Drop That Chalk!

A Guide to Better Teaching at Universities and Colleges

By (author) Marie K. Iding, R. Murray Thomas

Publication date:

09 May 2017

Length of book:

152 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781475822991

Drop that Chalk! A Guide to Better Teaching at Colleges and Universities is designed for those planning to teach – or already teaching and hoping to improve instruction – in colleges, universities, or other institutions of higher education. This book delineates the process of planning a course from designing course objectives to creating a syllabus, selecting course materials and technologies, determining which teaching strategies to employ and how to best implement them, to creating assessments, course evaluations, and assigning grades. Advantages and disadvantages of teaching and assessment techniques are shared, along with research-based guidance for effectively implementations. Guidelines for creating effective on-line courses are presented. This book also explains thirteen aspects of student diversity to help teachers understand their students, more effectively plan instruction for them, and shares a range of other suggestions to help maintain positive and effective learning environments that ensure students’ success. The techniques and myriad examples shared in this book are based on the authors’ over sixty years of combined teaching experiences, and on current research in educational psychology and related disciplines.

Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
In Memoriam
Introduction
Chapter 1: Preparing to Teach
Chapter 2: Defining Objectives
Chapter 3: Instructional Techniques
Chapter 4: Learning Materials and Technologies
Chapter 5: Evaluating Students’ Learning and Instructors’ Teaching
Chapter 6: Characteristics of Your Students
Chapter 7: Teaching Online
Chapter 8: Creating and Maintaining a Positive and Constructive Environment
Chapter 9: University Teaching’s Future
References
About the Authors

Although teaching is a core task for college professors, they typically do not receive much training in effective college teaching. Drop the Chalk! by Marie Iding and Murray Thomas seeks to fill this void by offering a concise, organized, and friendly guide to becoming a successful college teacher, including how to set objectives, choose appropriate instructional techniques and technologies, accommodate a diverse student population, maintain a productive climate, and evaluate student learning. If you are interested in improving your college teaching skills, this book is for you.