Syllabi Instructional Objectives

Bernadette M. Delgado, Ph.D.

Components of the Official Syllabi – Certificación 130• Heading• Title• Suggested Coding• Contact Hours• Pre-requisites, Co-

requisites and other requirements

• Course Description• Course Objectives

• Content Outline a and Time Distribution

• Instructional Strategies

• Minimum Resources Available and Required

• Evaluation Strategies

• Grading System• References

Heading And Meaning of Course Code

• Heading – Unit – Campus– College– Department– Program

• Course Code – Course level –

first digit– Central

Administration assigns second and third digit

– Last digit indicates whether the course is part of a sequence

Contact Hours, Pre-Requisites and Co-Requisites

• Contact Hours: Assigned value to the number of contact hours between professor and student– Credit Hours: e.g. Four credit hours– Contact Hours: e.g. Three

conference hours and two lab hours per week.

• Pre-requisites and co-requisites– In accordance to the stipulated

program

Course Description• It is a general description of the

course • Along with the course numerical code

is the official description included in “Registro Maestro de Cursos”.

• Is the reference point used to determine possible course equivalence for students coming from other institutions.

• Should be closely related to the course objectives and content.

Elements of the Course Description

• Must include– Content and main topics – Outcomes– Theoretical Perspectives– Organization– Methodologies– Student population to which the

course is directed• Should indicate whether the course

includes distance education modalities

• Should not exceed 1000 characters

Course Objectives

• Focuses Instruction • Provides guidance for

learning• Facilitates assessment of

student learning• Indicates course instructional

intention

Characteristics of Course Objectives

• Describe what students are expected to learn and do

• Indicate area or domain to be impacted :– Cognitive Domain –

Knowledge– Affective Domain - Emotions– Psychomotor – Actions

Content Outline• List of topics to be covered in the

course with an indication of the time to be dedicated to cover the topics.

• The number of credit hours assined to the course must be compatible with the total time assigned to it.

• Topics must be closely related to course description and indicated objectives.

Instructional Strategies • Determine the approach a teacher

may take to achieve established learning objectives – Conference– Discussion– Laboratories– Seminars with or

without formal presentations

– Projects

– Workshop– Art Workshop– Practicum– Fiel Trips– Thesis– Special Problems– Tutorials– Research

Minimum required and available resources

• Needed equipment and materials to achieve course objectives.

• Student must know in advance the required materials and equipment needed to maximize learning experiences.

Assessment Strategies

• Provide information to evaluate the merits and value of students’ performance

• Should include instruments, techniques or methods to evaluate performance.

• Examples: quizzes, essays, projects, portfolios, reflexive diaries.

Grading System

• Two grading systems:– Quantifiable

• Letter grade (A, B, C, D, F)

– Non quantifiable • Pass• Fail

• System should must be aligned to the objectives, teaching strategies, assessment strategies and course level.

References

• List of texts or other materials to support the course.

• Must be available through the General Library

• Textbook must be identified in the references list.

Ley 51 del 7 de junio de 1996Ley de Servicios Educativos Integrales para Personas con Impedimentos

• Esta ley asigna a la Universidad de Puerto Rico una serie de responsabilidades entre las cuales está facilitar a la persona con impedimentos su adaptación, integración a la educación post secundaria.

• Para cumplir con esta responsabilidad, es necesario que todos los departamentos y escuelas se aseguren que todos los prontuarios, tanto los creados como los de cursos a ser inscritos han sido modificados conforme a la Ley 51.

Instructional Objectives

1. CONOCIMIENTO

identificar, enumerar

2. COMPRENSION

explicar, refrasear

3. APLICACION

calcular, resolver

4. ANALISIS

clasificar, interpretar

5. SINTESIS

diseñar, proponer

6. EVALUAR

seleccionar, justificar

Bloom & Krathwohl, Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, 1984.

Cognitive Domain

Affective Domain

–Receive –Respond–Value–Organize

Psychomotor Domain

–Reflexes –Fundamentals –Perceptual Abilities–Physical Abilities –Movement skills –Non – verbal

communication

Writing Instructional Objectives

• Student Behavior - Focus on what the student will do and learn.

• Conditions under which the behavior is to occur– Determine how to assess behavior.

• Outcomes - Determine acceptable performance level.

GRACIAS

Referencia:Psicología de la educación (2002)

John W. Santrock. McGraw Hill