Synopses & Reviews
"I've read countless books on teaching strategies over the years, and I can't think of one that compares--in depth, breadth, accessibility, and practicality--to this one. Tools for Teaching has much to say to teachers of all ranks, disciplines, and institutions."--
Mary Deane Sorcinelli, director, Center for Teaching, University of Massachussetts, Amherst"A 'tool chest' of strategies for those who are seeking ways to make their teaching more effective. This book is the kind of resources that will wind up not on faculty member's bookshelves but on their desks and in their briefcases." --Larry A. Braskamp, dean of the College of Education, University of Illinois, Chicago
"Tools for Teaching is as readable and comprehensive a collection of useful teaching techniques as I've seen in a long time. Experienced and novice instructors looking to improve their overall teaching, or simply to add a few new techniques to their repertoire, will find this book both interesting and useful." -- Joseph Lowman, professor, Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
"Tools for Teaching is a rich compendium of classroom-tested strategies and suggestions designed to improve the teaching practice of beginning, midcareer, and senior faculty members. Forty-nine teaching tools organized into twelve sections, cover both traditional tasks-writing a course syllabus, delivering an effective lecture-and newer, broader, concerns, such as responding to diversity and using technology.
Each tool includes a brief introduction, a set of general strategies, and concise descriptions of practice cal ideas culled from distinguished teaches, as well as from the literature on teaching and learning. The tools are designed to be read and used independently and function as a daily reference for faculty who are looking for the best knowledge and practices available on effective teaching. From designing and offering a new course to tackling the problems of burnout or stagnation, Tools for Teaching provides faculty members with the information they need to improve and revitalize their courses.
Synopsis
This thoroughly revised and updated edition of Barbara Gross Davis’s classic book Tools for Teaching presents the very latest in ideas and strategies for college teaching: thousands of tools, tips, and methods, all grounded in research and best practices of faculty. Topics from the bestselling first edition have been extensively updated, and new sections have been added to reflect recent developments in classroom and online technology.
Synopsis
“Teaching is in part an art, but even great artists need good tools. The second edition of Tools for Teaching is even better than the first. It builds on the strengths of the earlier edition and covers many new topics that teachers in the age of PowerPoint™, laptops, and Web 2.0 need to master. Every teacher deserves a resource like Tools for Teaching; institutions that care about teaching and learning should make sure each one of them gets a copy.”—Peter Landsberger, former chancellor, Los Angeles Community Colleges
“Using the latest research on teaching and learning as a foundation, this book summarizes the wisdom of teaching effectiveness. I will have this book on my desk, not my shelf, when I teach.”—Larry Braskamp, distinguished alumni professor, Central College, and coauthor, Putting Students First
“Teachers, from novices to veterans, will find Davis’s new work the indispensable toolbox for constructing, remodeling, or fixing almost anything related to teaching. Chock-full of practical description and complete with citations for finding further information, this is the book that every serious teacher will turn to again and again.”—K. Patricia Cross, David Gardner Professor of Higher Education, Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley
Synopsis
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.
Synopsis
I've read countless books on teaching strategies over the years, and I can't think of one that compares--in depth, breadth, accessibility, and practicality--to this one. Tools for Teaching has much to say to teachers of all ranks, disciplines, and institutions.
--Mary Deane Sorcinelli, director, Center for Teaching, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
A rich compendium of classroom-tested strategies and suggestions designed to improve the teaching practice of beginning, midcareer, and senior faculty members. Forty-nine teaching tools cover both traditional tasks--writing a course syllabus, delivering a lecture--and newer, broader concerns, such as responding to diversity and using technology.
Synopsis
A rich compendium of classroom-tested strategies and suggestions any faculty member can use to improve their practice. Forty-nine teaching tools cover both traditional tasks -- writing a course syllabus, delivering a lecture -- and newer, broader concerns, such as responding to diversity and using technology.
About the Author
BARBARA GROSS DAVIS is dean of education development at the University of California, Berkeley. She is coauthor of two books on evaluation, Evaluation of Composition Instruction (1987) and Evaluating Intervention Programs (1985).
Table of Contents
Preface.
The Author.
I. GETTING UNDER WAY.
1. Preparing or Revising a Course.
2. The Course Syllabus.
3. The First Day of Class.
II. RESPONDING TO A DIVERSE STUDENT BODY.
4. Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities.
5. Diversity and Complexity in the Classroom: Considerations of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender.
6. Reentry Students.
7. Teaching Academically Diverse Students.
III. DISCUSSION STRATEGIES.
8. Leading a Discussion.
9. Encouraging Student Participation in Discussion.
10. Asking Questions.
11. Fielding Students’ Questions.
IV. LECTURE STRATEGIES.
12. Preparing to Teach the Large Lecture Course.
13. Delivering a Lecture.
14. Explaining Clearly.
15. Personalizing the Large Lecture Class.
16. Supplements and Alternatives to Lecturing: Encouraging Student Participation.
17. Maintaining Instructional Quality with Limited Resources.
V. COLLABORATIVE AND EXPERIENTIAL STRATEGIES.
18. Collaborative Learning: Group Work and Study Teams.
19. Role Playing and Case Studies.
20. Fieldwork.
VI. ENHANCING STUDENTS’ LEARNING AND MOTIVATION.
21. Helping Students Learn.
22. Learning Styles and Preferences.
23. Motivating Students.
VII. WRITING SKILLS AND HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS.
24. Helping Students Write Better in All Courses.
25. Designing Effective Writing Assignments.
26. Evaluating Students’ Written Work.
27. Homework: Problem Sets.
VIII: TESTING AND GRADING.
28. Quizzes, Tests, and Exams.
29. Allaying Students’ Anxieties About Tests.
30. Multiple-Choice and Matching Tests.
31. Short-Answer and Essay Tests.
32. Grading Practices.
33. Calculating and Assigning Grades.
34. Preventing Academic Dishonesty.
IX. INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY.
35. Chalkboards.
36. Flipcharts.
37. Transparencies and Overhead Projectors.
38. Slides.
39. Films and Videotapes.
40. Computers and Multimedia.
X. EVALUATION TO IMPROVE TEACHING.
41. Fast Feedback.
42. Watching Yourself on Videotape.
43. Self-Evaluation and the Teaching Dossier.
XI. TEACHING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM.
44. Holding Office Hours.
45. Academic Advising and Mentoring Undergraduates.
46. Guiding, Training, and Supervising Graduate Student Instructors.
XII. FINISHING UP.
47. The Last Days of Class.
48. Student Rating Forms.
49. Writing Letters of Recommendation.
Index.