How to edit the Google Dosc Course Syllabus template

How to edit the Google Dosc Course Syllabus template
Page content

How to customize the Google Docs Course Syllabus template

In this part of the series, we are going to learn how to edit the template to accommodate our course syllabus needs. The template is basically a Google document, so you get the same editing tools which will help you customize the template to suit your needs.

To insert a new table into the template,

  1. Place the cursor where you want the new table.
  2. Select Insert>Table and a pop-up window will ask you for the number of rows, columns, background, etc.
  3. Once you have inserted the desired values, click Insert to create your table.
  4. To match the layout of the other tables already present in the template, right- click in the upper row and select Change row.
  5. In the pop-up window, click on the white box beside Color and select the same color as the top rows of the other tables. You have successfully added a new table and maintained uniformity in the document.

You can even edit the number of rows and columns in the existing tables.

  1. Click on a table where you want to edit the number of rows or columns. You will see a small icon with a circle marked with an X in the middle along with two triangular symbols on either side of the circle. The triangles will either be pointing left and right or up and down.
  2. To add a row to an existing table, locate the circle symbol with the triangles pointing up and down. Select the up triangle to add a row above the row you selected or select the down triangle to insert a row below the row selected.
  3. To add a new column to an existing table, locate the circle symbol with the triangles pointing sideways. Click the right triangle to add a column to the right of the selected column and vice versa.
  4. To delete any row or column simply click the center of the circle marked with an X.

After you have finalized your course syllabus, you have to distribute the syllabus. Most teachers will make copies and pass it to their students during the first week. Google has a neat new way to help you distribute your syllabus.

Click Share > Publish as web page… from the drop-down menu. Google will assign a unique URL to your document. You can easily share you syllabus by either emailing the link to all your students or posting the link on your website. The advantage publishing has over inviting students to be viewers of the document is you do not have to give them permission to access the document, thus eliminating a redundant step in the process. Anyone who has the link can access the document saving you the hassle of ensuring every student is added to the document so as to allow them to view the document.

As an example, I have used this template to create a course syllabus with the title ‘Web Administration’. I liked the content of the template, so I changed it where necessary like ‘Course description’, ‘Areas of study’ and added another table for suggested reading. To view the course syllabus, which I have published on the web, click on its unique URL, https://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgk2gvw3_14f6p7vjdb.

This template covers most of the requirements of a course syllabus, ensuring important details are not overlooked. With the ease of customization, the course syllabus template provides an easy solution to help teachers and professors concentrate on other important aspects of their demanding careers.