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 xi

Preface xv

Part 1 Teaching Preparation 1

1 Understanding Your Students and How They Learn 3

The Students in Your Course 3

How People Learn 5

How Structure Increases Learning 7

The Cognitive Development of Undergraduates 10

Encouraging Cognitive Growth 12

Teaching Today’s Students 13

Meeting the Challenge 14

Reflection Questions 14

2 Designing Outcomes- Centered Courses 17

Why Outcomes- Centered Course Design? 18

Writing Outcomes 19

Types of Outcomes 20

Types of Cognitive Outcomes 22

Sequencing Outcomes Into a Learning Process 25

Frameworks for Course Design 28

Showing Students Their Learning Process 30

Outcomes- Centered Course Development 30

The Big Picture 33

Reflection Questions 33

3 Including Critical Thinking Into a Course Design 35

The Many Faces of Critical Thinking 36

Common Ground 37

Critical Thinking Outcomes for Your Students 38

Giving Students Practice in Critical Thinking 40

The Goal: Critical Thinking in Everyday Life 44

Reflection Questions 45

4 Deciding What Technology to Use 47

Choosing Technologies Intelligently 47

Models for Implementing Technology 49

Lecture- Related Software 50

The Learning Management System 52

The Flipped Classroom 55

Social Media 57

Mobile Learning in Class 59

Laptops in Class 59

Web Resources 61

The Future of Educational Technology 62

Reflection Questions 63

5 Building a More Complete Syllabus 65

How Extensive? What Tone? 65

Essential Syllabus Items 67

The Graphic Syllabus 71

Ensuring Your Students Read Your Syllabus 72

Adding a Creative Element 74

Reflection Questions 74

6 Following Copyright Guidelines 77

Where Copyright Does and Does Not Apply 78

Common Copyright Misconceptions 78

Free Use: Fair Use, Facts, and Public Domain 79

Printed Text 79

Images 80

In- Class Performances 81

Recording Broadcast Programming 81

Online Materials 82

Obtaining Permission or a License 83

How Copyright Violations Are Actually Handled 84

For Further and Future Reference 84

Reflection Questions 85

Part 2 The Human Side Of Teaching 87

7 Establishing a Positive Learning Community 89

Planning a Welcoming Classroom 90

A Welcoming First Day of Class 91

Learning Students’ Names 96

Maintaining a Welcoming Environment 97

Reflection Questions 98

8 Becoming an Increasingly Inclusive Teacher 99

Inclusive Climate in the Classroom 100

Diverse Perspectives 103

Representation in Course Content 104

Mitigate Inequities In and Out of the Classroom 105

Teaching So Everyone Learns 108

Universal Design for Learning 110

Building Out Inclusive Teaching Skills 110

Reflection Questions 111

9 Enhancing Student Motivation 113

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation 113

Students’ Perceptions of Motivators in Their Courses 114

Perceived Value of College and Its Impact on Motivation 115

Theories of Motivation 115

Fifty Strategies to Motivate Students 119

No Magic Bullets 122

Reflection Questions 123

10 Managing Productive Groups 125

A Group by Any Other Name 125

The Case for Group Learning 126

Cautions About Group Learning 127

Managing and Troubleshooting In- Class Ad Hoc Groups 128

Setting Up, Managing, and Troubleshooting Formal, Project- Based Groups 129

Team- Based Learning 133

Preparing Students for Life 135

Reflection Questions 135

11 Preventing and Responding to Classroom Incivility 137

What Is Incivility? 138

Why the Incivilities? 138

Preventing Incivility 140

Responding Wisely to Incivility 145

Seeking Assistance 148

Reflection Questions 149

12 Preserving Academic Integrity 151

How Prevalent Is Cheating? 152

Why Do Students Cheat? 153

Detecting Cheating 153

Forty Ways to Catch a Cheater or Prevent Cheating 154

Honor Codes 156

Changing Student Values 157

Reflection Questions 157

Part 3 Tried- And- True Teaching Methods 159

13 Matching Teaching Methods with Learning Outcomes 161

Types of Tools 162

A Tool for Organizing Your Course 171

Has Our Knowledge Changed Our Teaching? 172

Reflection Questions 173

14 Lecturing for Student Learning 175

It Isn’t Lecture Versus Active Learning 176

When Lectures Work and Other Lecture Considerations 176

Preparing an Effective Lecture 178

Delivering an Effective Lecture 180

Combining Lecture with Engagement: The Interactive Lecture 181

Teaching Students to Take Good Notes 185

Making the Lecture Effective 187

Reflection Questions 187

15 Leading Effective Discussions 189

When to Choose Discussion 189

Setting the Stage for Discussion at the Start of Your Course 190

Encouraging Participation 191

Skillful Discussion Management 194

Questioning Techniques 197

Organizing Discussion Questions 198

Turning the Tables 201

Reflection Questions 201

16 Coordinating Experiential Learning Experiences 203

Role- Playing 203

Serious Games and Simulations 206

Service- Learning: Moving Learning Out of the Classroom 209

Maximizing the Value of Structured Participatory Learning Experiences 212

Reflection Questions 213

17 Teaching with Inquiry- Guided Methods 215

Definitions of Inquiry- Guided Learning 215

The Effectiveness of Inquiry- Guided Learning 216

The Need for Student Guidance 216

Objects of Inquiry 217

Modes of Inquiry 218

Types of Inquiry- Based Learning 219

Upcoming Inquiry- Guided Methods 222

Reflection Questions 223

18 Creating Engaging Cases 225

The Effectiveness of the Case Method 225

The Subject Matter and Websites for Cases 226

Types of Cases 227

What Makes a Good Case, and How to Write Your Own 228

Facilitating Cases 230

A Postscript for Pioneers 232

Reflection Questions 232

Part 4 Tools and Techniques To Facilitate Learning 233

19 Helping Students Learn How to Learn 235

Learning as an “Inside Job” 235

The Learner’s Questions 237

The Evidence for SRL 237

Activities and Assignments for Every Occasion 241

Sources for Teaching Your Students How to Learn 245

Reflection Questions 245

20 Enhancing Student Success in STEM Disciplines 247

Why We Are Likely Losing STEM Majors 248

Improving Student Learning in STEM Courses: General Advice 249

Improving Student Learning in STEM Courses: Specific Strategies 251

Getting Real in the Lab 254

Online Resources for STEM Education 256

Why STEM Education Is So Important 256

Reflection Questions 257

21 Ensuring Students Prepare for Class 259

Why Students Don’t Prepare 260

How We Can Equip and Induce Students to Come Prepared 262

Four Tools for Holding Students Accountable 266

Managing Your Workload 269

Reflection Questions 269

22 Integrating Styles and Modes of Learning 271

Learning Styles 271

Learning Styles Myth 272

Modes of Learning 273

Examples of Visuals for Learning 279

Combining Modes 283

Reflection Questions 283

23 Improving Student Performance with Feedback 285

Feedback Fails and Suggestions for Success 285

Metacognition as Feedback 288

Peer Feedback 289

Classroom Assessment Techniques 289

During- the- Term Student Feedback on Teaching 291

The Power of Feedback 292

Reflection Questions 293

Part 5 Assessment and Grading 295

24 Helping Students to Prepare for Exams 297

Importance of Helping Students to Prepare 297

Test Preparation Measures 298

Measures to Ensure Students Understand Our Language 301

Anxiety- Reduction Measures 301

What the Effort Is Worth 302

Reflection Questions 303

25 Constructing Student Assessments for Grading 305

General Testing Guidelines 305

Objective Test Items 307

Constructed- Response Test Items and Assignments 314

Using Assessments to Make Teaching Adjustments 318

Reflection Questions 318

26 Grading Student Assessments 319

Grading Systems 319

Grading Constructed Responses 320

Grading Lab Reports 327

Mechanics of Writing 327

Specifications (Specs) Grading 328

Returning Students’ Work 329

Ungrading 330

Grades Should Make Sense 331

Reflection Questions 331

27 Defining and Documenting Teaching Effectiveness 333

What Is Teaching Effectiveness? 333

What Student Ratings Do and Do Not Measure 334

How to Improve Your Student Ratings 336

Documenting Your Effectiveness 338

A Comprehensive Faculty Evaluation System 344

Complex and Essential 347

Reflection Questions 347

Appendix: Support Resources at Your Institution 349

References 355

Name Index 397

Subject Index 405