Sauer 2011 ETC Graphic Syllabus

7/31/2019 Sauer 2011 ETC Graphic Syllabus

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An Introduction

to theGraphic Syllabus

Katherine M. Sauer

Metropolitan State College of [email protected]

Economics Teaching Conference October 27th28th 2011 New Orleans, LA


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How I became interested

personal frustration

constant emails asking

questions for which the

answers are clearlystated in the syllabus

push for assessment

link course objectives to

learning activities to

assessment

critical examination of my syllabi


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An Analysis of My Syllabus

basic course and instructor information

official course description (jargon)

Introduction to the principles of economics, with anemphasis on individual economic units. Topics

include

course objectives (jargon)

demonstrate graphically the production possibility

frontier, market equilibrium dynamics,


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list of course prerequisites and expected skills

how to do algebraic calculations, understand

graphs, and communicate clearly both verbally

and in written form

(what if they dont have these skills?)

required course materials

This course utilizes an online product called

Aplia. Through Aplia, you will receive an

electronic copy of the text book and you will

complete your homework assignments online.Instructions for purchasing and accessing Aplia

can be found on the last page of the syllabus.

(no mention of actual text or author)


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components of course grade

In class assignments will vary in nature. They willbe worked on in groups during class time and will

not be announced in advance. If you are not

prepared for class or are not contributing to your

group, you will be asked to work alone. No makeups are given. You are allowed to drop two in

class assignment grades.

- procedural descriptions

- imperative language


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course and institutional policies(this section gets longer every year )

course schedule

- chapter titles, by week


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Is my syllabus the reason that my students

dont refer to my syllabus?

My thoughts on my

syllabus:

- long

- boring

- authoritative

- not very me

- not reflective ofmy actual class


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Singham, Mano (2007) Death to the Syllabus!Liberal Education.

93(4): 52-56

[Syllabi] list the assigned readings but not reasons

why the subject is worth studying

or important

or interesting

or deep,

or the learning strategies

that will be used in the course.

What such syllabi often omit is any mention oflearning.


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My Original Principles of Microeconomics Syllabus

(where is the learning?)

http://www.wordle.net/


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Learning Objectives for Todays

Presentation on the Graphic Syllabus

define the term graphic syllabus

transform

existing

syllabi into

graphic

syllabi

identify examples of graphic syllabi

explain rationale for using graphic syllabi

apply graphic techniques to text


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What is a Graphic Syllabus?


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A graphic syllabus is

a flowchart or diagram that displays the sequencing and

organization ofmajor course topics through the semester.

Much like a concept map or mind map, it uses spatial

arrangement to show the logical, temporal progressionof the course

In addition, it maybut need notuse icons, pictures, and

visual metaphors to convey the meaning of words,concepts, and relationships.

The Graphic Syllabus and the Outcomes Map: Communicating Your

Course by Linda Nilson (Jossey-Bass, 2007) page 26


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Fundamental Economic Principles

Markets

How Markets Workweeks 2 - 4

-why we use markets (ch 3)-supply and Demand (ch 4 &5)

-measuring economic well-being (ch 7)

Government Intervention

in Marketsweeks 5 - 6

-price controls (ch 6)

-taxes on goods and services (ch 8)

-international restrictions (ch9)

Advanced Applicationsweeks 13 - 14

-labor market (ch 18)

-consumer choice theory (ch 21 )

When Markets Failweek 7

-externalities (ch 10)

-public Goods (ch 11)

Markets & Competitionweeks 9 - 12

-production, costs and profits (ch 13)

-competitive markets (ch 14)

-monopoly markets (ch 15)

-other types of competition (ch 16,- 17)(my micro course)


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http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/syllabus/samples-creative/BayesianMethodsSyllabus.pdf


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The Graphic Syllabus and the Outcomes Map: Communicating Your Course by

Linda Nilson (Jossey-Bass, 2007) page 46


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http://www46.homepage.villanova.edu/john.immerwahr/TP101/Prep/Graphic_syls.pdf


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Why should I consider

using a graphic syllabus

in my course?


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Syllabi serve several important purposes, the most basic

of which is to communicatethe instructors course designto students.

- goals

- organization

- policies- expectations

- requirements

Carnegie Mellon University website (accessed 10/15/2011)

http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/syllabus/index.html


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Learner-Centered Syllabus

- focus on the learning process

The Course Syllabus: A Learning-Centered Approach by Judeth

Grunert OBrein, Barbara Millis, and Margaret Cohen (Jossey-Bass,

2008, 2nd edition)

Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice by

Maryellen Weimer (Jossey-Bass, 2002)

Developing Learner-Centered Teaching: A Practical Guide for

Faculty by Phyllis Blumberg (Jossey-Bass, 2008)


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How can I best communicate my course to my learners?

Who are my learners?- discipline novices

- millennial generationHow to reach

discipline novices?

- reduce jargon

- give them areally good map

How to reach millennials?

- net generation (visual)graphic

syllabus


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Side Note: An Annotated Syllabus helps track your

thinking about course design and teaching.

Why are your policies the way that they are?

Why are you asking what you are asking?

Why did you structure the course in the way you did?

How did a learning activity go?

Metro States Center for Faculty Development:

http://metrofacultydevelopment.pbworks.com/w/page/33934299/Ho

me%20Page%20for%20Annotated%20Syllabi


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Text vs Visual Information

This: There are several learning objectives for todays

presentation on the Graphic Syllabus. At the end of the session, thesuccessful participant will be able to transform an existing syllabus

into a graphic syllabus. To this end, the presentation will include

the definition of the term graphic syllabus, several examples of

graphic syllabi, rationale for using a graphic syllabus, and anoverview of techniques for turning a text syllabus into a graphic

syllabus.

or this:


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dual-coding material into memory

The mind has two memories:

semantic = verbal

episodic = visual-spatial

Graphics allow concepts to be stored in both memories.

graphics convey information more efficiently than textindividual elements

relationship between elements

More Reasons

Nilsons The Graphic Syllabus pages 19-20


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use as a reference throughout the course

- I use it to remind students where weve been,

where we are, and where we are going

helped me link my topics to learning objectives

ultimately to assessment

the content is now front and center in my syllabus- before it was hidden in jargon-y descriptions and

a linear course topic list

More Reasons


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Look at your course topics

How the Topics Look in My MindHow the Topics Looked on My Syllabus

Intro to economics / models

Specialization and trade

Supply and demand

Elasticity

Efficiency of markets

Price Controls

TaxesTariffs

Externalities

Public Goods

Production

Perfect CompetitionMonopoly

Monopolistic Competition

Oligopoly

Factor Markets

Consumer Choice


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Ways to Organize Information

A government may intervene in the economy in a varietyof ways: price mechanisms, regulation, financing the

provision of goods or services, or directly producing

goods or services.

government

intervention

price

mechanismsregulation

finance

provision of

goods

direct

provision of

goods


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government

intervention

regulations

direct provision

of goods

price

mechanisms

finance provision

of goods


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price

mechanisms regulationsdirect

provision of

goods

finance

provision of

goods

government

intervention


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government intervention

price regulations finance direct

mechanisms provision provision


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governmentintervention

price mechanisms

regulations

finance provision of good

direct provision of good


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Fundamental Economic Principles

Markets

How Markets Workweeks 2 - 4

-why we use markets (ch 3)-supply and Demand (ch 4 &5)


Government Intervention

in Marketsweeks 5 - 6

-price controls (ch 6)

-taxes on goods and services (ch 8)

-international restrictions (ch9)

Advanced Applicationsweeks 13 - 14

-labor market (ch 18)

-consumer choice theory (ch 21 )

When Markets Failweek 7

-externalities (ch 10)

-public Goods (ch 11)

Markets & Competitionweeks 9 - 12

-production, costs and profits (ch 13)

-competitive markets (ch 14)

-monopoly markets (ch 15)

-other types of competition (ch 16,- 17)(my micro course)


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Types of Structures

competition and complementarity

- economic schools of thought

- different theories for same concept

parallelism

- theory & empirical results

- concept & underlying mathematics

process- about a process

- teach how to do a process

Nilsons The Graphic Syllabus chapter 3


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sequence / chronology

- based on logic

- based on time

categorical hierarchy

Nilsons The Graphic Syllabus chapter 3


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Consider adding visual interest to other parts of your syllabus.


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Consider adding learning objectives to your graphic syllabus.

How Markets Work

weeks 2 - 4

-why we use markets (ch 3)

-supply and Demand (ch 4 &5)


Learning Objective: Apply microeconomic

analysis to evaluate economic events and/or

problems.


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From my intro course:


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Public

Finance


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Lets try it!

Keep in mind:

There is not one right way to do this.

- different types of road maps: scenic

route, fastest route, specific sites,

You already have a framework in your head for

how the concepts fit together.

- might identify tacked on subjects

Play around with variations.

- iterative process

- perfect is the enemy of the good


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Ten Principles of Economics Thinking Like an Economist

Interdependence and the Gains from Trade Market Forces of Supply and Demand

Measuring a Nation's Income Measuring the Cost of Living

Production and Growth Saving, Investment, Financial System

The Basic Tools of Finance Unemployment and Its Natural RateThe Monetary System Money Growth and Inflation

Open-Economy Macroeconomics Theory of the Open Economy

Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply Monetary and Fiscal Policy

Tradeoff between Inflation and Debates over Macroeconomic

Unemployment Policy

Topic List for Principles of Macroeconomics

Mankiws Brief Principles of Macroeconomics


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The Macroeconomic Building Blocks

GDP inflation unemployment

Long Run Economic Growth

- productivity

- market for funds

The Monetary System

- money and banking- the Federal Reserve

- the money market

The Open Economy

- international trade

- market for foreign exchange

Howm

arketswork

A Model of the Economy as a Whole

- GDP, inflation, and unemployment

- government policy


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Questions? Comments?

How to reach me:

@yogiconomist

Katie (Sauer) Hart

[email protected]

303-556-3037

Documents

Sauer 2011 ETC Graphic Syllabus