A Liquid Syllabus: A Visual Starting Point

Abstract

A syllabus is the first introduction to a course. It can either provide a warm welcome to a course or be seen as an overwhelming list of rules and requirements, leaving students feeling that they cannot be successful. To use the syllabus to promote equity and inclusion in an online course, the author developed a web-based syllabus. This visual approach can welcome students. This interactive approach can provide transparency and support. It can also offer relatedness, accessibility, and social and teacher presence, which helps promote a positive learning community. An example of how this syllabus was developed and used in an online course is included. There is also an alternate way to create a visual, accessible syllabus. Students responded positively to using a liquid syllabus. Other course design professionals, as well, evaluated the syllabus as a beneficial strategy for inclusion.