The expanded syllabus is the most important document you will share with your UNLV Distance Education students. It provides the week-by-week structure for the course, identifies the course materials, specifies due dates for assignments and assessments as well as other information needed by the distant student.

As the term implies, an expanded syllabus is a detailed version of the standard on-campus class syllabus. It is the initial contact the student in the field has with the instructor. It is so important, it is located second from the top on the Course Tools list.

It should be designed for the distant student who does not have the face-to-face opportunities to ask questions for clarification. The guidelines that follow apply to any distance education course regardless of the delivery system. Try to anticipate students' questions and concerns — and address them proactively.

Write for your students, not scholars. Write in the first person mirroring your own lecture style. Define technical terms and avoid jargon.

The syllabus, like other course files, should be in HTML. If you need help with converting files to HTML, see your instructional designer.

Syllabus Elements

  Description

This section should include the fundamental information about the course. Some items you may wish to include:

• Course name
• Course number
• Semester
• Catalog description
• Credit
• Prerequisites
• Intended audience
• Login to course WebCampus site:  https://webcampus.nevada.edu

  Instructor Information

It is especially important to distant students to know how to contact you. The more options available to the student, the easier it will be for them to contact you with questions or problems. Give the students the best time for you to take calls. Be sure to check voice and email daily or more frequently. Tell them when to expect your responses in email or discussions. Choose a realistic time for yourself. For example: I will answer your emails on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday after 3 pm or within 48 hours.  If you use chat for office hours list specific dates, times and the chat room in which you are available.

• Name
• Phone and fax numbers
• Mailing Address (only if needed by students)
• Department
• Email: Use WebCampus Mail
• Office Hours: Use WebCampus Chat specifying weekly day and time

  Course Goals and Objectives

This section should be detailed enough for the students to understand what they will be expected to accomplish as they complete the course. You may wish to state the the course learning objectives. Think of an objective as a student guide to what is critical for them to learn. Example: Understands the impact of the Civil Rights Amendments on race relations in the U.S.

The WebCampus design promotes teaching through learning modules. By organizing the course in learning modules, you will be able to group the content:

• thematically
  • Stars, Planets, Asteroids ...
  • Proteins, Carbohydrates, Vitamins and Minerals ...
  • Functions and Trigonometry, Derivatives, Implicit Differentiation ...
• or sequentially
  • Unit 1, Unit 2, ...
• and link all the activities and materials that support the learning objectives, such as videos, assignments, discussions, assessments to that learning module

So as you articulate goals and objectives, you will be able to provide more contextual information per learning module.

   Materials, Required/Recommended

This is a straightforward listing of all materials students will be required to use as part of the course. Some examples might be:

• Text(s)
       Can be ordered by phone or online at the UNLV bookstore or online at amazon.com.
• Handout packet
       The easiest way to share documents with your students is to put them up on your WebCampus site, preferably in HTML. Students may then read them online or print them out. If you have a course packet that you want the students to order from the bookstore, get it to Reprographics for duplication early. Ask your instructional designer for more information.
• Multimedia files
       Broadcast-quality video and audio presentations will be streamed to students from UNLV's vendor server. Short video lectures that focus on specific concepts or topics generally work best. Other multimedia could include interviews with other subject matter experts, video/movie clips, artists performing their work, or student demonstrations of their own work. Ask your instructional designer for more information.
• Supplementary references
       Call UNLV remote services librarian to find out what online items are available in UNLV library and to set up Internet access to Lied Library for your students. If you need assistance with this, ask your instructional designer.
• Software applications
       Besides Internet access with Internet Explorer 6.0 or above, Real Player 8 and Acrobat Reader, list any programs that students are required to use in your class.  For example: Word, Excel, Flash, Mathcad, Access.
• E-Pack
       Any instructor who chooses to use an e-pack is completely responsible for its use within WebCampus, including students' acquisition and use of pin numbers. The textbook publisher may require students to purchase a new textbook with the access pin number. Since e-packs are external sites, the UNLV Student Computing Resources department cannot assist students with their IDs or pin numbers.

  Detailed Class Schedule and Assignments

This is a critical part of the expanded syllabus. Be as specific as possible. The student needs a detailed, week-by-week schedule of activities during the semester. This weekly schedule will probably be different from the way the learning modules are structured.

You may want to include this info in the WebCampus Calendar because the calendar tool allows each student to access a single calendar with entries from all his/her courses.  Specific due dates within the week help students pace their activities within the class. It also gives them the individual flexibility to get their work done at their own pace and time. 

Explain which tools the students should use for the activities: assessments, assignments, media library, discussions or mail. Specify the due date and time.

If you use the assignment tool, have students attach and submit their document rather than entering their work in the submission text box because it times out in one hour. Students also keep a copy of their work that way. Tell student what type of file you want your students to use: Word, HTML, Excel, etc.

Example

 Week 1 (Jan 16 - Jan 22)

• Read, yes actually read, the entire syllabus
• Explore the WebCampus course to become familiar with the structure and tools, including the Start Here link on the Course Content Home page
• Go to the Introductions Topic in Discussions and introduce yourself
• Open the Phonology content module
  • Read the introduction, including learning objectives
  • Read Jones, Chapter 3 & 4, and Smith, Chapter 7 by Tuesday, midnight
  • Watch video lecture # 1, The Human Vocal Tract, by Thursday, midnight
• Go to Web Links and select an online periodical to read weekly
• Go to Discussions, open the Phonology topic, and click Create Message to respond to the question

Week 2 (Jan 23 - Jan 29)

• Continue the Phonology content module
  • Watch Video Lectures 2 & 3 due Weds by midnight
  • Review of Jones, Chapters 3 & 4
  • Participate in Week 2 Topic in the Discussion Board
  • Read Smith, Chapter 8  by Friday, midnight
  • Take quiz 1 on the above videos and readings, Sunday, between 12:05 am and 11:55 pm
    [Faculty: If you expect your students to come to campus to take a final exam, you are responsible for securing a room and monitoring the exam. If a student needs a proctor off campus, contact the DE office, 895-0334, ASAP to set up sending the exam to the offsite proctor.]

Week 3 (Jan 30 - Feb 5)

• Open the Morphology content module
  • Read the introduction, including learning objectives
  • Take morphology and syntax self-tests
• First draft of paper 1 due, posted to WebCampus assignment tool by midnight Monday
• View Video Lecture 4 and supplementary video "Enunciation" by midnight Tuesday
• Participate in Video Lecture 4 Topic in the Discussion Board

  Assessment and Evaluation

It is very important to identify when the assessments will be and any other pertinent "settings":

• Generally, make assessments available over a 24-72 hour period
• Make the beginning and ending times long enough to complete the assessment — after study and preparation — but not so long that students think they can look up the answers while engaged in the assessment
• If students can take the assessment more than once, tell students how their grade will be determined (the average score? the highest?)
• Tell students when their grade will be made available (after the assessment? after the assessment period?)

There are a couple of ways to limit cheating in a distance education course:

• Offer multiple assessments, in various formats, to get a comprehensive view of each student's course work
• Use a test bank of questions and randomize their use and order of answers
• Do not provide the correct answer to questions, only reveal whether the answer was correct or not (of course, this could eliminate valuable feedback)

Identify each criterion with which you evaluate students over the entire course. Each criterion should contain the percentage of the final grade.

Example

  Computer Issues

Help for faculty and students can be obtained 24/7 by using the WebCampus Support Center portal. This portal provides a self-service knowledge base as well as access to Live Chat, contact information and other useful resources.

Students with computer problems should contact the Student Computing Services Help Desk at 702-895-0761 or by visiting the WebCampus Support Center. These resources can assist with passwords and access issues. For questions about WebCampus, computer labs, software (including virus protection and anti-spyware), and browser problems you can visit the online help page for students. These resources do not address any content issues of WebCampus courses — those questions must be directed to the instructor.

Instructors with technical/computer problems should contact the Computing Resource Help Desk at 702-895-0777. You may also use the WebCampus Support Center to request administrative and technical assistance with WebCampus. Examples include section creation, WebCampus tool issues, video issues, etc.

  Server Down Time

The WebCampus server will be down every Saturday from 1 to 5 am for maintenance. Do not plan course activities, such as assessments, during that time.

  Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty

Tell your students how to prevent plagiarism. The Teaching and Learning Center offers suggestions for instructors and the Writing Center provides tips for students on avoiding plagiarism.

Example (you may use this text)

The University requires all members of the University Community to familiarize themselves and to follow copyright and fair use requirements. You are individually and solely responsible for violations of copyright and fair use laws. The University will neither protect nor defend you nor assume any responsibility for employee or student violations of fair use laws. Violations of copyright laws could subject you to federal and state civil penalties and criminal liability as well as disciplinary action under University policies. To help familiarize yourself with copyright and fair use policies, the University encourages you to visit its copyright web page at http://www.unlv.edu/committees/copyright.

The instructor will fully enforce the UNLV policy concerning academic misconduct and cheating. Working with someone else on exams or other graded materials and turning in someone else's work as your own are clear examples of cheating. Plagiarism is copying word for word from an author without quoting that author or paraphrasing an author without citing the author. If you are suspected of cheating in this course, the instructor will file a formal complaint against you. Aside from getting an F in the course, other penalties for cheating include expulsion from UNLV and a designation on your permanent college transcript that you were found guilty of academic misconduct. Employers do not look kindly on cheaters.

  Provisions for Disabilities

Example (you may use this text)

If a student has a documented disability that may require assistance, he/she will need to contact the Disability Resource Center for the coordination in their academic accommodations. Disability Resource Center is the office to assist students with documented disabilities who are otherwise qualified to attend UNLV. The assistance will vary according to the documentation of each student. It is located in the Reynolds Student Services Complex, Suite 137. The phone is 702-895-0866, or TDD 702-895-0652. Students may also visit their website at http://studentlife.unlv.edu/disability.

  Provisions for Religious Holidays

Example (you may use this text)

As a general rule, a student missing a class assignment because of observance of a religious holiday shall have the opportunity to make up missed work. Students must notify the instructor of anticipated absences by the last day of late registration to be assured of this opportunity.

  Distance Education Course Evaluation

Distance Education Course Evaluations are required as part of taking courses online at UNLV. During the last two weeks of class ask your students to complete the Distance Education Course Evaluation online. Student evaluations are critical for your tenure/promotion/merit and to us so that we can continually improve our courses. The evaluation includes your College or Department questions and are sent to you and your chair about thee weeks after the class ends. Please do not hide or delete the DE Course Evaluation icon. It is available throughout the semester to gather formative evaluations and eliminate problems.

Distance Education Contacts for Faculty Use Only, as of 08/2008