Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors (Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education)

401 Pages·2010·14.17 MB·English

by  Linda B. Nilson

TEACHING AT ITS BEST
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This third edition of the best-selling handbook offers faculty at all levels an essential toolbox of
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hundreds of practical teaching techniques, formats, classroom activities, and exercises, all of which O
can be implemented immediately. This thoroughly revised edition includes the newest portrait of the N
Millennial student; current research from cognitive psychology; a focus on outcomes maps; the
latest legal options on copyright issues; and how to best use new technology including wikis, blogs,
podcasts, vodcasts, and clickers. Entirely new chapters include subjects such as matching teaching
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methods with learning outcomes, inquiry-guided learning, and using visuals to teach, and new
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sections address Felder and Silverman’s Index of Learning Styles, SCALE-UP classrooms, multiple
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true-false test items, and much more.
TEACHING
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Praise for the Third Edition of Teaching at Its Best
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“ Everyone—veterans as well as novices—will profi t from reading Teaching at Its Best, for it provides N
both theory and practical suggestions for handling all of the problems one encounters in teaching
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classes varying in size, ability, and motivation.”

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— WILBERT MCKEACHIE, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, and coauthor,
McKeachie’s Teaching Tips T
AT ITS BEST

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“ This new edition of Dr. Nilson’s book, with its completely updated material and several new topics, is T
an even more powerful collection of ideas and tools than the last. What a great resource, especially S
for beginning teachers but also for us veterans!”

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—L. DEE FINK, author, Creating Signifi cant Learning Experiences
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“ This third edition of Teaching at Its Best is successful at weaving the latest research on teaching and S
learning into what was already a thorough exploration of each topic. New information on how we T
learn, how students develop, and innovations in instructional strategies complement the solid
foundation established in the fi rst two editions.”
— MARILLA D. SVINICKI, Department of Psychology, The University of Texas, Austin,
and coauthor, McKeachie’s Teaching Tips
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A Research-Based Resource
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THE AUTHOR I
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LINDA B. NILSON is the founding director of the Offi ce of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation at I R for College Instructors
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Clemson University. She is the author of The Graphic Syllabus and the Outcomes Map: Communicating
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Your Course from Jossey-Bass.
T H I R D E D I T I O N
EDUCATION/HIGHER
www.josseybass.com
LINDA B. NILSON
Cover design by Michael Cook

TEACHING
AT ITS BEST

TEACHING
AT ITS BEST
A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors
Third Edition
Linda B. Nilson
Copyright© 2010byJohnWiley&Sons,Inc.Allrightsreserved.
PublishedbyJossey-Bass
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Nilson,LindaBurzotta.
Teachingatitsbest:aresearch-basedresourceforcollegeinstructors/LindaB.Nilson.—3rded.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-470-40104-0(pbk.)
1.Collegeteaching.2.Effectiveteaching.I.Title.
LB2331.N552010
378.1(cid:2)7—dc22
2010000722
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
thirdedition
PBPrinting10987654321
The Jossey-Bass
Higher and Adult Education Series

CONTENTS
TheAuthor xv Designing the Learning Process
Preface xvii HelpfulFrameworksforDesigningaCourse
Showing Students TheirLearning Process
Outcomes-Centered Course Development
PartOne
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK 3 The CompleteSyllabus 33
FOR STUDENT LEARNING 1 Appropriate SyllabusItems
TheGraphic Syllabus
TheOnline ‘‘LivingSyllabus’’
1 Understanding Your Students and How
GettingStudents toRead Your Syllabus
TheyLearn 3
TheEvolving Syllabus
YourUndergraduate Student Body Profile
How PeopleLearn
How StructureIncreases Learning 4 Your FirstDay of Class 43
TheCognitiveDevelopment of Before theFirst Class
Undergraduates First Impressions
Encouraging CognitiveGrowth Exchanging Information
Teaching theMillennial Generation Social Icebreakers: Gettingto Know You
TheAdult Learner Subject Matter Icebreakers
InclusiveInstructing Drawing Class toa Close
TheChallenge
5 Motivating Your Students 51
2 Outcomes-Centered Course Design 17 What We Know About Motivation in
Why Outcomes-CenteredCourse Design? Learning
WritingOutcomes CredibleTheories of Motivation
Typesof Learning Outcomes Strategies for Motivating Students
Typesof Cognitive Outcomes Equity intheClassroom
vii
viii
CONTENTS
10 CourseCoordinationBetweenFacultyand
PartTwo
Teaching Assistants 95
MANAGING YOUR COURSES 61
Before the Term: Course Review and Role
Specifications
6 Copyright Guidelines for Instructors 63
During the Term: Regular Meetings and
WhereCopyrightDoesandDoesNotApply
Teaching Feedback
Common Copyright Misconceptions
Extending Managing toMentoring
Free Use: Fair Use, Facts, and Public
Domain
Printed Text
PartThree
Visual Materials
CHOOSING AND USING
In-Class Performances
Recording Broadcast Programming THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR
Online/Electronic Materials and Distance TEACHING AND LEARNING 101
Learning
Obtaining Permission ora License
11 Matching Teaching Methods with
How Copyright Violations Are Actually
Learning Outcomes 103
Handled
Typesof Tools
For Furtherand Future Reference
Dangerous Knowledge?
7 Preventing and Responding to Classroom
12 Making theLecture a Learning
Incivility 71
Experience 113
What IsIncivility?
Purpose: ToLecture or Not to Lecture?
Why the Increase?
Preparing an EffectiveLecture
Preventing Incivility: Your Classroom
Deliveringan EffectiveLecture
Persona
Incorporating Student-ActiveBreaks: The
Responding to Incivility
Interactive Lecture
Seeking Assistance
Teaching Students toTake Good Notes
MakingtheLectureEffectiveforEveryone
8 Preserving Academic Integrity 83
How Prevalent Is Cheating?
13 Leading EffectiveDiscussions 127
Who Cheats, and Why?
When to Choose Discussion
Detecting Cheating
How to Setthe Stagefor Discussion
Preventing Cheating
How to Maximize Participation Through
Honor Codes
Skillful Discussion Management
Changing Student Values
9 Making the Most of OfficeHours 89 14 QuestioningTechniquesforDiscussionand
Getting Students to SeeYou Assessment 137
Making the TimeProductive Questioning as aProcess of Inquiry
Student-ActiveTutoring Typologies of Good Discussion Questions
Students inAcademic or Emotional Poor Questionsfor Discussion Purposes
Trouble Turning theTables