Ideas That Work in College Teaching
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Fifteen authors from thirteen different disciplines discuss their varied approaches to teaching.
Description
As members of the faculty of the same college, the State University of New York at Potsdam, the fifteen contributors to this book have the unique experience of working from the same pool of students in order to explore how to improve teaching, enhance learning, and make the classroom more interesting. Together professors from thirteen different disciplines—art, biology, computer science, education, geology, history, math, modern languages, philosophy, physics, politics, psychology, and sociology—discuss their varied approaches to teaching. They offer ideas and philosophies that have been tried and have been successful and discover that nothing works for all students, but nearly everything works for at least a few.
Robert L. Badger is Professor and Chair of the Department of Geology at State University of New York at Potsdam and the author of Geology along Skyline Drive: A Self-Guided Tour for Motorists.
Reviews
"The ultimate value of the book comes from the process of having faculty members come together to discuss what's working and what's not. Reading about these faculty members who make thinking about teaching and learning a priority is inspirational … Ideas That Work in College Teaching is a contribution in the growing body of literature to help us shift the focus from teaching to active learning. " — Review of Higher Education
"…beyond being a respectable book on college teaching, it's such a wonderful idea. What a great way for faculty at an institution to make a foray into the scholarship of teaching. " — The Teaching Professor
"Ideas That Work in College Teaching is not a list of solutions to spice up one's college teaching. Rather, it is a book in which highly reflective professors offer thoughts about ways in which they have broken out of 'traditional' molds of teaching and the reasons why they have done so … they all share in common a self-reflective desire to improve their teaching, and a clear sense of teaching in order to serve their students. These two skills are what make their teaching and this book of their communal reflections a helpful read. " — Teaching Theology and Religion
"This book of articles by professors from a wide range of disciplines at SUNY Potsdam is a pleasure and a great source of practical guidance and information … the book is a sign of the dedication of these teachers and evidence of the many ways that we can all hope to reach our students. " — Teaching History
"…what is gained from reading this text will be personal to each reader. The common premise across the chapters, however, is that we all face a similar set of challenges in teaching students, such as getting students engaged, keeping them engaged throughout the semester, and leading students on a lifelong career of learning and intellectual curiosity. Ideas That Work in College Teaching is a text that provides some help in reaching these goals. " — Teaching Sociology
"I like the multidisciplinary approach that includes the various disciplines from the university. Many concerns have been voiced regarding the quality of college-university teaching and how students are being educated in our academies. Too often it is a fact that this area is not a point of concern for those who are outside of teacher education programs. " — Judy A. Alston, coauthor of School Leadership and Administration: Important Concepts, Case Studies, and Simulations, 7th Edition