The vendor is required to provide that to collect information and recommendations regarding a syllabus platform that can interface with colleague and integrates with our LMS platform (blackboard ultra) to provide standard data on a syllabi template for courses that faculty can modify for their specific course
- Specifications:
• Student-centered & student success features
o Accessibility compliance: ensure the tool adheres to, supporting all students, including those with disabilities.
o Engaging interface: supports links, multimedia elements like videos, images, and interactive tools to make syllabi more visually appealing and user-friendly.
o Mobile-friendly design: a responsive platform for seamless use on smartphones and tablets.
o Plain language templates: promotes equity-minded and inclusive language, minimizing academic jargon.
o Printer-friendly: allows students to print syllabi easily (pdf or word output), as needed.
o Integrated help links: direct connections to campus support services like advising, tutoring, and care centers.
o Multilingual support: syllabi can be translated into multiple languages for esl students
• Integration capabilities
o LMS compatibility: Integrates seamlessly with blackboard ultra.
o Real-time updates: Allows immediate updates to syllabi across all courses when policies or schedules change.
o Single sign-on (SSO): Simplifies access for students and faculty with unified authentication.
o Colleague/banner: brings course information data automatically to individual syllabi without the need to download/upload flat files.
• Customization options
o Modular design: Faculty can customize only their specific course sections while maintaining standardized institutional content. would also give departments and divisions flexibility in content for specific sections/modules of the template.
o Custom branding: Supports institutional logos, colors, and themes to align with the college’s branding.
o Flexible formatting: offers options for templates.
o Culturally relevant content: Tools for embedding readings and activities reflective of diverse backgrounds.
• Administrative tools
o Centralized management: Provides administrative oversight for consistency in policies and resources across all courses with roles as appropriate for various levels (dean, department head, lead instructor, and instructor) that can be assigned per syllabi template section.
o Automated approvals: Workflow for administrative review and approval of syllabi before publishing.
o Archiving and retrieval: Automates storage of syllabi for audit and accreditation purposes
o Analytics and reporting: Tracks syllabus engagement and provides insights into student interaction.
o engagement metrics: Reports on which syllabus sections are most frequently accessed.
o Roles: Ability for administrators (deans/department heads) to lock certain sections of the syllabus for all course sections
• Faculty support
o Ease of use: Intuitive interface with minimal learning curve for faculty.
o Professional development: Offers training modules or workshops on learning the tool and syllabus best practices. dedicated, designated, and responsive help desk for technical issues.
o Workload reduction: Minimizes redundant tasks, allowing faculty to focus on teaching-specific content.
• Additional features
o Scalability: Can support college-wide implementation and growth.
o Data security: Adheres to and other data privacy regulations.
o Offline accessibility: Allows students to download syllabi for use without internet connectivity.
o Public facing site: Allows potential students (and others) to view course syllabi on a course/section searchable public facing website before enrolling or before the semester starts.
o Interactive elements: Embedded quizzes, surveys, or polls to foster engagement and feedback.
o Student feedback tools: Built-in mechanisms for students to provide feedback on syllabi and course expectations.
o Anonymous q&a: Students can ask syllabus-related questions without revealing their identity.
o Ai-powered assistance: Virtual assistants to guide students through the syllabus or answer common questions.
o Interactive timelines: Allows students to visualize assignment due dates, exam schedules, and critical milestones.
o Student contract feature: Digital acknowledgment from students that they’ve read and understood the syllabus.
o Dynamic scheduling: A calendar integration that syncs syllabus deadlines with blackboard assignment deadlines.
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: January 21, 2025