The Liquid Syllabus: Humanizing How We Introduce Our Courses

Introduction

“Check the syllabus” is a common refrain among college instructors, highlighting the centrality of this document in the higher education classroom. Course syllabi provide students with first impressions of the classes they take by outlining each course’s policies and procedures (Kruger et al., 2024). While they offer a wealth of information, traditional syllabi are often dense, intimidating, and uninspiring. To make them feel more welcoming and approachable, many educators have embraced the concept of humanizing their syllabi (Bain, 2004; Kruger et al., 2024; Harnish & Bridges, 2011; Harrington & Thomas, 2018; Pacansky-Brock, 2021).

A popular approach to this shift has been the creation of a ‘liquid syllabus,’ or a more inclusive public document that lives outside the course’s learning management system (Pacansky-Brock, 2014). A liquid syllabus may take many forms, such as a website, PowerPoint presentation, blog post, Word document, or short video. It is preferably accessible on a mobile device and shared with students before the first day of class. Its purpose is to introduce students to a supportive instructor who will help them meet course objectives and to set a positive tone for the semester (Pacansky-Brock, 2014; Paciulli et al., 2021).

The Importance of First Impressions: Why Humanizing Syllabi Matters

Recent higher education research suggests college classrooms are more diverse than ever (ACE Report, 2024; Marangell et al., 2024). Clear and welcoming communication from instructors can have a meaningful impact on learners. Because students may differ in age, socioeconomic background, language, and culture, humanizing pedagogies, approaches that center identity, dignity, and relationship-building, offer instructors an opportunity to support learners in navigating intercultural challenges and shaping positive instructor-student connections (Pacansky-Brock, 2021; Fernandez, 2021; Stewart, 2023). These strategies build instructor presence and student inclusion. They highlight how intentionally designed courses shape students’ experiences and perceptions of belonging from the beginning.

Among humanizing teaching methods, designing liquid syllabi that privilege the relationship between instructors and learners offers an initial opportunity for instructors to shape their first communication with students. A liquid syllabus may provide a positive first impression of a course, which Buchert et al. (2008) note often matters more than instructor reputation. In online courses, this first impression is particularly significant. Kruger et al. (2024) explain that the syllabus may be the first point of contact between students and instructors. Participants in their study appreciated seeing and hearing their instructors via video, finding this mode of communication more engaging than other digital formats. Hence, a liquid syllabus shifts the emphasis from regulation to relationship, a meaningful contrast from traditional syllabi, which students may experience as cold or overwhelming. Such an approach to early communication signals to students that they are seen and welcomed.

To support this sense of connection, syllabus design must first prioritize clarity and usability. Kruger et al. (2024) found that students recalled more information from short-form video syllabi and PDF-style syllabi than from websites or complicated magazine-style syllabi. Regardless of format, students found receiving the syllabus approximately one week before class started helpful. Rather than discrediting the effectiveness of liquid syllabi, these findings suggest that the clarity and intentionality of how syllabi information is presented matter more than visually elaborate formats. A video-based liquid syllabus, or a text-based liquid syllabus that mirrors the easy navigation of a traditional Word document or PDF, is likely to be more effective than a complex, design-heavy website. In this way, simplicity is a hallmark of humanizing syllabus design.

Key Elements of Liquid Syllabi

While liquid syllabi vary across contexts, in practice they usually include some version of the following elements:

• A Brief Welcome

  • This personalized greeting may be a short video or a brief written message that introduces the instructor and conveys excitement for the course to begin. Images may be incorporated into text-based versions.

• An Overview of Essential Course Policies and Procedures

  • The explanation should use warm, student-centered language to highlight what students will learn and how they will succeed.

• Etiquette Guidelines

  • These standards should be articulated as a mutual partnership, in which expectations for both instructors and students are explained as collaborative and reciprocal (Pacansky-Brock, 2020; Paciulli et al., 2021).

• An Invitation to Connect

  • Students are encouraged to build community early by making introductions, participating in discussions, completing a welcome survey, and reflecting on their common goals or concerns.

It’s important to note that although some instructors choose to add critical due dates to their liquid syllabi, most still create traditional syllabi that detail all course requirements and due dates, so students can easily locate this critical information (Kruger et al., 2024; Paciulli et al., 2021).

For this reason, a liquid syllabus often works best in conjunction with a more traditional syllabus rather than replacing it entirely.

Practical Strategies for Getting Started

For instructors interested in making their syllabi more relationship-oriented, the following strategies offer practical pointers:

• Start small.

  • A liquid syllabus can be created one section at a time. Begin by filming a 5-minute welcome video or adding a communication policy to a traditional version.

• Use familiar tools to create a liquid syllabus.

  • PowerPoint, Canva, Adobe Suite programs, and simple recording tools can be used to make syllabus content more engaging and visually appealing.

• Use course material that already exists.

  • Existing syllabus material can be repurposed by visually organizing large blocks of text into bullet points or numbered lists.

• Revise the tone.

  • Warm, inclusive language can easily be added if it isn’t already present.

• Consider Accessibility.

  • Closed captions and alternative text are features of accessible syllabi.

Creating a liquid syllabus requires an initial time investment, but revised elements can generally be used across semesters. Paciulli et al. (2021) also suggest that liquid syllabi may help instructors feel more organized and reduce the number of early-semester emails, a benefit that complements the reciprocal goals of humanizing pedagogy. Ultimately, small yet intentional changes can help both instructors and students begin the semester successfully.

Additional Readings from the K. Patricia Cross Academy CrossCurrents Library

The blog posts below from the K. Patricia Cross Academy CrossCurrents Library discuss related themes in humanizing pedagogy and course design. Each offers additional ideas that may complement liquid syllabi over the course of the semester:

It’s Not Always in the Syllabus

• This post highlights the value of making course expectations visible and accessible in traditional course syllabi. It discusses strategies to reduce cognitive load and confusion, ideals that directly align with the humanizing aim of a liquid syllabus.

You’ve Got This! Helping Students Expect to Succeed

• This article emphasizes the importance of helping students expect to succeed through clear organization, scaffolding, and the use of confidence-building language. Students who begin a course with clear expectations and support feel empowered to succeed. A liquid syllabus may help establish a strong foundation for their success.

Building Belonging: Strengthening Student Engagement Through Classroom Community

• Liquid syllabi support belonging and engagement by introducing the instructor, setting a welcoming tone, and helping learners feel comfortable before class begins. When students start a course with this kind of early support, they are more likely to feel connected and form a community. This post explores how that early foundation connects to broader community-building across the semester.

Conclusion

Instructors have a responsibility to invite students into a supportive learning community. Creating syllabi that clearly and equitably communicate course policies and procedures is one way to foster such a humanistic environment.

When paired with traditional syllabi, liquid syllabi may help establish an early connection between instructors and students, building trust and setting a welcoming tone from the outset.

By making intentional design choices, instructors can create syllabi that don’t just look different but feel different.