Faculty Guide: Simple Syllabus

Overview

Simple Syllabus allows professors to easily create, edit, and share class syllabi. The service pulls select information directly from WaveNet and also pre-populates required policy notices and statements. This way, professors save time and focus on the content related to their class requirements, assignments, and procedures.

Add the "Pepperdine Syllabus" tool to Pepperdine Canvas

Watch the Add Tool Video
(Pepperdine login required.)

Reminder: This is limited to PGBS Online programs only during the spring 2025 term.

1. Go to your class site on Pepperdine Canvas.
2. Select "Settings" in the left navigation.
3. Choose the "Navigation" tab.
4. Drag up the "Pepperdine Syllabus" tool near the bottom of the page. Place it anywhere above the "Drag items here to hide them from students" section, such as below the Home tool.
5. Next to the standard "Syllabus" tool, select the 3-dots icon. Choose "Disable." (This will hide the standard Syllabus tool and avoid student confusion.)
6. Scroll down and select "Save."

You are now ready to access the tool via your class site menu in Canvas.

Edit Your Syllabus 

Watch the Edit Syllabus Video
(Pepperdine login required.)

These instructions assume that you have completed the prior instructions for adding the tool to your site(s).

1. Go to your class site on Pepperdine Canvas.
2. Select "Pepperdine Syllabus" in your left menu.
3. Wait for your syllabus to load in the Canvas tool frame.
4. Scroll to each editable section.
   • Use the rich text editor to add and format your information.
   • Simple Syllabus will auto-save content as you work.
   • Select the blue expand button at the right to access Help Text about the syllabus section.
   • Visible/Invisible: If a section in the template does not apply to your class, select the toggle icon next to "Visible" to set the section to "Invisible" (not shown to students). This section will not be displayed in your published syllabus.
   • Public/Private: If you want to limit a section to only you and enrolled students, select the toggle icon next to "Public" to make that module "Private" to enrolled users only. For example, you can hide your contact information so that only your enrolled students can see it, not students browsing the syllabus library considering their future classes.
   • Use the Accessibility Checker to review any issues or recommendations.
     • Table Captions are recommended but not required. If there is a heading preceding the table or section, this provides adequate context.
     • Dark background table headers with light text will meet accessibility but may incorrectly be flagged for color contrast. If you are using Pepperdine Dark Blue (#00205c) and white text in the header, then you are fine.
5. Select "Preview" to see how your published syllabus would appear to your students.
6. Select "Close" to save the work but not publish the syllabus.
7. Select "Submit" to publish your syllabus.
   • Once submitted/published, students will be able to see the syllabus in the Canvas class site.
   • You may also share the syllabus via the web or PDF links.

Track Student Views of the Syllabus

Once the term starts, professors can access a dashboard of the enrolled students and see who has opened the document and how much they have read. Students will also be presented with an option to acknowledge that they have read the syllabus, and professors can see who has signed off on reading the syllabus.

Prerequisites

• The academic term start date has begun
• Site is published

Instructions

1. Go to your class site on Pepperdine Canvas.
2. Select "Pepperdine Syllabus" in your left menu.
3. Wait for your syllabus to load in the Canvas tool frame.
4. Select the blue bar near the top of the syllabus to access the Student Engagement module.
5. Review the resulting list.

Professors may also go to the main Pepperdine Simple Syllabus service and access the same details from the "Completed" syllabi in their dashboards.

← Back to Simple Syllabus

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