The Resilient Syllabus

Before addressing specific disruptions in the rest of this guide, we will provide you with strategies for building resilience and flexibility into your syllabus and teaching plans that suit your course context. While taking these steps may be more work up front, they can save time and prevent difficulties during the term, when quick decisions may be needed.

Begin by asking yourself: how could I build into my courses and teaching plans an appropriate amount of flexibility, within clear boundaries, that is aligned with course learning objectives? Here are some ways to start.

Resilient course expectations

The syllabus is typically considered the main source for course expectations, and the CTL Syllabus Template includes example sections, statements, and policies to draw from. Here is some suggested language for those who wish to address potential disruptions in their syllabus.

Stanford as an institution is committed to the highest quality education, and as your teaching team, our first priority is to uphold your educational experience. To that end we are committed to following the syllabus as written here, including through short- or long-term disruptions, such as public health emergencies, natural disasters, or protests and demonstrations. However, there may be extenuating circumstances that necessitate some changes. Should adjustments be necessary, we will communicate clearly and promptly to ensure you understand the expectations and are positioned for successful learning.

Setting class norms and making shared commitments regarding class interactions and other expectations is important whether disruptions are anticipated or not. The Setting Norms and Commitments page provides additional suggestions for engaging with students on these topics.

Resilient course tools

Using unique and innovative course organization tools can be exciting. Yet, relying on well-tested, institutionally-supported tools can help your course be more adaptable and accessible in the face of many different disruptions.

Canvas is the main learning management system at Stanford. Most courses are set up automatically, with student and teaching team membership access applied based on registrar's office data. Additional approved tools are also available for more specialized purposes, often with the ability to integrate into Canvas.

Adding essential course materials to a shared course resource like Canvas helps students and instructional team members collaborate, access materials, and support one another.

Resilient course schedules

Building one or more flexible days into the course schedule can give you the ability to:

• emphasize, review, or deepen student learning in particular content areas
• incorporate just-in-time topics that are connected to course goals and relevant to students
• adjust for emergent, unexpected disruptions.

In addition, some instructors find that establishing specific amounts of flexibility early on, such as allowing a certain number of late submissions or allowed absences, makes expectations clear and known to all. The Preparing for Student Absences page addresses more forms of flexibility relevant to creating resilient course schedules.

Resilient course communications

Relying on individual emails for all course communications may create a weak point susceptible to disruptions. Many students can be impacted if one key person becomes ill or unable to access their email. The Guidance for Instructor and TA Absences page offers more details on managing communications within a course.

Canvas discussions and messaging are useful for centrally managing course communications. Ed Discussion and Piazza can help consolidate communications and are easily integrated into Canvas course sites. They also provide a space for students and teaching team members to answer one another’s questions and for all students to access responses to student questions.

Resilient learning activities

A particular learning outcome can often be achieved through various learning activities. The Universal Design for Learning framework offers ways to reconsider learning activities and build flexibility into the modes of engagement, representation, action, and expression that are involved.

Local, regional, and world events – both anticipated (e.g., elections) and emergent (e.g., natural disasters, political conflicts) – can impact teaching and learning. The Addressing Disruptive Social and Political Events page offers ideas for addressing them in course-appropriate ways.

Resilient feedback

Deciding on and using shared feedback tools and approaches from the beginning can streamline feedback. This can ensure that feedback is individualized for each learner, connected and consistent through shared rubrics and criteria, and manageable if disruptions alter your course plans.

The Guidance for Instructor and TA Absences page provides more detail about how course teams can use shared platforms and approaches to make formative and summative feedback effective and resilient to disruptions.

Gathering student feedback about their experiences in the course at various points during the quarter can help you build adaptability into the class and address emerging needs as soon as possible.