Designed for Equitable Learning: A Study of UCD and Liquid Syllabus in an Online Synchronous Course

Syllabi as an academic genre used by students and instructors should not only be primarily focused on its content, but also the modality. This study investigates students’ experience of using web-based liquid syllabus through a questionnaire in an online synchronous technical communication service class and evaluates the usefulness of liquid syllabus through usability testing after the semester ends. Findings from the pre-study survey and usability testing show students’ self-reflection on using the two types of syllabi, reveal the problem of liquid syllabus design, and address their experience. The paper discusses the study limitation and suggests that instructors could use a liquid syllabus to improve students’ learning experience.