Reimagining student-centered learning: Accessible and inclusive syllabus design during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This paper considers how the course syllabus, an often-overlooked document, can function as an instrument for naming and enacting more inclusive, accessible, and learner-centered classrooms. A syllabus is a powerful tool with the potential to make visible the practices and policies of an instructor's pedagogy, to facilitate trust between instructors and students, and to set the tone for a course. Despite the gravity of this document, however, the language and form of written syllabi have tended to be passed down, either institutionally or through generations of instructors, rather than revised and redesigned to meet the needs of students in a changing world. Observing renewed interest in inclusivity and accessibility in pedagogical conversations in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors conducted this study of twelve digital rhetoric syllabi to systematically and precisely analyze the ways language is used to create learner-centered syllabi in service of more just classrooms. The findings demonstrate the need for creating accessible learning experiences for students, showing empathy through various learner-centered tools, and using positive and inclusive language to promote diversity, equity, and social justice.