Course Alignment
Overview
Standard Six ensures that the course syllabus, which serves as the contract for the course, correctly aligns with the content presented in the LMS.
Summary of Evidence
The syllabus confirms alignment of course content to the course guide, course calendar to LMS dates, and alignment of the grading scale and criteria to the LMS grade book.
The course employs the College-wide CLO rubric and any program and/or department-adopted assessments and measurements.
Rationale
Learners reach their academic potential more easily when provided clear expectations and instructional content that aligns with learning objectives. The course syllabus serves as a consistent platform for providing this information in all courses and serves as a contract between the instructor and students. It also functions as an avenue through which the College can demonstrate to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) mandated alignment between our course content and course guides.
Supporting Research
Yamanaka, A., & Wu, L. Y. (n.d.). Rethinking Trends in Instructional Objectives: Exploring the Alignment of Objectives with Activities and Assessment in Higher Education--A Case Study. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1085262
Checklist
These steps will help you build a course that meets proficiency in this standard.
Include a course blueprint linked in your syllabus, or demonstrate alignment of your course content to the Course Guide in the provided calendar template.
Include expectations for use of technology beyond the minimum requirements in your course policies.
Add your course calendar to your syllabus (use the template provided or replace it with a static link to your own calendar).
Add your grading scheme and criteria to the appropriate section of the syllabus. Check your LMS gradebook to ensure they match.
Add any additional course policies (AI use, late work, etc.) to your syllabus.
Next-Level Recommendations
To advance your course design even more, consider these best practices:
Publish communication to students during the first week restating important course policies and referencing the syllabus.
Include a syllabus activity in the first few days of your course to encourage students to familiarize themselves with the course expectations and policies.
Link to your completed Course Alignment Blueprint in your syllabus and make it visible to learners.
Building Guides
Use these resources to build course design elements in this standard.
