Besides violating academic freedom, requiring similar syllabi would also not produce what this dean is hoping for (if I can even hazard a guess at what that might be). Everyone in my department could use exactly the same syllabus and our lectures and tests and everything else could still be so different as to not produce equivalent outcomes. As an alternative to the next step (making everyone use the same lectures and tests), I suggest the counter-proposal you suggest of setting standards for outcomes. Our Core Curriculum committee has done this in preparation for accreditation and I think it could actually be a useful exercise. The idea is to illustrate what important educational goals in the Core Curriculum are being met by each required course (or grouping of courses). It doesn't hurt to revisit that every so often especially when there is a drift toward teaching the course as if it was for majors and not for a more general audience. It is good to be reminded of the purpose of a liberal education and how my class fits into the overall picture. Syllabi standardization is not going to do that.
Rick Dr. Richard L. Froman Psychology Department John Brown University Siloam Springs, AR 72761 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] phone and voice mail: (479)524-7295 http://www.jbu.edu/sbs/rfroman.html "Truhon, Stephen" wrote: > We have received a request from the dean's office that we develop a common > syllabus for core courses in our area (i.e., General Psychology). While I am > supportive of the idea of setting standards for what students should know > when they exit General Psychology, I am concerned setting up such a common > syllabus would violate instructor's academic freedom to teach their courses > as they see fit. Have any of you encountered this situation? > > Stephen A. Truhon > Department of Social Sciences > Winston-Salem State University > Winston-Salem, NC 27110 > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
