The Faculty of Arts & Science is taking steps to make course information more comprehensive for students at the St. George campus who are frequently overloaded at the beginning of new terms.
Members present at a recent Arts & Science Council meeting discussed a Course Information System (CIS) for students and faculty.
Currently, course instructors must submit grading schemes to the Faculty of Arts & Science, including due dates, assignments, and weighting of grades prior to course enrolment. They are also required to submit information about exams and the final exam paper four weeks before the start of exams.
According to Suzanne Stevenson, vice-dean of teaching and learning at the Faculty of Arts & Science, the aim of the CIS is to streamline these details for students.
“The Course Information System will make it much easier for students to review required course information, including the instructor’s syllabus and marking scheme, by presenting the info in a consistent and accurate format early each semester,” says Stevenson.
With the new system, course instructors will submit all required course information to the Faculty of Arts & Science electronically. The chair, or chairs designate, will review the information and the applicable information will be made available for students through the same portal.
This will replace the current process used for approval of marking schemes by the chair or chairs designate, as well as the system used to submit final exam details and the final exam paper, which is currently submitted to the Office of the Faculty Registrar.
Students will reportedly be able to use the Course Information System to find information similar to what is found on many class syllabi.
The faculty also recommends that course instructors submit course descriptions, required texts and material, marking policy and protocol, accessibility accommodations, sessional dates, missed test policies, academic integrity messages, online communication policies, and extra details about final exams.
Stevenson says that the new system will benefit instructors as well as students.
“The system will enable instructors and staff to free up time spent on administrative processes so that they can spend their time doing what matters to them the most: engaging with students and providing outstanding learning opportunities,” she says.
The system will only be available for Arts & Science students, but Stevenson says that the faculty is “happy to share [their] IT efforts with other divisions if they are interested.”
The Faculty of Arts & Science is also looking into improving other online systems such as Degree Explorer and Course Finder.
A date has not yet been set for the rollout of the new system.
