Digital Syllabus aims to address workflow inefficiencies for both instructors
and students.
By providing a simple form-based interface for instructors, we hope the
system will:
- simplify the process of creating a syllabus by prompting the user for
proper information;
- provide non-technical users with an easy way of making course information
available online, in usable format;
- standardize course syllabi, making it easier to use by students and re-use
by instructors;
- allow for easy updates which would then be communicated to students; and
- eliminate the need to use preliminary documents and notes to develop
the schedule before putting it in the system.
Even though we believe the application to be useful for instructors, the
real winner is the student. In only a few minutes, a student can create an
account and subscribe to courses and for the rest of the semester she will
have up-to-date information regarding all her coursework. The core of the
Digital Syllabus calendar, a listing of all tasks and readings that have been
assigned, will:
- help students better manage their time by having everything in one place;
- reduce information redundancy and possibility for mistakes by making the
instructors' working copy of the syllabus feed directly into the students
time-management application; and
- eliminate problems stemming from different syllabus formats and difficult
to navigate websites.
;)