Course Syllabus & Student Learning

PART 1: COURSE SYLLABUS GUIDELINES AND EXAMPLES

1. Course Syllabus Guidelines and Template
   This site explains the required elements for all course syllabi at Sandhills Community College, whether classroom, hybrid, or online. Please open the above link and read the document before downloading the Course Syllabus Template.
2. Course Syllabus Template in MS Word
   Use the above link to download a copy of the Course Syllabus Template in MS Word. You can edit this template with your course syllabus material.
3. Download SCC Student Governance Statements
   Open and print a copy of the most recent “SCC Student Governance Statements” to distribute to your students on the first day of class along with your syllabus. If you prefer, you can add a link to this page in your course syllabus as shown in the “Course Syllabus Template” above. It is also in your Moodle course.

 

PART 2: STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Faculty Job Description and Evaluation Criteria
   This page from the Faculty and Staff Handbook, as revised in 2002, explains the policies for faculty teaching performance. These policies follow the mission of Sandhills Community College, the principles of academic freedom and academic integrity, and the goals of student learning outcomes.
2. Assessing Student Learning: Principles of Good Practice
   Since 1996, this major policy statement of the American Association for Higher Education has provided a clear framework for colleges to develop programs that are based upon student learning outcomes.
3. Learning Taxonomies and Instructional Outcomes
   Learning can be classified into three categories of outcomes: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. Open this link to learn how to identify and plan for student learning outcomes in these three areas.
4. Best Practices for Electronically Offered Degree and Certificate Programs
   These “best practices” that were endorsed by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 2000 for online programs also apply to traditional classroom instruction.
5. Communication Skills in the Workplace
   This article is reprinted from the March 1996 issue of the North Carolina Conference of English Instructors’ CEI Newsletter. The article present the findings of a research study of what North Carolina employers expect of their successful employees. The article also includes the “Five Competencies” recommended by the U. S. Department of Labor, which were published as the SCANS Report. Instructors may wish to use this document to motivate their students to develop effective communication skills.
6. Unique and Significant Contributions of the Humanities
   In 1988, the National Council for Occupational Education (NCOE) and the Community College Humanities Association (CCHA) established the Shared Vision Task Force to examine the potential contributions of the humanities to occupational degree programs. The 2-year national study of community colleges, industries, and professions concluded that humanities courses make 10 contributions to students in applied science degree programs. These contributions help students develop 4 skills required by the workplace: (1) working with others, (2) solving problems, (3) making decisions, and (4) adapting to change. Read this 3-page document for a list and explanation of the “unique and significant contributions of the humanities.”