noted.

What is the Purpose of the Syllabus?

According to Abilene Christian University's Adams Center, the purpose of a syllabus is to strike a deal between instructor and student (Harapnuik, 2012).  Tenured Faculty and Associate Professor of Communications for the University of Central Florida, Dr. Rufus Barfield concurs.  His view suggests  the syllabus is a contractual agreement between the teacher and student. The syllabus communicates the expectations of the class; expectations for behavior, decorum and communicative interaction. The syllabus communicates how tasks are to be evaluated and graded. Lastly, the syllabus communicates the policy for handling and managing learning issues and challenges (Barfield, 2012).

Instructors Deliver Syllabus

At the beginning of new classes, instructors deliver the class syllabus, its assignments, and assignments' expectations to students.  With the best of intention and professional expertise for excellence of presentation, instructors cannot afford the luxury of assumption, believing that all students fully comprehend the syllabus in one initial presentation.  A no win scenario emerges when students are  not clear after a one time presentation of the class syllabus' assignments and their expectations.  The scenario becomes worse when the same students do not share with their instructors that they are not clear.

Communication Options Available to Online Instructors

Instructors have multiple options available to communicate with online students.  Email is always a first option to communicate with all students to emphasize and clarify the details of the class syllabus, its assignments and expectations.  These communications require only the time of preparation for simultaneous delivery to all students.

The next best friend and communication tool of the online instructor is the telephone.  Personal voice to voice communication with individual students can prove to be effective.   Instructors can review details with students and ask questions to validate student comprehension of expectations.

Use of email and phone are both practical communication tools of the online instructor.  Both prove to be productive in enhancing student understanding of assignment expectations.  Email can target all students fast but lacks personal connection and ability to validate student understanding.  One consideration when using email that can prove to be helpful is to require student response of understanding syllabus' assignment expectations.  Student may simply respond in the return email subject line, "I Have Reviewed and Understood." 

Phone communication proves to be individually effective.  The upside yields enhanced student understanding, student validation of understanding, and productivity.  The downside proves to consume time that might be better used more effectively communicating to the entire class simultaneously.  How can this be accomplished?

Screencast-O-Matic, a screen capture application, has proven to be an effective tool walking students through the step by step details to complete syllabus assignments expectations.  The assignment can be taken directly from the syllabus for screen capture.  Voice over instructions including video presentation detailing each item as it appears in the syllabus are available.  Instructors via audio, video and print context simultaneously may provide as much detail as necessary to make the step by step activity clear for the successful management of student performance on assignments (SOM, 2012).

This is a win - win scenario for the instructor and each individual student in the class.  Students receiving this level of instructor attention to detail in end of class surveys believe themselves more significantly invested in and cared for than students who do not.  The same express intentional gratitude for their instructor's investment in their personal success and feel more prepared for the classes to come..

Conclusion

It is difficult for online students to deliver what is hoped for and expected when what is hoped for and expected is unclear to them.  Students cannot be expected to produce quality written assignments when they are unclear of exactly what is expected.  Online instructors who go the extra miles to effectively communicate the class syllabus and its accompanying assignment expectations position students to more effectively comprehend and deliver expectations.  These instructors are making full use of available media formats in the best interests of effective student learning giving evidence of investment in student success, one class and one student at the time.

References

Barfield, R. (2012, July 21). Interview by O. Crawford [Personal Interview]. What is the purpose of a syllabus?

Harapnuik, D. (2012). The purpose of a syllabus. Retrieved from http://www.acu.edu/academics/adamscenter/course_design/syllabus/purpose.html

Merriam - Webster. (2012). Syllabus. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/syllabus

SOM. (2012, July). Screencast-o-matic. Retrieved from http://screencast-o-matic.com/