Teaching at Its Best

Todd D. Zakrajsek is an Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the UNC School of Medicine and the President of the International Teaching Learning Cooperative. He provides academic resources for faculty on various topics related to teaching, learning, leadership, faculty development, instructional strategies, and student learning. He has delivered keynote addresses and campus workshops at more than 300 conferences and university campuses. Linda B. Nilson is the Founding Director of Clemson University’s Office of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation. She is the author of The Graphic Syllabus and the Outcomes Map: Communicating Your Course; Creating Self-Regulated Learners: Strategies to Strengthen Students’ Self-Awareness and Learning Skills; and Specifications Grading: Restoring Rigor, Motivating Students, and Saving Faculty Time.

• About the Authors xiPreface xvPart 1 Teaching Preparation 11 Understanding Your Students and How They Learn 3The Students in Your Course 3How People Learn 5How Structure Increases Learning 7The Cognitive Development of Undergraduates 10Encouraging Cognitive Growth 12Teaching Today’s Students 13Meeting the Challenge 14Reflection Questions 142 Designing Outcomes- Centered Courses 17Why Outcomes- Centered Course Design? 18Writing Outcomes 19Types of Outcomes 20Types of Cognitive Outcomes 22Sequencing Outcomes Into a Learning Process 25Frameworks for Course Design 28Showing Students Their Learning Process 30Outcomes- Centered Course Development 30The Big Picture 33Reflection Questions 333 Including Critical Thinking Into a Course Design 35The Many Faces of Critical Thinking 36Common Ground 37Critical Thinking Outcomes for Your Students 38Giving Students Practice in Critical Thinking 40The Goal: Critical Thinking in Everyday Life 44Reflection Questions 454 Deciding What Technology to Use 47Choosing Technologies Intelligently 47Models for Implementing Technology 49Lecture- Related Software 50The Learning Management System 52The Flipped Classroom 55Social Media 57Mobile Learning in Class 59Laptops in Class 59Web Resources 61The Future of Educational Technology 62Reflection Questions 635 Building a More Complete Syllabus 65How Extensive? What Tone? 65Essential Syllabus Items 67The Graphic Syllabus 71Ensuring Your Students Read Your Syllabus 72Adding a Creative Element 74Reflection Questions 746 Following Copyright Guidelines 77Where Copyright Does and Does Not Apply 78Common Copyright Misconceptions 78Free Use: Fair Use, Facts, and Public Domain 79Printed Text 79Images 80In- Class Performances 81Recording Broadcast Programming 81Online Materials 82Obtaining Permission or a License 83How Copyright Violations Are Actually Handled 84For Further and Future Reference 84Reflection Questions 85Part 2 The Human Side Of Teaching 877 Establishing a Positive Learning Community 89Planning a Welcoming Classroom 90A Welcoming First Day of Class 91Learning Students’ Names 96Maintaining a Welcoming Environment 97Reflection Questions 988 Becoming an Increasingly Inclusive Teacher 99Inclusive Climate in the Classroom 100Diverse Perspectives 103Representation in Course Content 104Mitigate Inequities In and Out of the Classroom 105Teaching So Everyone Learns 108Universal Design for Learning 110Building Out Inclusive Teaching Skills 110Reflection Questions 1119 Enhancing Student Motivation 113Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation 113Students’ Perceptions of Motivators in Their Courses 114Perceived Value of College and Its Impact on Motivation 115Theories of Motivation 115Fifty Strategies to Motivate Students 119No Magic Bullets 122Reflection Questions 12310 Managing Productive Groups 125A Group by Any Other Name 125The Case for Group Learning 126Cautions About Group Learning 127Managing and Troubleshooting In- Class Ad Hoc Groups 128Setting Up, Managing, and Troubleshooting Formal, Project- Based Groups 129Team- Based Learning 133Preparing Students for Life 135Reflection Questions 13511 Preventing and Responding to Classroom Incivility 137What Is Incivility? 138Why the Incivilities? 138Preventing Incivility 140Responding Wisely to Incivility 145Seeking Assistance 148Reflection Questions 14912 Preserving Academic Integrity 151How Prevalent Is Cheating? 152Why Do Students Cheat? 153Detecting Cheating 153Forty Ways to Catch a Cheater or Prevent Cheating 154Honor Codes 156Changing Student Values 157Reflection Questions 157Part 3 Tried- And- True Teaching Methods 15913 Matching Teaching Methods with Learning Outcomes 161Types of Tools 162A Tool for Organizing Your Course 171Has Our Knowledge Changed Our Teaching? 172Reflection Questions 17314 Lecturing for Student Learning 175It Isn’t Lecture Versus Active Learning 176When Lectures Work and Other Lecture Considerations 176Preparing an Effective Lecture 178Delivering an Effective Lecture 180Combining Lecture with Engagement: The Interactive Lecture 181Teaching Students to Take Good Notes 185Making the Lecture Effective 187Reflection Questions 18715 Leading Effective Discussions 189When to Choose Discussion 189Setting the Stage for Discussion at the Start of Your Course 190Encouraging Participation 191Skillful Discussion Management 194Questioning Techniques 197Organizing Discussion Questions 198Turning the Tables 201Reflection Questions 20116 Coordinating Experiential Learning Experiences 203Role- Playing 203Serious Games and Simulations 206Service- Learning: Moving Learning Out of the Classroom 209Maximizing the Value of Structured Participatory Learning Experiences 212Reflection Questions 21317 Teaching with Inquiry- Guided Methods 215Definitions of Inquiry- Guided Learning 215The Effectiveness of Inquiry- Guided Learning 216The Need for Student Guidance 216Objects of Inquiry 217Modes of Inquiry 218Types of Inquiry- Based Learning 219Upcoming Inquiry- Guided Methods 222Reflection Questions 22318 Creating Engaging Cases 225The Effectiveness of the Case Method 225The Subject Matter and Websites for Cases 226Types of Cases 227What Makes a Good Case, and How to Write Your Own 228Facilitating Cases 230A Postscript for Pioneers 232Reflection Questions 232Part 4 Tools and Techniques To Facilitate Learning 23319 Helping Students Learn How to Learn 235Learning as an “Inside Job” 235The Learner’s Questions 237The Evidence for SRL 237Activities and Assignments for Every Occasion 241Sources for Teaching Your Students How to Learn 245Reflection Questions 24520 Enhancing Student Success in STEM Disciplines 247Why We Are Likely Losing STEM Majors 248Improving Student Learning in STEM Courses: General Advice 249Improving Student Learning in STEM Courses: Specific Strategies 251Getting Real in the Lab 254Online Resources for STEM Education 256Why STEM Education Is So Important 256Reflection Questions 25721 Ensuring Students Prepare for Class 259Why Students Don’t Prepare 260How We Can Equip and Induce Students to Come Prepared 262Four Tools for Holding Students Accountable 266Managing Your Workload 269Reflection Questions 26922 Integrating Styles and Modes of Learning 271Learning Styles 271Learning Styles Myth 272Modes of Learning 273Examples of Visuals for Learning 279Combining Modes 283Reflection Questions 28323 Improving Student Performance with Feedback 285Feedback Fails and Suggestions for Success 285Metacognition as Feedback 288Peer Feedback 289Classroom Assessment Techniques 289During- the- Term Student Feedback on Teaching 291The Power of Feedback 292Reflection Questions 293Part 5 Assessment and Grading 29524 Helping Students to Prepare for Exams 297Importance of Helping Students to Prepare 297Test Preparation Measures 298Measures to Ensure Students Understand Our Language 301Anxiety- Reduction Measures 301What the Effort Is Worth 302Reflection Questions 30325 Constructing Student Assessments for Grading 305General Testing Guidelines 305Objective Test Items 307Constructed- Response Test Items and Assignments 314Using Assessments to Make Teaching Adjustments 318Reflection Questions 31826 Grading Student Assessments 319Grading Systems 319Grading Constructed Responses 320Grading Lab Reports 327Mechanics of Writing 327Specifications (Specs) Grading 328Returning Students’ Work 329Ungrading 330Grades Should Make Sense 331Reflection Questions 33127 Defining and Documenting Teaching Effectiveness 333What Is Teaching Effectiveness? 333What Student Ratings Do and Do Not Measure 334How to Improve Your Student Ratings 336Documenting Your Effectiveness 338A Comprehensive Faculty Evaluation System 344Complex and Essential 347Reflection Questions 347Appendix: Support Resources at Your Institution 349References 355Name Index 397Subject Index 405