At the beginning of each semester, students are showered with pages and pages, printed or pdf-ed, of course syllabi. Along with expectations and grading breakdowns, these contain perfunctory lists of topics covered in each course and assignments accompanying each topic. What happens when a syllabus is thought of as course material itself rather than simply a schedule or outline? What happens when it is taken from the page and placed in an interactive spatiotemporal digital environment?

For her spring 2015 Introduction to Art History course, Professor Caroline Bruzelius, along with her Teaching Assistant Joseph Williams and Wired! IT Analyst Hannah Jacobs, has transformed her syllabus into just such a teaching tool. Created as a Neatline exhibit, the syllabus includes not only the list of topics but also a timeline, maps, lecture slides, readings, and videos. Here, students can engage visual representations of their course materials before, during, and after class.

Students then use their understanding of the course material in a visual form to create their own art historical narratives. Several students will join the conversation to discuss the syllabus, their own projects, the challenges they faced when adapting textual content to Neatline, and the lessons they have learned from their experiences.

Learn more about the MA+S Rendezvous event series.