SITT 2022: The Collaborative Syllabus by HJ Hether

The Collaborative Syllabus: Unmuting Students by Inviting them into Course Design

In collaborative syllabus-building the term begins with an unfinished syllabus in which students are invited to contribute. This practice can be challenging because it requires the instructor to cede some control, yet it provides an opportunity for students to co-create the course. This presentation provides a case study of the instructor’s first implementation of this practice, including lessons learned and future directions. In a 10-week quarter, collaborative syllabus-building is challenging to implement. Yet, it incorporates active learning into the overall structure of a course, thus setting expectations for student involvement for the entire term.

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Dr. Hether uses mixed methods to study innovative pedagogy that supports student learning and professional success. Her primary research interests are collaboration and creative problem solving in strategic communication contexts. Prior to returning to academia, Dr. Hether worked for more than a decade in the private sector in marketing and public relations positions. She has held previous academic and research positions at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA and the Center for Healthcare Policy and Research (UC, Davis) in Sacramento, CA.