This is an interesting idea, and as you suggest, likely to catch the
attention of the bored/unaware student. You speak of the responsibility
of learning, but I also wonder about the "right" of education? That is,
the students, having paid their tuition, may legitimately feel that they
have the right to receive something, i.e., the value of your
wisdom/learning/ experience, etc. Maybe you could add a clause or two
(or maybe it's implicit in the course outline and housekeeping lecture
you will give on the first day) about what they can expect from you.
That is, they can expect you to be prepared with your "teaching bits",
you will be available during office hours/by appointment, etc., etc., so
it becomes a teaching/learning contract (cf. obuchenye).
I've been reading a lot about children's rights lately for a course on
ethical principals in applied psychology, and have been thinking about
the rights vs. responsibilities of children, teachers, parents, and other
adults who work with children. I know you're teaching university, so
you're dealing with adults, but the notion of rights/responsibilities
still applies, I think.
-Tane
Tane Akamatsu
Toronto Board of Education
takamatsu who-is-at oise.on.ca