Tools for Teaching E-Book

Barbara Gross Davis

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Bildung
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 1032

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2009

Beschreibung

This is the long-awaited update on the bestselling book that offers a practical, accessible reference manual for faculty in any discipline. This new edition contains up-to-date information on technology as well as expanding on the ideas and strategies presented in the first edition. It includes more than sixty-one chapters designed to improve the teaching of beginning, mid-career, or senior faculty members. The topics cover both traditional tasks of teaching as well as broader concerns, such as diversity and inclusion in the classroom and technology in educational settings.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

PREFACE

Sources of Tools for Teaching

Organization of Tools for Teaching

Suggestions for Using Tools for Teaching

A Request

Acknowledgements

References

CREDITS

THE AUTHOR

Dedication

PART I

Chapter 1 - Designing or Revising a Course

General Strategies

Preliminary Information Gathering

Deciding What You Want to Accomplish

Defining and Limiting Course Content

Structuring the Course

Selecting Textbooks, Readings, and Course Materials

Learning Management Systems and Collaborative and Learning Environments

Setting Course Policies

References

Chapter 2 - The Comprehensive Course Syllabus

General Strategies

Creating a Syllabus

Creating Your Syllabus Online

Motivating Students to Read and Use the Syllabus

References

Chapter 3 - The First Days of Class

General Strategies

Taking Care of Administrative Tasks

Creating a Positive Classroom Environment

Setting Course Expectations and Standards

References

Chapter 4 - Classroom Conduct and Decorum

General Strategies

Handling Incivilities

Teaching in Times of Crisis and Tragedy

References

PART II - Responding to a Changing Student Body

Chapter 5 - Diversity and Inclusion in the Classroom

General Strategies

Communicating and Fostering Respect

Pedagogical Approaches

Course Content and Material

Class Discussion

Assignments and Exams

Advising, Mentoring, and Out-of-Class Activities

References

Chapter 6 - Students with Disabilities

General Strategies

Physical Access

Barrier-Free Learning

Class Participation

Exams

Laboratory Courses

Behavioral Risk Assessment

References

Chapter 7 - Reentry and Transfer Students

General Strategies

Creating Connections

Teaching Practices

Returning Veterans

References

Chapter 8 - Teaching Academically Diverse Students

General Strategies

Course Structure

Monitoring Students’ Learning

Helping Students Who Are Having Difficulty

Encouraging Your Best Students

References

PART III - Discussion Strategies

Chapter 9 - Leading a Discussion

General Strategies

Setting the Context for Discussion

Starting a Discussion

Guiding the Discussion

Evaluating the Discussion

References

Chapter 10 - Encouraging Student Participation in Discussion

General Strategies

Increasing Student Participation

Keeping the Discussion Going

Grading Class Participation

References

Chapter 11 - Online Discussions

General Strategies

Planning a Discussion Board

Conducting Online Discussions

References

Chapter 12 - Asking Questions

General Strategies

Levels and Types of Questions

Effective Questioning

Responding to Students’ Responses

References

Chapter 13 - Fielding Students’ Questions

General Strategies

Answering Routine Questions

Handling Difficult Questions and Questioners

References

PART IV - The Large-Enrollment Course

Chapter 14 - Preparing to Teach the Large-Enrollment Course

General Strategies

Organizing the Course

Preparing Lecture Notes

Structuring a Lecture

Managing a Large-Enrollment Course

References

Chapter 15 - Delivering a Lecture

General Strategies

Opening a Lecture

Capturing Students’ Interest

Mastering Delivery Techniques

Closing a Lecture

Improving Your Lecture Style

References

Chapter 16 - Explaining Clearly

General Strategies

Aiding Students’ Comprehension

Presenting Key Points and Examples

Using Repetition and Reinforcement

References

Chapter 17 - Personalizing the Large-Enrollment Course

General Strategies

Creating a Sense of Community

Minimizing the Distance Between Teacher and Student

Monitoring Students’ Progress

References

Chapter 18 - Encouraging Student Participation in the Large-Enrollment Course

General Strategies

Breaking the Class into Small Groups

Engaging the Entire Class

References

Chapter 19 - Maintaining Instructional Quality with Limited Resources

General Strategies

Administering and Grading Tests without Readers and GSIs

Assigning and Grading Writing Assignments without Readers and GSIs

Assigning and Grading Problem Sets without Readers and GSIs

Holding Discussion Sections without Readers and GSIs

References

PART V - Alternatives and Supplements to Lectures and Discussion

Chapter 20 - Web 2.0

General Strategies

A Sample of Applications

References

Chapter 21 - Learning in Groups

General Strategies

Designing Group Work

Organizing Learning Groups

Guiding Learning Groups

Evaluating Group Work

Addressing Student and Faculty Concerns about Group Work

Setting Up Study Groups

References

Chapter 22 - Informal Group Learning Activities

General Strategies

Examples of Activities

References

Chapter 23 - Formal Group Learning Activities

General Strategies

Examples of Activities

Addressing Student and Faculty Concerns

References

Chapter 24 - Case Studies

General Strategies

Selecting a Case

Preparing for a Case

Conducting the Case

Concluding the Case Session

Creating Your Own Cases

References

Chapter 25 - Simulations: Role Playing, Games, and Virtual Worlds

Role Playing

Video Games and Virtual Worlds

References

Chapter 26 - Service Learning and Civic Engagement

General Strategies

Organizing a Service-Learning Opportunity

Students’ Roles

Faculty Role

Evaluation of Students

References

Chapter 27 - Undergraduate Research

General Strategies

Designing Worthwhile Research Experiences

Recruiting Students

Mentoring and Supervising Undergraduate Researchers

Communicating Findings

References

Chapter 28 - Guest Speakers

General Strategies

Preparing the Speaker

Preparing the Students

Hosting the Guest Speaker

Guests Courtesy of Webcasting

Being a Guest Speaker

References

PART VI - Enhancing Students’ Learning and Motivation

Chapter 29 - Helping Students Learn

Promoting Students’ Intellectual Development

Helping Students Contextualize New Information

Helping Students Retain, Retrieve, and Apply Information

Student Note Taking

Self-Regulated Learning

Helping Students Develop Effective Learning Strategies

References

Chapter 30 - Learning Styles and Preferences

General Strategies

Models of Learning Styles

Helping Students Recognize Their Learning Styles and Preferences

References

Chapter 31 - Motivating Students

General Strategies

Starting the Term on a Positive Note

Maintaining Motivation throughout the Term

De-emphasizing Grades

Offering Feedback and Advice

Specific Tasks: Motivating Students to Do the Reading

Specific Tasks: Motivating Students to Attend Class

References

Chapter 32 - Informally Assessing Students’ Learning

Checking Students’ Understanding: Written Responses

Checking Students’ Understanding: Questions and Discussion

Checking Students’ Understanding: Using Technology

Checking Students’ Understanding: Resources

References

Chapter 33 - Mobile Learning

General Strategies

Examples of Mobile Learning

References

PART VII - Strengthening Students’ Writing and Problem-Solving Skills

Chapter 34 - Helping Students Write Better in All Courses

General Strategies

Teaching the Fundamentals of Writing

Referring Students to Resources

In-Class Writing Exercises

Using Peer Review

Selective Review and Grading

References

Chapter 35 - Designing Effective Writing Assignments

General Strategies

Shaping the Research or Term Paper Assignment

Developing Students’ Research Skills

Alternatives to Research and Term Paper Assignments

Using Journals or Learning Logs

References

Chapter 36 - Evaluating Students’ Written Work

General Strategies

Scoring Guides

Responding to Students’ Writing

Grading

Returning Assignments

Portfolios

References

Chapter 37 - Homework: Problem Sets

General Strategies

Preparing Problem Sets

Helping Students Learn How to Solve Problems

Collecting Homework

Grading

References

Part VIII - Testing and Grading

Chapter 38 - Promoting Academic Honesty

General Strategies

Assessing Students’ Understanding of Academic Norms

Defining Plagiarism

Assigning Papers and Written Work

Detecting Plagiarism

Developing and Administering Exams

Using Blue Books

Scoring and Returning Exams

Handling Suspected Cases of Academic Dishonesty

References

Chapter 39 - Quizzes, Tests, and Exams

General Strategies

Types of Tests

Alternative Testing Modes

Constructing Effective Exams

Responding to Subpar Test Performance by the Entire Class

References

Chapter 40 - Allaying Students’ Anxieties about Tests

General Strategies

Approaches to Testing

Preparing Students for an Exam

Administering Tests

Letting Students Show What They Know

Returning Examinations

Arranging Makeup Tests

References

Chapter 41 - Multiple-Choice and Matching Tests

General Strategies

Types of Multiple-Choice Questions

Constructing Multiple-Choice Test Items

Matching-Test Items

Scoring the Test

Item Analysis

References

Chapter 42 - Short-Answer and Essay Tests

General Strategies

Writing Effective Test Questions

Grading and Evaluating Exams

Returning Essay Exams

References

Chapter 43 - Grading Practices

General Strategies

Minimizing Students’ Complaints about Grades

Minimizing Intradepartmental Complaints about Grades

Grade Inflation

Tactics and Policies

Evaluating Your Grading Policies

References

Chapter 44 - Calculating and Assigning Grades

General Strategies

Standards-Referenced Approaches

Norm-Referenced Approaches

Hybrid Models

Other Approaches

Calculation of Final Grades for the Course

References

PART IX - Presentation Technologies

Chapter 45 - Flipcharts

General Strategies

Using a Flipchart as a Chalkboard

Using Prepared Flipcharts

Reference

Chapter 46 - Chalkboards and Whiteboards

General Strategies

Visual Reinforcement

Hands-on Tips

Evaluating Your Board Work

References

Chapter 47 - Interactive Whiteboards

General Strategies

Hands-on Tips

References

Chapter 48 - Overhead Projection

General Strategies

Using an Overhead Projector as a Chalkboard

Creating Sets of Transparencies

Showing Prepared Transparencies

References

Chapter 49 - Slide Shows

General Strategies

Locating and Creating Slides

Hands-on Tips

References

Chapter 50 - Video Recordings and Clips

General Strategies

Structure an Active Viewing Experience

Hands-on Tips

References

Chapter 51 - PowerPoint Presentations

General Strategies

Preparing a Presentation

Hands-on Tips

References

PART X - Evaluation to Improve Teaching

Chapter 52 - Early Feedback to Improve Teaching and Learning

General Strategies

Eliciting Students’ Written Opinions about the Course

Eliciting Students’ Opinions through Discussion and Interviews

Responding to Students’ Feedback

Using Video and Colleague Evaluation

References

Chapter 53 - Video Recordings and Classroom Observations

Preparing for Video Recording

Viewing the Recording

Having Colleagues Observe Your Class

References

Chapter 54 - The Teaching Portfolio

General Strategies

Components of a Working Portfolio

Presentation Portfolios

References

PART XI - Teaching Outside the Classroom

Chapter 55 - Holding Office Hours

General Strategies

Encouraging Students to Attend Office Hours

Making Office Hours Productive

Conducting Office Hours

References

Chapter 56 - E-mail, Text Messages, and Instant Messages

General Strategies

Sending E-mail Messages

Responding to E-mail Messages

Texting and IMing from Handheld Devices

References

Chapter 57 - Academic Advising and Mentoring Undergraduates

General Strategies

Becoming Prepared and Informed

Advising First-Year and Undeclared Students

Advising Departmental Majors

Anticipatory Advising

Mentoring

Advising Student Organizations

Professional Conduct

References

Chapter 58 - Guiding, Training, Supervising, and Mentoring Graduate Student Instructors

Preparing to Teach

Setting a Collegial Tone with GSIs

Specifying GSIs’ Roles and Responsibilities

Meeting with Your GSIs during the Term

Evaluating and Improving GSI Performance

Special Considerations in Working with International GSIs

References

PART XII - Finishing Up

Chapter 59 - The Last Days of Class

Planning a Review Session

Conducting a Review Session

Providing Closure

References

Chapter 60 - Student Rating Forms

Consensus Opinion on Student Evaluations of Teaching

Selecting or Designing the Questionnaire

Administering the Questionnaire in Class

Administering the Questionnaire Online

Summarizing Responses

Interpreting Responses

Public Availability of Results

References

Chapter 61 - Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students

General Strategies

Getting Ready to Write

Preparing the Letter

Using Online Systems to Submit Letters

Following Up

References

INDEX

Copyright © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Davis, Barbara Gross.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

eISBN : 978-0-470-56945-0

1. College teaching—United States—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Classroom management—United States—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 3. Curriculum planning—United States—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title.

LB2331.D37 2009

378.1’25—dc22

2008041906

PB Printing

PREFACE

Tools for Teaching provides new and experienced faculty in all disciplines with practical, tested strategies for addressing all major aspects of college and university teaching, from planning a course through assigning final grades. Graduate student instructors and teaching assistants will also benefit from the foundational knowledge and research findings described in this book.

This second edition includes twelve new chapters devoted to innovations in classroom technology and current trends on American campuses. In addition, all of the chapters from the first edition have been thoroughly revised to incorporate recent research on college-level teaching and learning.

Certain assumptions about you, the reader, have guided the design and organization of this second edition:

• You teach a course that is primarily face-to-face and use technology for administrative and educational purposes.

• You want to know about specific instructional strategies that faculty members have used successfully and that researchers have found to be effective in developing students’ intellectual and cognitive skills.

• You can figure things out for yourself. Once you are presented with the gist of a strategy, you can adapt it to your particular circumstances and needs—or reject it as inappropriate for you and your students.

• You are busy and have little time to read through the burgeoning literature on teaching and learning. You want to be able to quickly locate information and appropriate strategies for improving your teaching and students’ learning.

Each chapter contains a brief introduction, a set of general strategies, and concise descriptions of teaching ideas, supported by research, that instructors can adapt and try out. The format lends itself to easy and efficient identification of major points and to quick reading or browsing. Each chapter can be read independently of the others, and the chapters can be read in any order.

Many of the suggestions can be readily implemented; others require planning or modifications in course design. No one instructor could possibly use even half of the ideas—nor would any instructor want to. Tools for Teaching is truly a toolbox from which to select and adapt those ideas that match your teaching style and the needs of your students. Indeed, one of the premises of the book is that there are no pat answers, quick fixes, or sure-fire recipes for excellent teaching and optimal learning, only endless ways to improve.

Sources ofTools for Teaching

The information in Tools comes from many sources: the research literature in higher education on teaching and learning; books published by scholars, researchers, and faculty development experts on effective educational practices; articles on pedagogy by college and university faculty; conversations with and classroom observations of faculty at the University of California, Berkeley; the Web sites of colleges and universities, especially the resources at teaching.berkeley.edu; and local and national listservs devoted to teaching.

I have made every effort to attribute each entry to a published source or to cite a reference that provides greater detail, although the source cited is not necessarily the originator of the strategy. Some tools, though, are part of general lore or reached me without attribution. If I have misinterpreted any findings or conclusions or if I failed to give appropriate credit, I hope readers will contact me so that I can make corrections in a future edition.

Though Tools derives from a substantial body of research and theory, the text focuses on practice. For readers who want to know more about the origin and testing of the strategies, the end-of-chapter reference lists provide starting points. Those seeking discussions of theory and philosophy, essays on good teaching, personal reflections about classroom experiences, examination of the teaching persona, case studies on college teaching, or discipline-specific perspectives on teaching will want to look elsewhere to the many excellent books on these topics. For example, see, among others, Bain’s analysis (2004) of the teaching practices of nearly one hundred college and university instructors; Lang’s personal week-by-week guide (2008) aimed at those embarking upon their first teaching experience; Palmer’s exploration (2007) of a teacher’s inner landscape and the importance of emotion and spirit in the educational process; and Kalman (2008) for teaching science and engineering, Showalter (2003) for teaching literature, or Buskist and Davis (2005) for teaching psychology.

Organization ofTools for Teaching

Tools is designed to be used as a reference book; it is not meant to be read cover to cover. The twelve parts represent, in a roughly chronological sequence, the principal teaching responsibilities and activities of college instructors. The table of contents, index, and internal cross-references should help you locate the material you need. The following overview may also help you decide where to begin.

Part One, “Getting Under Way,” addresses planning: designing a new course or revising an existing one, creating a syllabus, preparing for the first days of class, and managing classroom conduct and decorum.

Part Two, “Responding to a Changing Student Body,” offers suggestions for working with students who have disabilities, students from ethnic or cultural backgrounds different from your own, and older students returning to school. The last chapter in this part focuses on classes in which students have widely varying academic skills and abilities.

Part Three, “Discussion Strategies,” provides ideas for leading a productive discussion, framing challenging questions, and encouraging student participation, both in class and online.

Part Four, “The Large-Enrollment Course,” explores aspects of the lecture method: preparing and delivering effective lectures, engaging students and providing for student participation, and maintaining instructional quality with limited resources.

Part Five, “Alternatives and Supplements to Lectures and Discussion,” continues the theme of student participation, looking at the advantages of group work and ways to involve students in role playing, case studies, games, virtual worlds, fieldwork, and undergraduate research. Web-based activities are highlighted in this part.

Part Six, “Enhancing Students’ Learning and Motivation,” provides research-based approaches to helping students become more confident, independent, and self-motivated learners. Informal ways to assess learning and the use of mobile technologies are also described.

Part Seven, “Strengthening Students’ Writing and Problem-Solving Skills,” describes how instructors in all departments can help students develop their writing skills—and how to do so without spending enormous amounts of time grading and marking students’ papers. This part also offers strategies on designing and grading problem sets.

For many faculty members, testing and grading are among the most difficult aspects of teaching. Part Eight, “Testing and Grading,” offers pointers on developing good exams, alleviating students’ test anxieties, implementing various grading methods, and promoting academic honesty.

Part Nine, “Presentation Technologies,” explores low-tech media (flipcharts, chalkboards), audio and video multimedia, and PowerPoint presentations.

Part Ten, “Evaluation to Improve Teaching,” explains how instructors can gather and interpret information that will help them become better teachers. This part includes quick methods for getting immediate feedback from students as well as the use of video recordings, colleague observation, and self-assessment.

Part Eleven, “Teaching Outside the Classroom,” offers ideas on office hours, electronic communication with students, advising undergraduates, and working with graduate students as teaching assistants.

Part Twelve, “Finishing Up,” covers end-of-term activities: review sessions, student ratings, and letters of recommendation.

Suggestions for UsingTools for Teaching

Because each chapter is designed to be read independently, some themes are mentioned in several chapters, an overlap that I hope will not bother the careful reader. Readers will also notice that not all the suggestions are compatible: they represent a variety of strategies from which to choose. As with any new undertaking, it is best to pick one or two activities to start with and add new items to your repertoire over time.

If you are a new instructor, you may want to begin by looking at Parts One, Three, and Four (“Getting Under Way,” “Discussion Strategies,” and “The Large-Enrollment Course”). You could then read the chapters that seem particularly relevant to your teaching responsibilities and refer to Tools during the term as different challenges arise (for example, encouraging students to talk during discussion periods).

If you feel generally comfortable about your teaching but are looking for ways to inject some excitement into your courses, browse through the book and select topics that appeal to you. Or start with Part Three (“Discussion Strategies”) and Part Five (“Alternatives and Supplements to Lectures and Discussion”), both of which offer ways to actively engage students.