I routinely help my colleagues embrace practical solutions to instructional challenges.
Educators may struggle to ensure that students read, understand, and make use of a course syllabus. Since 2018, I have publicly modeled one easy-to-adopt approach by suggesting that instructors and students annotate course syllabi together. This active learning strategy is a collaborative way for students to ask questions, clarify initial confusions, and provide feedback starting on the first day of class.
Here are some instructor testimonials shared via Twitter/X:
This my seventh (I think?) semester starting a course with an #AnnotatedSyllabus— I first tried it after reading @remikalir's 2018 post and was instantly hooked. There are great ideas & suggestions in Remi's updated thread/post! (1/3) https://t.co/5KJk7tqCRC
— Alison Koleszar (she/hers) (@akoleszar) August 18, 2022
For our first class meeting we jumped all in and contributed to an #AnnotatedSyllabus
— Kaleigh (@SpecialKTeaches) August 24, 2023
It was so great! I know everyone read it, they had great questions and comments, and I even made a policy change right there on Zoom thanks to their input! Thanks for the idea @remikalir
Results from my first foray into the #annotatedsyllabus: my students are excellent copy editors, made positive adjustments to deadlines, provided feedback about COVID and masking guidelines, and asked questions to clarify assignments. Success! Thanks @remikalir !
— Hannah Thornton (@HannahBThornton) January 22, 2022
As an aside, I'm using #annotatedsyllabus for the first time this term to let students ask questions about the class & assignments by commenting on the documents -I'm really liking that so far.
— Rebecca Lewis (@RebL19) January 12, 2023
I have a list of pedagogical practices I am eager to try when I return to classroom teaching, and @remikalir's #AnnotatedSyllabus is easily in the top three. Read his thread for more on "sparking the social life of your syllabus." https://t.co/77Pd1DPeOp
— Charles Logan (@charleswlogan) December 21, 2021
On this #TeachingTuesday I can report that #AnnotatedSyllabus is a game changer. h/t @remikalir! https://t.co/0gDcalaANL @school_tales
— Shelley Rose (@shelleyerose) January 19, 2021
1) THANK YOU @IjeomaOluo for writing "So You Want to Talk About Race." PERFECT book for my comp students, white and BIPOC. 2) Thank you @remikalir for the #annotatedsyllabus. My students LOVE IT–they tell me it's the first time they've ever contributed to the goals of the class.
— Dr. Rebecca S. Bravard (@BravardDr) January 29, 2021
This term I had my 7th graders annotate my course expectations / syllabus. It gave them practice using Gdocs comments AND it gave me feedback as a writer. Their thoughtful questions gave me ideas for revision. Happy I could finally try this idea via @remikalir – #annotation
— Mary Worrell (she/her) (@SeeMaryTeach) February 4, 2021
I finally tried out #AnnotatedSyllabus w/ my @AsaoBInoue-inspired grading contract–I'm sold!! Students asking for more check-in options with me & partners, negotiating Zoom participation norms & debating whether the default grade in the class should be A or B #TG2Chat https://t.co/YXIZkBUBuX
— ✨Karis Jones ✨ (@Karis_M_Jones) January 29, 2021
I will never stop doing a syllabus annotation.
— Jessica Chung (@ItsJChung) September 12, 2020
At #digped I revisited @remikalir 's syllabus annotation activity and implemented it this fall. Essentially, the syllabus is a Google Doc and they each have to add 2 comments – questions, excitement, concern, confusion.
I’ve done this for the past two years and it has substantively impacted the way I plan to teach, they way I teach, and the way I reflect on my teaching. Most importantly, it has provided connection to my students in ways that are meaningful and impactful #annotatedsyllabus https://t.co/7VfCsWp5mP
— Merinda Kaye Hensley (@mhensle1) September 12, 2020
The benefits of #AnnotatedSyllabus are invaluable. I've eliminated one assignment, revised others. Students also appreciate being viewed as participants who have a stake in the course rather than as hostages to a contract. And then they say things like this: 1/3
— Dr. Rebecca S. Bravard (@BravardDr) September 5, 2020
Thanks to @remikalir once more for the idea of syllabus annotation to start the school year. It is my third year of group annotation with my high school students @MoravianAcademy , and it is an extremely valuable activity– for all of us! pic.twitter.com/GxZDWYlpLw
— Shakespeare Monkey (@ShakespeareMonk) September 8, 2020
For my Learning Theory class, I had my students join @F1000, then I added my syllabus. I asked students to annotate the syllabus, commenting on what they had questions on, what they needed clarified, etc. 213 notes later (all the highlighted sections in the video)… pic.twitter.com/UOnieLTtwF
— Lisa Lundgren, PhD (she/her) (@LisaLundgren21) September 2, 2020
for ungrading or any other new approach you are taking with the syllabus, putting the syllabus in a discussion space like @hypothes_is is a great way to bring the syllabus to life; I've booked Remi's latest #AnnotatedSyllabus post for #UngradingSlowChat today; thanks, @remikalir! https://t.co/gOnXe7hmVY
— Laura Gibbs (@OnlineCrsLady) August 4, 2020
