Course Syllabus
Below is a syllabus template that includes WSU's required syllabus elements. Please complete all items highlighted in yellow.
Title of Course [Teaching of Psychology]
Prefix and Number [PSYCH 505]
Semester and Year [tbd]
Number of Credit Hours [3]
Prerequisites [Ph.D. student in Psychology]
Course Details
Day and Time: [tbd]
Meeting Location: [tbd]
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor Name: [tbd]
Instructor Contact Information: [office location, phone, email] [tbd]
Instructor Office Hours: [click here for best practices] [tbd]
TA Name: [tbd]
TA Contact Information: [office location, phone, email]: [tbd]
TA Office Hours: [click here for best practices] [tbd]
Course Description
[
Welcome to Psych 505! I am excited to be working with you this semester. As its name suggests, the purpose of this course is to help you develop as a teacher with a strong emphasis on course design and pedagogy grounded in evidence-based practices. We will also address how classroom delivery can be enhanced by technology, class demonstrations, full class or small group discussions, and concrete examples. Along the way, we will discuss issues related to syllabus design, inclusive excellence, ethics, student rapport and conduct, and other potential challenges that may arise either in the classroom or during your interaction with students outside of class. Perhaps most importantly, each of you will prepare and deliver practice lectures in class. Practice lectures are opportunities to develop your own teaching style, receive developmental feedback from your fellow classmates and me, learn to be reflective in your teaching practice, and gradually build your fundamental teaching skills.
]
Course Materials
Books: [
No texts or materials need to be purchased for this course. Assigned readings and resources will be posted in the Canvas course space or shared via email.
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Other Materials: [None]
Fees: [None]
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Expectations for Student Effort
[Describe how much time students should expect to invest in the course each week. Graduate courses should state: "For each hour of lecture equivalent, students should expect to have a minimum of two hours of work outside of class." Note that Global campus courses will automatically include credit hour equivalents in the syllabus.] [insert info for your class here]
Course Expectations:
Done well, teaching can be very rewarding. Learning to do it well, however, requires time, effort, and practice. Though this is only a one credit course, you are expected to invest the work necessary to achieve the three goals listed above. A single academic credit has a minimum requirement of 3 hours per week. That time will be spent attending class and actively participating, reading assigned readings, designing class activities and practice lectures, and collecting/creating materials for your assigned chapter portfolio.
I view the teaching/learning experience as a partnership, the success of which is dependent on the contributions we both bring to the table.
To fully participate in this class, I expect you to . . .
1) Attend class by arriving on time and being present while you are here (no laptop surfing please).
2) Read the assigned readings prior to attending class. Take notes on critical information and the feedback you
Receive during practice lectures.
3) Ask questions whenever you have them and try to answer my questions when I ask them.
4) Communicate any concerns you have about the class or issues affecting your performance.
5) Regularly check the Canvas course space for announcements and postings.
6) Be respectful to your fellow classmates and to me. This course will require your active participation.
7) Complete the activities of this course to the best of your ability.
To support your efforts, I commit to doing the following:
1) Take teaching seriously and be prepared to teach each day.
2) Be enthusiastic about this course and my role as your mentor/teacher.
3) Do my best to answer your questions clearly and completely.
4) Provide you with a variety of resources to help you develop your own teaching philosophy and style informed by what we know about best teaching practices.
5) Support your development as a teacher through formative assessment and feedback during practice lectures.
6) Respect all of my students and do my best to create an environment that supports their learning and
development.
Student Effort: Students are expected to invest at least two hours outside of class for every hour spent in class. As a 3 credit course, the workload for this course is therefore expected to approximate 9 hours per week. This time will be devoted to reading assigned readings, creating class demos and lectures, and designing an instructional portfolio.
Class Attendance: If you are unable to come to class on a given day, please contact me via email or phone, ideally in advance of that absence, to explain why you will be unable to attend (as a professional courtesy). Individual absences may create scheduling problems once we move into the mini demos and practice lectures. I have tried to build in a little flexibility, but the class enrollment and semester schedule can make it difficult to make last minute adjustments. For these reasons in particular, absences should be kept to a minimum. Under most conditions, more than two absences during the semester will be considered excessive.
Grading [add more lines if necessary]
Practice Lectures: We can talk about best practices, strategies, and teaching philosophies, but at the end of the day, becoming a teacher requires “doing it”, not just talking about it. For this reason, a significant amount of our time together will be devoted to giving you the opportunity to practice - by designing and delivering class demos, activities, and lectures on topics appropriate for psychology. In each case, you will receive developmental feedback that includes observed strengths, potential “areas for improvement”, and suggestions for possible alternative strategies that you might want to consider.
NOTE: The class will play an important role during practice lectures. Classmates will be asked to assume the role of undergraduate students during practice lectures (e.g., be attentive, ask questions, and participate in instructional activities). Your engagement as a learner will be a critical part of this developmental process and I will ask you to think carefully about, and give feedback on, the effectiveness of your classmates’ chosen instructional strategies. You can learn a tremendous amount about teaching by carefully observing, and reflecting on, the teaching of others.
Instructional Portfolio: Each 505 student will create a “instructional portfolio” that includes a collection of teaching materials related to their prepared lectures, including lecture outlines, class demos or interaction strategies, supplemental readings, and exam questions. The details for the portfolio will be discussed in greater detail in class.
| Type of Assignment (tests, papers, etc) | Points | Percent of Overall Grade |
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[Provide information about how grades will be rounded (eg, if 89% earns a B+ and 90% earns an A-, what grade is given to a student with an 89.5?]
Attendance and Make-Up Policy
[Provide details on how attendance affects final course grades. Indicate whether and how missed exams, laboratory sessions, etc. can be made up. Sample attendance statement: “Students should make all reasonable efforts to attend all class meetings. However, in the event a student is unable to attend a class, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor as soon as possible, explain the reason for the absence (and provide documentation, if appropriate), and make up class work missed within a reasonable amount of time, if allowed. Missing class meetings may result in reducing the overall grade in the class.” ] [If you are unable to come to class on a given day, please contact me via email or phone, ideally in advance of that absence, to explain why you will be unable to attend (as a professional courtesy). Individual absences may create scheduling problems once we move into the mini demos and practice lectures. I have tried to build in a little flexibility, but the class enrollment and semester schedule can make it difficult to make last minute adjustments. For these reasons in particular, absences should be kept to a minimum. Under most conditions, more than two absences during the semester will be considered excessive.]
Academic Integrity Statement
You are responsible for reading WSU's Academic Integrity Policy, which is based on Washington State law. If you cheat in your work in this class you will:
"As an institution of higher education, Washington State University is committed to principles of truth and academic honesty. All members of the University community share the responsibility for maintaining and supporting these principles. When a student enrolls in Washington State University, the student assumes an obligation to pursue academic endeavors in a manner consistent with the standards of academic integrity adopted by the University. To maintain the academic integrity of the community, the University cannot tolerate acts of academic dishonesty including any forms of cheating, plagiarism, or fabrication. Washington State University reserves the right and the power to discipline or to exclude students who engage in academic dishonesty."
Academic integrity is important. All forms of academic dishonesty, including cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, or knowingly facilitating academic dishonesty, are strictly prohibited. If you are caught engaging in academic dishonesty, you will fail the course and your case will be reported to the Office for Community Standards. Cheating is defined in the Standards for Student Conduct WAC 504-26-010 (3). Please be sure you read and understand its definition: http://conduct.wsu.edu/default.asp?PageID=338. For more information about WSU’s Academic Integrity Program, please go to http://academicintegrity.wsu.edu/default.asp?PageID=4614. For more information about plagiarism and steps that can be taken to avoid committing it, please go to http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/plagiarism/main.html.
-[insert your sanction here]
-Be reported to the Center for Community Standards
-Have the right to appeal my decision
-Not be able to drop the course of withdraw from the course until the appeals process is finished
If you have any questions about what you can and cannot do in this course, ask me.
If you want to ask for a change in my decision about academic integrity, use the form at the Center for Community Standards website. You must submit this request within 21 calendar days of the decision.