This collection of articles on effective teaching strategies is divided into the following ten major categories: (1) the lecture; (2) computers; (3) simulations; (4) peer teaching; (5) case studies; (6) self-pacing and modules; (7) use of multimedia; (8) field studies; (9) problem solving; and (10) research. The book is primarily addressed to…

This paper examines the relationship between quality of instruction of faculty members as assessed by students and the assessment periods involved. It is based on analysis carried out in Israel's largest public college. Our aim was to explore whether investments to improve the quality of instruction of faculty members are cost beneficial. The…

Brief, two-page papers are presented on 33 educational topics of interest to community college faculty, administrators, and staff. The following topics are considered: (1) strengthening the humanities; (2) common behavioral cycles evidenced in student-teacher relations; (3) irreducible factors for teaching and learning; (4) understanding problems…

Major elements involved in lecturing are considered, and the views of six professors concerning lecturing are included. The importance of preparing the lecture and being thoroughly familiar with the material are stressed. Adequate preparation eliminates the need for the professor to read notes during the lecture. The need to be sensitive to…

A study that examined how four types of feedback affected perceived control and student achievement in different instruction settings is described. College students wrote an aptitude test that provided either contingent, low noncontingent failure, high noncontingent failure, or no-performance feedback. (Author/MLW)

One teacher's method of obtaining useful feedback from students in large lecture classes involves creation of a small committee of students, mirroring the class' diversity, that receives input from students on all course aspects, meets with the teacher to discuss and make recommendations, provides feedback on progression of the course, and reacts…

A questionnaire survey was used at Southern California University, Berkeley in which 140 faculty members gave their opinions about the problems and pleasures in teaching large lecture classes (minimum 100 students). Faculty members were also queried about their practices in dealing successfully with problems and their recommendations for…

Challenges to the psychology teacher are considered, including engaging students in the learning process, helping students develop a historical perspective in their study of psychology, and dealing with controversial topics. Resistance to answering questions is likely to be greatest when the lecturer asks for highly specific facts. Students may be…

Practical suggestions for effective lecturing are offered and what educational objectives are accomplishable by means of lecturing are discussed in this guide. The following topics are addressed: effective lecture delivery, managing lecture content, and motivating listeners. Ways to vary the stimuli and making a point in lecture delivery are…

The influence of the Doctor Fox effect on student ratings on instruction was examined. The idea for the Doctor Fox effect stemmed from the work of Erving Goffman and his notion that expressive behavior may influence an audience as much or more than substance when there is little time or reason for the audience to evaluate the presentation (1950).…

A study examined the relationship between the way 15 faculty members like to learn and the way they like to teach, and the reasons for their teaching strategies. It also compared teachers' and their students' perceptions of their teaching. Results suggest little enthusiasm for lecturing as a teaching/learning method, but few attempts by academics…

The Napier University Business School, Edinburgh, Scotland and the Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Belgium embarked on a 3-year collaborative research project to evaluate lecturing techniques at Napier and to compare the results of the evaluation at Napier with those achieved at Leuven. Leuven had developed the EVADOC Questionnaire to monitor…

This pamphlet examines instructional improvement process in postsecondary education. It first discusses the importance of teaching, revealing that too little sustained attention to the process of teaching is a major deterrent to its improvement, and explains why teaching evaluation has been largely abandoned as the sole improvement mechanism.…

These two documents present (1) a user's guide to the Personal Teaching Improvement Guides Program developed at the University of California, Berkeley and (2) a sample guide. The program uses results of student evaluations (keyed to 24 teaching practices) and descriptions of successful teaching practices to individualize instructional improvement…

Information on the responsibilities related to teaching undergraduate college students is provided in this handbook for teaching assistants (TA). Chapters cover: administrative details, such as ordering books, submitting time schedules, getting a classroom, and working with a professor; teaching, including guidelines for giving lectures, leading a…