A detailed guide and course handbook that provides students with information about course structure and content as well as expected work performance and exam requirements is distributed to the students at the beginning of the course. The course handbook is the students’ first encounter with a course so it is important that the handbook is clear and transparent and prepares the students well for completing the course.
The inclusive course handbook may create confidence and perseverance in the students as it tells them what is expected of them and enables them to adapt their study strategies and prioritisation of tasks accordingly. At the same time, the course handbook makes it easier for them to carry out their academic activities because it explains clearly how much is expected of them as regards the course content and course assignments. The students should feel that their teachers consider the students’ workload in the individual courses, and that a clear balancing of expectations which is binding for both parties exists between the students and their teacher.
Include a calculation of workload in proportion to ECTS credits (use for instance the guidelines from the teacher portal at arts). In this calculation you must estimate the amount of time the students are expected to spend on different parts of the course, including exams, lectures, activities between sessions and possibly specifically on assignments during the course.
In your first teaching session, you may introduce the course handbook in a group exercise, asking the students to present or summarise briefly a section or to read the course handbook and formulate questions to it.
Do you have a realistic picture of the students’ workload in proportion to the ECTS credits of the course (use for instance the guidelines from the teacher portal at Arts)?
Does the course handbook comply with the course description in the academic regulations, the course catalogue etc.?
