The Power of the Syllabus

1. The Power of the Syllabus Presenter: • Paul T. Wietig, Ed.D. Core Curriculum Director School of Public Health and Health Professions pwietig@buffalo.edu

2. Learning and Teaching – Enhancing the Process Through the Syllabus Paul T. Wietig, Ed.D. Core Curriculum Director School of Public Health and Health Professions

3. A Metaphor “Teaching should not be like pitching a baseball toward a student in the batter’s box to see whether he/she strikes out… Ideally, a teacher organizes a game of Frisbee, inviting students to catch an idea and pass it on…” Author unknown.

4. Thoughts on a Syllabus • A set of ‘promises’ to your students: • What they will understand and do (outcomes) • How you and they will go about achieving goals (methods) • How you and they will understand progress (evaluation)

5. A Syllabus is a Contract Between Student, Instructor and the University • Sets forth what is expected during the term of the contract and to guide the behaviors of both parties • Sets forth responsibilities of students and of the instructor for tasks • Sets forth procedures and policies • Parks & Harris – The Purpose of a Syllabus

6. Questions to be considered… • Which ideas or themes do you want to teach? Or What kinds of questions will your students be better prepared to answer as a result of your course? and • What kind of skills will your course help them develop in order to answer those questions?

7. Other Syllabus Development Points Aims • The main themes or ideas I will emphasize are ___________________. • The big picture or story line for this course is _________________. • The main question(s) I am interested in having students find/solve/understand _______________. • The mental model I am promoting __________.

8. Other Syllabus Development Points Outcomes I want my students to become more skillful in doing ______________. Style The diction/style/methodology I will use to convey the Aims and Outcomes ____________.

9. The University November 2000 President Greiner signs into University policy six resolutions regarding teaching effectiveness…including: • “Publishing a syllabus includes…”

10. Side Bar Learning Objectives Components of Learning Objectives (Kettenbach; Shea, et al.): Audience; the “Who” Behavior; the “What” Condition; the “When” Degree; the “How well” Requirements of Well-Written Learning Objectives: • Student-centered • Outcome-oriented vs. process-oriented • Outcome-oriented vs. just stating the material to be covered • Describes one outcome only • Specific vs. general • Observable and measurable and Reference Writing Behavioral Learning Outcomes University of Buffalo, VPUEE, Assessment Tutzauer

11. Side Bar Hierarchy for Writing Objective to Appropriate Level “Bloomify” the Objective 1. Knowledge (Remember) 4. Analysis (analyze) 2. Comprehension (understanding) 5. Synthesis (Create) 3. Application (Apply) 6. Evaluation (Evaluate) Reference Mentoring Minds

12. Objectives, etc.

13. Side Bar • Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) • Classroom Assessment Techniques from Angels and Cross http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/CATsHandout.doc • Tutzauer – Assessing Student Achievement of Learning Objectives http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/AssessingStudentAchievement.doc

14. Side Bar Assessing Student Achievement Food for Thought Multiple Choice Pre and Post Testing Semester-end Project Lab Reports Final Paper Other • Presentation or speech • Portfolio • Formal essay • Journal or Log • Group project • Performance • Case Study • Problem sets or other homework • Games • Quiz • One minute quizzes

15. Syllabus – Use of Rubrics Rubrics within the syllabus When present: • Student performance • Organization • Consistency When absent • Student performance • Confusion • Frustration

16. The Course Syllabus, the Curriculum, and Student Learning Below are some documents that may be helpful in designing your courses and constructing learner-focused syllabi. To download the document, right-click and then “Save Target As”; otherwise just click to view. Or download the entire collection as a zip file: http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/collection.zip • Parkes & Harris – The Purpose of a Syllabus http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/SyllabusPurpose.pdf • Altman & Cashin – Writing a Syllabus http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/WritingASyllabus.pdf • Brown University Guide – Constructing a Syllabus http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/BrownUnivSyllabusGuide.pdf • Albers – Using the Syllabus to Document Scholarship http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/DocumentingScholarship.pdf • Grading the Syllabus – excerpt from NEA’s Advocate Outline http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/ElegantSyllabus.doc • Tutzauer – Writing Behavioral Learning Outcomes http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/BehavioralLearningOutcomes.doc • Tutzauer – Assessing Student Achievement of Learning Outcomes http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/AssessingStudentAchievement.doc • Rubric Template from San Diego State University http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/RubricTemplate.doc • Classroom Assessment Techniques, from Angelo & Cross http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/CATsHandout.doc • Sample syllabus – COM114 Professional Communication http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/Good%20example.pdf [Note: This syllabus includes attached PDF documents that further explain assignments and expectations.] For further information or assistance, contact: Carol Tutzauer Director of Assessment and Assistant Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education University at Buffalo (716) 645-3901 tutzauer@buffalo.edu This page can be found online at: http://www.tutzauer.com/sylguides/index.html

17. What Happens When The Syllabus is Incomplete? • Susan Grinslade, PhD, RN, APRN, BC SON Undergraduate Department Chair Clinical Professor • Linda Steeg, MSN, RN, ANP, BC SON Clinical Assistant Professor

18. What if your students failed the ultimate ethical challenge?What would you do? The names in the following have been changed to protect the innocent.

19. The Oh My Gosh Case – Day 1 • A professional health sciences student went home from a long, tiring day at clinical practicum. Feeling frustrated, overwhelmed and uncertain, the student turned to their ever present computer and began to write in a public blog. The words poured out into a description of everything that was wrong with the day, the patient cared for (?), the facility, the profession, and the school. The student signed off and didn’t think a thing about what they had just published for the world to read and judge.

20. The Oh My Gosh Case – Day 2 • The following day, the faculty was called to the administrator’s office and provided a copy of the blog. You see the agency conducts WEB searches daily for reference to their facility – not hoping to find such a blog – but they did and their response as well as the response of the faculty was Oh My Gosh! (?&%$#) • The faculty is stunned, the student was highly successful academically and displayed sound clinical judgment and behaviors and had recently been nominated for the professions honor society.

21. Oh My Gosh Case - Response • The syllabus contained a “statement of acceptable professional behavior” which is also published in the student handbook both of which are based on professional standards of performance and professionalism. • The student violated two statements: - Discussion of client in public area [WEB] (HIPAA violation) - Lack of courtesy and decorum (good manners, respectability, morality, and decency) • Based on these violations: Student consequences - Formal counseling - Student had to provide public apology to the administration of clinical facility - Nomination withdrawn from professional honor society - Further instances of unprofessional conduct would result in immediate dismissal

22. Oh My Gosh – Response Continues • School response: • Attorney brought in to address the entire undergraduate student population about the legal consequences of public disclosures through electronic media (E-mail, Blogs, Social Networks, etc.) • Individual student held accountable and actions taken within the limits specified in current policies and procedures

23. How to Change the Syllabus to Account for the “Oh My Gosh Scenarios” • Develop and adopt a Code of Ethics for Health Science Students • Include the Code of Ethics into the syllabus • Outline consequences of violating the code in the syllabus and Student Handbooks • Suggested document

24. Code of Ethics for Health Science Students A health science Code of Ethics represents core principles and values integral to the covenant between health care providers, patients, and their families. The Code of Ethics for Health Science Students was created to guide students as they learn how to professionally engage with patients, families, communities, and other health care providers as well as foster and develop essential professional behaviors and skills needed in clinical practice settings. As health science students (medical, pharmacy, dental, nursing, physical therapy, social work, and occupational therapy) you have an obligation and responsibility to adhere to the following code of ethics. Draft

25. Code of Ethics for Health Science Students The health science student: • Shall demonstrate respect for the rights and dignity of all individuals. Inherent in this respect is an obligation to recognize the individual’s right to self-determination. Respect for the knowledge, rights, and skills of all health care providers are manifested in collegial inter-professional relationships. • Shall provide competent and compassionate health care to the client (patient, family, and community) that promotes well-being. The provision of care is within a professional relationship between the client and provider and is based upon trust and mutual goal setting. • Shall respect the client’s rights to privacy and maintain client confidentiality. • Shall display the highest professional standards, accept accountability for their professional behavior, and use sound judgment and evidence based practice when providing care. • Shall maintain a commitment to pursue ongoing professional development and competence. • Shall engage in activities which promote the safety and quality of the health care environment and work to foster achievement of quality client (patient, family, and community) health outcomes. • Shall practice in a manner which reflects principles of social justice. • Shall uphold and advance the values, ethics, knowledge and mission of the respective health science profession. Draft

26. References • American Dental Association. (2009). ADA Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct. [On-line publication]. Retrieved from http://www.ada.org/prof/prac/law/code/index.asp • American Medical Association. (2001). Principles of Medical Ethics. [On-line publication]. Retrieved from http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/code-medical-ethics/principles-medical-ethics.shtml • American Nurses Association. (2005). Code of Ethics with Interpretive Statements. [On-line Publication]. Retrieved from http://nursingworld.org/ethics/code/protected_nwcoe813.htm • American Pharmacists Association. (1994). Code of Ethics for Pharmacists. [On-Line Publication]. Retrieved from http://www.pharmacist.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search1&template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=2903 • American Physical Therapy Association. (2009). Code of Ethics. [On-Line Publication]. Retrieved from http://www.apta.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Ethics_and_Legal_Issues1&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=67367 • American Occupational Therapy Association. (2005). Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics. [On-Line Publication]. Retrieved from http://www.aota.org/Consumers/Ethics/39880.aspx • National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. [On-Line Publication]. Retrieved from http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp

27. Oh My Gosh –– Questions Asked & Lessons Learned • Are the current guidelines inclusive enough to address the rapid expansion of and use of social media? • If a student pushes the envelope at home, on their own time, on their own computer, what jurisdiction does the university have? • How do we prepare students for the future reality of the consequences of private behavior on professional life and ethical behavior? • What other suggestions do you have to ensure the syllabus conveys what you want it to convey?