An Introduction
to the
Graphic Syllabus
Katherine M. Sauer
Metropolitan State College of Denver
ksauer5@mscd.edu
Economics Teaching Conference October 27th – 28th 2011 New Orleans, LA
How I became interested …
personal frustration
push for assessment
constant emails asking
questions for which the
answers are clearly
stated in the syllabus
link course objectives to
learning activities to
assessment
critical examination of my syllabi
An Analysis of My Syllabus
 basic course and instructor information
 official course description (jargon)
Introduction to the principles of economics, with an
emphasis on individual economic units. Topics
include …
 course objectives (jargon)
demonstrate graphically the production possibility
frontier, market equilibrium dynamics, …
 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 don’t 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)
 components of course grade
In class assignments will vary in nature. They will
be 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 make
ups are given. You are allowed to drop two in
class assignment grades.
- “procedural” descriptions
- imperative language
 course and institutional policies
(this section gets longer every year …)
 course schedule
- chapter titles, by week
My thoughts on my
syllabus:
- long
- boring
- authoritative
- not very “me”
- not reflective of
my actual class
I wouldn’t want to
take my own
class !!
Is my syllabus the reason that my students
don’t refer to my syllabus?
“[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 of learning.”
Singham, Mano (2007) Death to the Syllabus! Liberal Education.
93(4): 52-56
My Original Principles of Microeconomics Syllabus
http://www.wordle.net/
(where is the learning?)
Learning Objectives for Today’s
Presentation on the Graphic Syllabus
define the term “graphic syllabus”
identify examples of graphic syllabi
explain rationale for using graphic syllabi
apply graphic techniques to text
transform
existing
syllabi into
graphic
syllabi
What is a Graphic Syllabus?
A graphic syllabus is…
… a flowchart or diagram that displays the sequencing and
organization of major course topics through the semester.
Much like a concept map or mind map, it uses spatial
arrangement … to show the logical, temporal progression
of the course …
In addition, it may – but need not – use 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
Fundamental Economic Principles
Government Intervention
in Markets
How Markets Work
weeks 2 - 4
weeks 5 - 6
-why we use markets (ch 3)
-supply and Demand (ch 4 &5)
-measuring economic well-being (ch 7)
-price controls (ch 6)
-taxes on goods and services (ch 8)
-international restrictions (ch9)
Markets
Advanced Applications
When Markets Fail
weeks 13 - 14
week 7
-labor market (ch 18)
-consumer choice theory (ch 21 )
-externalities (ch 10)
-public Goods (ch 11)
Markets & Competition
weeks 9 - 12
(my micro course)
-production, costs and profits (ch 13)
-competitive markets (ch 14)
-monopoly markets (ch 15)
-other types of competition (ch 16,- 17)
http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/syllabus/samples-creative/
BayesianMethodsSyllabus.pdf
The Graphic Syllabus and the Outcomes Map: Communicating Your Course by
Linda Nilson (Jossey-Bass, 2007) page 46
http://www46.homepage.villanova.edu/john.immerwahr/TP101/Prep/Graphic_
syls.pdf
Why should I consider
using a graphic syllabus
in my course?
Syllabi serve several important purposes, the most basic
of which is to communicate the instructor’s course design
to students.
- goals
- organization
- policies
- expectations
- requirements
Carnegie Mellon University website
(accessed 10/15/2011)
http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/syllabus/index.html
Other functions served by a syllabus include:
- To convey our enthusiasm for the topic
- To show how this course fits into the big picture
- To set the tone for the course
- To help students assess their readiness for the
course by identifying prerequisite areas of
knowledge
- To help students manage their learning by
identifying outside resources and/or providing
advice
Carnegie Mellon University website
(accessed 10/15/2011)
http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/design/syllabus/index.html
Learner-Centered Syllabus
- focus on the learning process
 The Course Syllabus: A Learning-Centered Approach by Judeth
Grunert O’Brein, 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)
How can I best communicate my course to my learners?
Who are my learners?
- discipline novices
- millennial generation
How to reach millennials?
- net generation (visual)
How to reach
discipline novices?
- reduce jargon
- give them a
really good map
graphic
syllabus
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 State’s Center for Faculty Development:
http://metrofacultydevelopment.pbworks.com/w/page/33934299/Ho
me%20Page%20for%20Annotated%20Syllabi
Text vs Visual Information
This:
There are several learning objectives for today’s
presentation on the Graphic Syllabus. At the end of the session, the
successful 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 an
overview of techniques for turning a text syllabus into a graphic
syllabus.
or this:
More Reasons
 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 text
individual elements
relationship between elements
Nilson’s The Graphic Syllabus pages 19-20
More Reasons
 use as a reference throughout the course
- I use it to remind students where we’ve 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
How do I create my own
graphic syllabus?
Look at your course topics …
How the Topics Looked on My Syllabus
Intro to economics / models
Specialization and trade
Supply and demand
Elasticity
Efficiency of markets
Price Controls
Taxes
Tariffs
Externalities
Public Goods
Production
Perfect Competition
Monopoly
Monopolistic Competition
Oligopoly
Factor Markets
Consumer Choice
How the Topics Look in My Mind
Ways to Organize Information
A government may intervene in the economy in a variety
of ways: price mechanisms, regulation, financing the
provision of goods or services, or directly producing
goods or services.
price
mechanisms
finance
provision of
goods
regulation
government
intervention
direct
provision of
goods
price
mechanisms
regulations
government
intervention
finance provision
of goods
direct provision
of goods
price
mechanisms
regulations
direct
provision of
goods
government
intervention
finance
provision of
goods
government intervention
price
mechanisms
regulations
finance
provision
direct
provision
price mechanisms
regulations
government
intervention
finance provision of good
direct provision of good
Fundamental Economic Principles
Government Intervention
in Markets
How Markets Work
weeks 2 - 4
weeks 5 - 6
-why we use markets (ch 3)
-supply and Demand (ch 4 &5)
-measuring economic well-being (ch 7)
-price controls (ch 6)
-taxes on goods and services (ch 8)
-international restrictions (ch9)
Markets
Advanced Applications
When Markets Fail
weeks 13 - 14
week 7
-labor market (ch 18)
-consumer choice theory (ch 21 )
-externalities (ch 10)
-public Goods (ch 11)
Markets & Competition
weeks 9 - 12
(my micro course)
-production, costs and profits (ch 13)
-competitive markets (ch 14)
-monopoly markets (ch 15)
-other types of competition (ch 16,- 17)
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
Nilson’s The Graphic Syllabus chapter 3
 sequence / chronology
- based on logic
- based on time
 categorical hierarchy
Nilson’s The Graphic Syllabus chapter 3
Accessing graphic features in Microsoft Word
Consider adding visual interest to other parts of your syllabus.
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)
-measuring economic well-being (ch 7)
Learning Objective: Apply microeconomic
analysis to evaluate economic events and/or
problems.
From my intro course:
Public
Finance
Let’s 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
Topic List for Principles of Macroeconomics
Ten Principles of Economics
Interdependence and the Gains from Trade
Measuring a Nation's Income
Production and Growth
The Basic Tools of Finance
The Monetary System
Open-Economy Macroeconomics
Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply
Tradeoff between Inflation and
Unemployment
Thinking Like an Economist
Market Forces of Supply and Demand
Measuring the Cost of Living
Saving, Investment, Financial System
Unemployment and Its Natural Rate
Money Growth and Inflation
Theory of the Open Economy
Monetary and Fiscal Policy
Debates over Macroeconomic
Policy
Mankiw’s Brief Principles of Macroeconomics
The Macroeconomic Building Blocks
How markets work
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
A Model of the Economy as a Whole
- GDP, inflation, and unemployment
- government policy
Questions? Comments?
How to reach me:
@yogiconomist
Katie (Sauer) Hart
ksauer5@mscd.edu
303-556-3037