The Montclair Syllabus

The Montclair Syllabus is a template, updated each semester, that ensures instructors provide all the essential elements for their students in a consistent way. This enables students to understand the expectations for each course they are taking and helps them find the information they need more easily. Many Montclair students report that they have trouble finding the information they need, often because their instructors organize their syllabi differently. The Montclair Syllabus is available in Canvas in two forms: a static version labeled “Syllabus” and a dynamic version labeled “Montclair Syllabus.”

The Montclair Syllabus also contains links to campus resources that are updated regularly so that you can direct students to them without needing to research them yourself or discover that links you’ve copied and pasted from past semesters no longer work.

The Montclair Syllabus is embedded in all Canvas courses. To work on your syllabus in a Google Doc in advance, use this writable Google Doc template.

Note: If you “course copy” from a previous semester, be aware that this will overwrite the new template unless you either selectively course copy or enable the course syllabus in the navigation after you perform the course copy.

The Montclair Syllabus Using the Simple Syllabus Tool

ITDS and OFE are piloting a new tool for creating syllabi that students like for its easy navigation. Students and faculty rate this new syllabus very highly. Here is what it looks like when it’s finished: SP24 model course.

The Simple Syllabus tool further enhances instructors’ ability to provide a clear, organized syllabus by offering some pre-loaded content, including course information and resources that update as needed. It creates its own easy-to-navigate table of contents that allows students to find the information they need efficiently.

To enable the Simple Syllabus version in Canvas, go to “Settings” and then “Navigation.” Find and drag “Montclair Syllabus” into the top section, and then drag “Syllabus” down to the bottom section.

 

Want a how-to video? Watch Courtney Crimmins’ 11-minute video — and yes, you can do it in 11 minutes.

For more information about Simple Syllabus

For more help writing your syllabus

 

Last Modified: Tuesday, December 19, 2023 11:41 am