Meredith - Reading Notes #1

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives was discussed by both Davis and Lang. I am interested in learning more about how to best use this taxonomy, and the others mentioned by Davis (p. 6-7), to develop learning objectives and corresponding assignments. According to Lang, learning objectives aimed at reaching the highest cognitive levels are desired (p. 8), but I imagine this will differ depending on the course level (introductory versus advanced) and perhaps even by the topic being taught. I feel this subject deserves further discussion because, as Lang pointed out, taxonomies are widely recognized and yet controversial in the area of higher education (p. 6-8). Knowledge of these taxonomies, the strengths and weaknesses of them, and how they can be used to develop learning outcomes and incorporate assignments into the courses we design would be beneficial. 

Davis provided advice about helping students to understand the amount of time they should spend on assignments related to a particular course (p. 16). I found this to be a very relevant topic because the amount of time and effort required for an assignment will likely dictate the types of projects and total number of assignments we incorporate into our courses. Davis emphasized the need to be aware of other potential demands on students’ time, including other courses, jobs, and family (p. 16). Given the diversity of students in terms of age, background, and lifestyle, it seems especially challenging to try to anticipate such demands and decide on appropriate expectations for a course. If we are able to discuss this further, I predict we will have different opinions based on our own experiences. However, additional discussion will hopefully help us to better anticipate such demands and plan accordingly when designing our courses.

I was particularly interested in the discussion of syllabus development presented by both authors. Lang offered suggestions about what information to include and how it should be written (p. 1-18). My experience as both a student and instructor has emphasized to me the role of the syllabus as a contract. Instructors can, and do, hold the student responsible for what is or is not stated on the syllabus (and vice versa). Since most of us have taught at some point and all of us have been students, I think it would be beneficial for us to discuss our thoughts on the characteristics of a well-designed syllabus. We could tie in the suggestions offered by both Davis and Lang and perhaps draft our own list of required elements of a syllabus. On that note, I was intrigued by the mention of a graphic syllabus (Davis, p. 22). I was not familiar with this so I did some research and came across some posts on The Chronicle of Higher Education website (included below). I know one challenge I have experienced with teaching is getting the students to read the syllabus. Perhaps incorporating graphics would serve to catch students’ attention? I think it would be interesting to discuss the pros and cons of using graphics on syllabi.

Jones, J. B. (2011, August 26). Creative approaches to the syllabus. Posted to http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/creative-approaches-to-the-syllabus/35621

Hara, B. (2010, October 19). Graphic display of student learning objectives. Posted to http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/graphic-display-of-student-learning-objectives/27863