Recent Updates to the Syllabus Template
As we prepare for the Fall 2025 semester, we would like to remind all faculty of important updates to the Simple Syllabus template that were introduced earlier this year. If you didn’t teach during the summer, this may be your first time encountering these changes.
The revised template, developed collaboratively by Daytona State College’s Retention Committee and Faculty Senate, was designed to give instructors more flexibility while enhancing clarity and engagement for students.
For Fall 2025 and Spring 2026, instructors will need to complete their section syllabi utilizing the new college template. This will be a manual process. Once a full year (Summer, Fall, and Spring) of edits are made, the information will automatically roll (Fall to Fall, Spring to Spring, Summer to Summer).
Before You Dive In, some things are Different 👀
When you complete your syllabi for the first time using the new template, you will notice that some sections have been consolidated, and redundant sections have been deleted.
Welcome Message
This new section should welcome your students to the course. Consider including a welcome video (the Instructional Resources media team can help)!
Faculty need to include all of the following information in this section:
- Course format. Include: modality info (face-to-face, hybrid, accelerated, online, etc.).
- Course access information if using an additional online component.
- Include the link to Falcon Online.
- Include information about any necessary supplies on the first day.
Curriculum & Philosophy
Please use this section to describe your teaching methodology, the way you structure your course, and assessment strategies. Is the class time discussion-based? Will students need to learn how to actively listen to complex lectures? What are your engagement expectations in an online course? How do formative and summative assignments help scaffold learning?
This new section combines the following previously stand-alone sections:
- Evaluation / Assessment Methods
- Late Work/ Make-Up Work and Exams
- How to Proceed Through the Course
- Handling of Assignments
- Communication
- Interaction
- Classroom Etiquette/Netiquette
Tips for Updating to the New Template
✏️ To get information from your section syllabi from Spring 2025 and earlier, utilize dual windows and copy and paste information.
📌 If you teach multiple sections of the same course, we recommend completing one section's syllabus using the method mentioned above, then using the Import Content feature to fill in the other sections.
🔎 Did you know that Simple Syllabus has a built-in Accessibility Checker, similar to the one in Falcon Online?
Look for the person icon at the bottom right of the page when editing your syllabus. If you notice a number, click the icon to open and review potential issues (missing alt text for images, text contrast issues, problems with table formatting, etc.). The Accessibility Checker will display the number of issues, what you need to do to resolve them, and a field where you can address the issue directly from within the checker.
Mark Your Calendars!
Here is the availability of course shells, Simple Syllabus, and enrollment into Falcon Online courses for Fall 2025. Friendly reminder that Falcon Online shells are generated 60 days prior to the start of the semester. Syllabi being completed and publicly available 45 days prior to the start of classes is governed by Florida Statute 1004.085, Florida Board of Governors’ Regulation 8.003, and College policy 4.01.
Important Dates
| Semester | Course Shells Generated on … | Simple Syllabus Due on ... | Classes Begin on ... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🍁 Fall 2025 (Fall A & FULL term) | June 26, 2025 | July 11, 2025 | August 25, 2025 |
| 🍁 Fall 2025 (Fall B ONLY) | June 26, 2025 | September 5, 2025 | October 20, 2025 |
As an instructor, these dates are your opportunity to roll over your course and prepare for the semesters ahead. Upon generation, instructors will be automatically enrolled into their respective course shells. However, it's important to note that if a course shell is not visible, it may be due to the department not releasing it in the schedule for open enrollment or it being a limited access course. Rest assured, the timely availability of course shells will streamline your preparation process.
If you wish to contact your students before classes begin, you can use the Falcon Online course shell to send an email to your class list welcoming students and providing any housekeeping updates such as information about course materials or initial assignments.
The Falcon Online enrollments are updated daily at 7:30 am, 2:30 pm, 9:30 pm, and 2:30 am. As always, if you have questions, contact the Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning at 386-506-3485 or email us at CITL@daytonastate.edu. Thank you!
Koby Klayson
Administrative Specialist
Koby.Klayson@daytonastate.edu
386-506-3638
Department of Academic Innovation