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Syllabus Templates
A thoughtfully constructed, student-centered syllabus sets the foundation for intentionally working toward an inclusive learning environment. Some key concepts to apply to your syllabi include:
- Power structures: By virtue of your role as an instructor, you already hold power in the classroom. Be aware of your own socialization in this structure. Your students have also been socialized to perform under this structure in a way that is not conducive to their learning (e.g. perform visibly/audibly, conform, and align with predominant thought). Consider ways to create community spaces in your classroom, offer opportunities to co-create structure and procedures when possible, provide choice on assignments when possible, offer various opportunities for learners to provide feedback to you, and engage learners in collaboration rather than competition.
- Ownership of knowledge: Knowledge is not owned by anyone or any one group; it is a shared resource, commonly produced by people of all backgrounds. Ensure that your learning activities consider learners' prior knowledge, background, and experience; consider opportunities for the shared practice among your learners and encourage and validate different lived experiences.
- Inclusive curriculum: Rethink and reframe your course curriculum to elevate a variety of voices and consider how to present different frameworks and traditions that can inform mutual learning. Consider materials, and texts from diverse sources, discuss limitations when this is not available, and provide a framework for reading and critiquing "traditional mainstream" texts. Encourage critical engagement with all materials and facilitate an environment that allows for dissenting voices and discourse in your classroom.
Syllabus Components
Instructors should utilize one of two Rollins syllabus templates to prepare their courses:
In addition to the typical course description, instructor and teaching assistant contact information, course structure, and evaluation, the syllabus must also include elements required by our accrediting body, the Council on Education for Public Health. These include competencies and learning objectives and assessment mapping.
Competencies and Learning Objectives
Foundational Public Health Knowledge Learning Objectives and Foundational Competencies
These are determined by CEPH and have been assigned to your course by the RSPH Education Committee. You may not re-word the foundational public health knowledge learning objectives or the foundational competencies and you may not remove any of the ones assigned to your course without approval by the RSPH Education Committee. You may add additional ones if you wish.
Concentration Competencies
These are determined by the department and have been assigned to concentration core or selective courses by the department curriculum committee. You may not remove any of the assigned concentration competencies from your course without department approval. You may add concentration competencies if you wish.
Course Learning Objectives
As the instructor, you develop your own course learning objectives as well as learning objectives for each class session. These can vary from semester to semester as you continue to revise and upgrade your course.
Assessment Mapping
CEPH requires that syllabi map each Foundational and Concentration Competency to at least one representative assessment. These assessments must be described in some detail in the syllabus to clarify how each assessment provides evidence that each individual learner has met the associated competency. The Appendix in syllabus templates provides an example of what a mapping table could look like. An abbreviated version is below:
| MPH/MSPH Foundational or Concentration Competency | Representative Assessment |
|---|---|
| Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context | Research proposal paper (individual assignment) |
| Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity | Article discussion (group assignment) |
Course Norms
This section typically outlines course requirements and expectations as well as support systems you have in place to ensure learners' success in your course. Some course policies can be non-negotiable (i.e. the Honor Code) while others may be more flexible. It is in this section that you may consider engaging your learners in a discussion at the start of the semester or through ongoing feedback throughout the semester to assess how the flexible course requirements and expectations are working, what adjustments may need to be made and in what other ways learners may be able to have input in co-creating their learning experience while maintaining course standards and collectively working toward the achievement of competencies and learning objectives.
Additional Statements to Reinforce Inclusive Classrooms
- Honor Code: Clarifying expectations regarding academic integrity ensures training instilled with accountability for all learners.
- Accessibility and accommodations: An inclusive learning environment is dependent upon providing all learners with the support they need to receive reasonable accommodations to reduce barriers to learning.
- Academic Resource Center: Equipping all learners with knowledge on how to access university resources designed to support their academic development is an equity-based practice that ensures broader access to a successful learning environment.
- RSPH Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Other diversity statement samples can be found here. Building an academic community where all members are able to thrive enhances our scholarly mission to eliminate health disparities and improve health outcomes in disadvantaged and vulnerable populations.
- Emory University Land Acknowledgment: It is important to understand the historic and continuous relationships between Indigenous people and the land on which Emory is located, where we all learn, teach, and reside. A land acknowledgment statement seeks to acknowledge meaningful relations in connection with Indigenous peoples who call the land home. It also aims to show respect and gratitude to Indigenous peoples.
- CFDE Guidelines for Respecting Student Identity, Pronouns, and Names in the Classroom: CFDE has developed several tools (e.g. Namecoach, OPUS pronounce tools, instructor modeling) to assist faculty in creating class environmental that demonstrate respect for learners' identities.
- CFDE Syllabus Sample Language: Faculty and instructors across the Emory University campus have shared samples of the language they've included on their syllabi on various topics as a way to prompt further consideration on what might be important to address for our learners. Feel free to consider these suggestions and modify and tailor them as needed for your own courses.
Course Schedule
In this section, you outline your weekly course schedule, readings, assignments, due dates etc. Again, consider checking which learners to ensure that you make adjustments as needed. Revisions to the original syllabus should always be communicated to learners as quickly as possible. Utilize the Canvas announcement function for timely messaging.
Resources for Learners: Writing Skills and Practicing Good Scholarship
The Rollins Office of Student Affairs has developed the materials below as a resource for learners to strengthen their writing skills and delve deeper into understanding and practicing good scholarship. Feel free to make these resources available to your learners on Canvas.
Resources:
Decolonizing your syllabus: You might have missed some steps
Keele decolonizing the curriculum network
Canvas Templates
First Steps Using a Canvas Template
A course template provides structure to your otherwise blank Canvas course site and helps to organize your course materials in a way that supports teaching and learning. Here are the key steps to setting up your Canvas course efficiently:
- Create your course outline
- Use multi-tool to create your customized course template (for advanced users)
- Download one of several ready-to-use course templates using Canvas Commons (for novice users)
If you have already added an old course into your new Canvas course shell, adding the course template to the new course will not remove or erase any content. However, adding the course for a second time will overwrite the previously added content.
Some course templates are designed with a minimal number of pages in the template while others are more robust with many pages. Depending on your needs, you may need to add or delete pages. Review the course templates before you download them and consult an instructional designer for more information.
To download a course template from Canvas Commons follow these steps:
- Click the link to Commons inside the Canvas interface on the far left blue bar.
- Type "Emory template" into the search box in Commons.
- A page will appear with template choices; review them by clicking on the template name.
- Click on the name of the course template you want to use.
- On the new page click import/download on the right side of the new page.
- In the panel that opens, select the course to which you want to add the template.
- Select "import the course" at the bottom of the page.
- You will see a message indicating that the template is being added to your course shell.
Working with Your Canvas Template
You are now ready to fill in the course template with the content. Once you have built your course in Canvas, you will likely continue to make edits to the content, structure, flow, etc. You can now make all of these edits in Canvas directly referring to these Canvas guides as needed. Below are some suggestions and targeted directions for the main elements to consider in a course template.
Home Page
The Canvas homepage can be valuable real estate for learners when class information is thoughtfully created and updated. Whether your course is face-to-face or online, learners are eager to access important course information quickly and easily using their smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices.
A well-thought-out homepage can go beyond the basics of the course introduction and instructors are welcome to create links that connect learners directly to their assigned group members, class activities and assessments by week, contact information, Zoom links, shared documents, etc. Practically, the homepage can serve as an online hub that radiates out to all the resources available online.
The homepage can serve this function in addition to face-to-face classroom meetings and lectures, group work, and discussions. You can change your home page in Canvas to reflect one of five layout options.
A good home page should include most of the elements from the list below:
- Banner image (a good size can be 1100 x 300 pixels for the main banner and 1100 x 150 pixels for content pages. If you use a template, it is easy to just replace the banner image with your own)
- Course name
- Welcome video or link to a welcome video or a welcome message
- Course description
- Course competencies and learning objectives
- Course location and times; Zoom link if online
- Link to an instructor information page
- Information on where to start prior to the first class
- Link(s) to weekly or unit materials in Modules
- Link to Assignments
- Link to Syllabus
- Link to integrated course schedule with all activities and assessments per week or unit
Helpful Canvas support articles to create the home page:
- How do I control which course navigation links appear?
- How do I link to a file in Canvas?
- How do I link to other Canvas pages?
- How do I create a new content page in Canvas?
- How do create a Studio video to use in Canvas?
- How do I get a link or embed code to add a Studio video to Canvas?
Modules
The Modules page in a Canvas course is the road map/course outline, and closely resembles a table of contents in a book. Modules allow you to divide up a course using dates, units, topics, or concepts, and include links to all the materials for the week. For example, you can link to a single page or two with a list of readings, PowerPoints, web resources, and videos from modules or to a discussion or to an assignment.
Content pages
Create a content page for each week, unit, or module. On each content page, you will also be able to link to every item required for the week or unit and write a brief summary of the activities for the week. It is easy to add, change, or delete categories already added on a template page (or delete the whole page) that are not relevant that week via the edit button. Other pages might include a course schedule, an instructor page with contact information and a short bio, technology information, and a list of the course assignments with brief descriptions on one page.
Discussions or Questions Forum
Even though your course may be face-to-face, question and forum discussion pages can be useful tools to continue exchanges offline or allow for different types of discussions not possible during synchronous class sessions. For example, everyone might find a video on a topic to share and post it on a discussion board to review before class and discuss them during class.
Syllabus page
You can copy and paste the course syllabus into the syllabus page by navigating through the left navigation bar. It is also possible to add a syllabus as a content page, or as a file in Modules. Using the ability to create tabs on a Canvas page with Design Plus (see below) you can keep your syllabus page short.
Assignments
You can add an assignment on the Assignments page, which will automatically be added to a list at the bottom of the syllabus page and in order of all the assignment due dates. These dates will also populate the calendar in the calendar tool.
The Assignments page will allow you to group Assignments into categories, which will weigh your different assessment categories directly in the grade book. On the Assignments page, look to the right of the + Assignments button on the upper right-hand side of the page. There is also the potential to add rubrics that you can use in grading. "Speedgrader" allows you to open the learner's assignment, add comments, annotate, work with the rubric, and give direct feedback easily.
- Create an assignment in Canvas
- Create an assignment group
- Weight assignment groups in the grade book
- How do I use Speedgrader?
- How do I create a rubric?
Quizzes
On the upper right-hand side, click on the + Quiz button to create a quiz on the quizzes page. There is a list of possible question types you can create. It is worth noting Canvas allows you to create question banks for your course. You can access your quiz bank in the quizzes menu by clicking the gear symbol next to the + Quiz button.
Canvas Multi-Tool
The Multi-Tool available in Canvas provides immediate access to a variety of tools to help with rapid development and update of your course. Specifically, Multi-tool can help you with:
- Building of your course template to ensure a consistent look and organization of your course
- Building of your modules
- Date modifications
- Announcement modifications
Add Multi-Tool to a Course
You must add Multi-Tool to the navigation menu in the Canvas course you are building or updating by following these steps:
- On the left-hand menu in your Canvas course click Settings.
- Once on the Settings page, click the Navigation tab at the top of the page.
- Find the Multi-Tool tab in the list and drag it from the hidden items (on the bottom) to the list of tabs that are marked as visible at the top of the list.
- Click Save at the bottom of the page.
Using Multi-Tool
After you have added the Multi-Tool, you can use it by clicking on it in the course left-hand menu. The first time that you use it, Multi-Tool prompts you to authorize access to your Canvas account. Once you have authorized it, you can use the Multi-Tool in any of your courses once you add it to the navigation menu in each individual course.
When you open the tool after authorizing it, you will see the four major categories with links to the specific things you can do. You can also select the icons at the top for access to the four categories.
Course Template Builder
- Create a home page, publish it and mark it as a Front Page
- Create Template pages, assignments, discussions, and quizzes that can be applied to modules
Module Builder
- Build out your course structure
- Create new modules
- Add to or edit existing modules
- Add assignments, discussions, text headers, pages, and quizzes
Due Date Modifier
Set and Update all of the following in one place
- Assignment due dates, unlock and lock dates
- Page due dates
- Dates for showing quiz answers and hiding quiz answers
Announcement Modifier
- Adjust delayed posting dates for announcements
- Bulk delete announcements
More Helpful Canvas Tools
- Design Plus is a tool for instructors and course builders to design and layout Canvas pages. The tool is activated when using the Rich Content Editor in Canvas and customizes the page layout, banners, visual style, and structure. To activate the tool from any Rich Content Editor within Canvas, whether in pages, assignments, discussions or the course syllabus, select ALT+SHIFT+D (on PC) or OPTION+SHIFT+D (on Mac). The tool will pop out on the right side of the screen and can be further customized. Review the documentation thoroughly before using DesignPLUS, as it has a learning curve.
- Tidy Up is a tool for Canvas that allows instructors to run content reports on their courses to find material that isn’t being used including extra files, folders, pages, or assignments that aren’t linked. Once the course is scanned, redundant or unused content is presented and can be viewed, exported, and/or deleted. To add the tool to a course, go to Settings > Navigation, and move the Tidy UP button from the hidden tools area to the active navigation elements area and Save. Then click on the Tidy Up button on the left-hand menu.
- UDOIT reviews a course and provides suggestions on how to correct accessibility problems. To add the tool to a course, go to Settings > Navigation, and move the accessibility check button from the hidden tools area to the active navigation elements area and save. Then click the accessibility check link on the left-hand menu, choose which areas to scan, and follow the prompts.