Physically Distanced Syllabus Language

As we near mid-December, most of us are more than ready for a bit of a well-deserved break. At the same time, many of us will be preparing and/or updating our syllabus for next term while still uncertain about the learning environment. I would like to share two resources, that could meander through the back of your mind over the next couple of weeks and perhaps contribute to a modified syllabus design. The first article by Richman, Kurinec and Millsap (2020) is entitled, "Syllabus Language, Teaching Style, and Instructor Self-Perception: Toward Congruence."

In this paper the authors use the PAD framework, to investigate the relationship between Grasha’s teaching styles (GTS) and instructors’ self-perceived emotional associations with teaching, and compares instructors’ self-perceptions with the emotional associations of their syllabus language. Moderate correlations between teaching PAD scores and GTS inventory suggest the emotion that may connect with concrete teaching attitudes and behaviors. The researches also found that most instructors’ syllabi are incongruent with their teaching self-perceptions on key emotional dimensions.

To assist with aligning syllabus language with teaching styles, including those who wish to offer more active learning, particularly while physically distancing (i.e., online a/synchronous and/or F2F students physically separated), LSU has created a concise Teaching Tools: Active Learning while Physically Distancing list that correlates to several of our 288 Active Teaching Strategies. The LSU list describes how we can integrate active strategies into an A/Synchronous or Physically Distanced learning environment:

• Think-Pair-Share

• Small Group Discussion

• Turn and Talk

• Partial Outlines

• Posters and Gallery Walk

• Fishbowl

• Polling

• Quick Write

• Muddiest Point

• Concept mapping

• Visual Prompt

• Entrance/Exit Ticket

Richmann, C., Kurinec, C. & Millsap. (2020) Syllabus language, teaching style, and instructor self-perception: Toward congruence, International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 14(2), Article 4.