Preparing to Teach

Even before we set up our classes, it is important to know who our students are. A good start to learning more about our student population is visiting the Student Profile Data information page provided by our Office of Research, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness (RPIE). To get a clearer picture of students in your past courses and examine retention and success rates to develop your equity strategy for now and in the future, you can review your course-level data

• An effective practice to ensure students understand the overall expectations for your class is to provide a Welcome Letter prior to the beginning of the semester
• While a lot goes into crafting a syllabus, we must start with the essentials found in the MiraCosta Syllabus Checklist
• Setting up your class in Canvas and publishing it before the first day allows students to preview the course content and gives them the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the course navigation

• Building community on the first day of class is important and can make a huge impact on the learning environment and experience 
• Managing your roster in SURF – adding students and addressing the waitlist as well as dropping no-shows are some of the items you will want to take care of on the first day
• In online courses, Tracking Attendance and making sure students are participating once the term begins is essential for both promoting student success and adhering to Federal Regulations

• Tulane University – Accessible Syllabus
• CAST-UDL On Campus – UDL Syllabus
• How to Create a Syllabus – Advice Guide – The Chronicle of Higher Education
• A Learner-Centered Syllabus Helps Set the Tone for Learning – Faculty Focus
• An Equity Syllabus
• Inclusive Syllabus Language – University of Michigan