Helping students succeed is a priority for us at Akademos, which is why our focus is on continually tracking industry trends on products and features to support student success in higher education. Pam Mueller, Senior Director of Account Development, along with two senior members of our Product team, Clay Salit and Brett Horton, led a 20-minute discussion in July that highlighted the up-and-coming products and features being developed to support student success.

Simplifying the Course Materials Ecosystem with Centralized Syllabus Management

An often-overlooked stage in the course materials ecosystem is the creation and management of the syllabus. One of the things we have learned over our 20 years in the industry is that the syllabus is the cornerstone of student success. It is the first place where class expectations are set and students identify what course materials are needed to have a successful semester. It is also where they learn what policies, regulations, and assistance services are available to them. With an accurate and consistent syllabus in hand, students are empowered to make decisions about their educational experience.

The syllabus is a bedrock document for ensuring academic preparedness in higher education. It establishes expectations, learning goals, and, of course, the booklist for the semester. Yet, through our conversations with administrators and faculty, we have seen how difficult it is to track, organize, and maintain these documents at an institutional level.