Standard 1c

Review These Explanations

Keeping learners on track is a core part of teaching online, and the more information you can provide in advance, the fewer problems and obstacles your learners will encounter. Creating a syllabus is fundamental aspect of any course design process. Providing a syllabus in a format that is easy to find in the online course, and available for learners to access, download, and print at their convenience is equally essential.

Many learners prefer a document that they can print and refer to offline, or keep for their records. Producing a syllabus in a format that is readable and printable (not editable) is the goal. PDF and HTML file formats are recommended over DOC formats.

Refresh Your Course with These Ideas

General Suggestions

• Create your syllabus in an easily printable format, such as PDF or HTML.
  • Make an existing PDF file accessible
  • Creating Accessible PDFs from Microsoft Word
  • Create and verify PDF accessibility (Acrobat Pro)
  • Creating accessible PDFs (Adobe Acrobat)
• Avoid posting DOC(X) files, as these are too easily editable.
• Consider developing a visual syllabus that illustrates the pathways that learners will take towards mastering objectives in the online course.
• Check with your colleagues, program chair, or dean, to see if there is a standard format that you should be using when developing your syllabus.
• Include information related to online course navigation in your syllabus, to make it easier for learners to get started and begin progressing through the course.