Writing online course syllabus & schedule
Sample syllabi
Here are three sample syllabi you can download and revise to use for your online course.
Course schedule
Note that each of the above syllabi contain a general course structure (see table below) and a specific course schedule. Your syllabus for an online course will contain similarities to one in a face-to-face course. However, the syllabus should also include a specific course schedule that is clearly structured and consistent throughout the course. You should plan to address the following:
- Does the student know, at every moment, what she should be doing right now? What she should be planning for next?
- Feedback should come early and often: Does the student feel that you care about his performance? Does he understand that he must be “present” every day?
- How will you reach out to students who don’t “appear” on day 1? On day 2?
In designing a fall or spring semester course, it is best to set up the same structure for each week in the course. For example, your general weekly structure might look something like:
| Mon-Wed | Wed | Thurs-Sat | Sun |
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