While updating the structure and content of “Understanding Music” to better suit the realities of remote learning, I realized that one of the course’s most essential documents could also use some attention: the syllabus.

When the most eye-catching part of your syllabus is the blue university logo at the top of the page, it could probably be doing more to invite students’ attention (and to feel less “corporate”). At a time when virtually all of my students have begun viewing the syllabus online—often via a mobile device—the wisdom of its broad white margins and 8.5"×11" page format also seemed questionable. Finally, I was disheartened to notice that Blackboard Ally had awarded the existing document an accessibility score of just 46 percent. With these shortcomings in mind, I set out to design a friendlier syllabus: one that was (1) more visually engaging, (2) easier to navigate on mobile screens, and (3) more accessible to every student.

The redesigned syllabus now presents the contents of each week in a “movie poster” format, complete with a thematic title and rights-free photography from https://unsplash.com. The new document features narrower margins and extra-large headings, allowing students on mobile devices to locate and then zoom in on the content they need. (For those who continue to prefer a more traditional view, the pages fit neatly inside a 2-up print layout.) And despite the more elaborate visual design, I was able to increase the document’s Blackboard Ally accessibility score from 46 percent to 94 percent by adding image descriptions, document headings, and high-contrast text.

Smith, Jessica. “It’s Time for a Syllabus Redesign.” The Teaching and Learning Team (College of Charleston, 2019). http://tlt.cofc.edu/2019/10/18/small-teaching-tip-21-its-time-for-a-syllabus-redesign/