Who should create the syllabus?
Traditionally, the instructor will put the syllabus together, or the instructors teaching multiple sections of a class will get together and agree on the common and different elements of the different sections. An intriguing concept is to allow students to create the syllabus or to participate in the creation of the syllabus. This approach can be specially suited for graduate classes, where the goals and objectives of the class itself could be decided by the interests of the students. Also, in any class where the instructor is receptive to different learning styles and testing abilities, the syllabus can be tailored to better suit student needs, even on an individual basis. Finally, the students could always be involved in the Policies section of the syllabus. By allowing students to decide what policies to choose and how to implement them, the instructor will assure fairness and student buy-in.
