Title Details

THE AUTHOR

Barbara Gross Davis is assistant vice provost for undergraduate education at the University of California at Berkeley. Her areas of interest include teaching, learning, and evaluation in higher education.

Preface vii

Credits xiv

The Author xv

PART I: GETTING UNDER WAY 1

1 Designing or Revising a Course 3

2 The Comprehensive Course Syllabus 21

3 The First Days of Class 37

4 Classroom Conduct and Decorum 48

PART II: RESPONDING TO A CHANGING STUDENT BODY 55

5 Diversity and Inclusion in the Classroom 57

6 Students with Disabilities 72

7 Reentry and Transfer Students 85

8 Teaching Academically Diverse Students 90

PART III: DISCUSSION STRATEGIES 95

9 Leading a Discussion 97

10 Encouraging Student Participation in Discussion 106

11 Online Discussions 112

12 Asking Questions 118

13 Fielding Students’ Questions 127

PART IV: THE LARGE-ENROLLMENT COURSE 133

14 Preparing to Teach the Large-Enrollment Course 135

15 Delivering a Lecture 148

16 Explaining Clearly 157

17 Personalizing the Large-Enrollment Course 162

18 Encouraging Student Participation in the Large-Enrollment Course 168

19 Maintaining Instructional Quality with Limited Resources 174

PART V: ALTERNATIVES AND SUPPLEMENTS TO LECTURES AND DISCUSSION 179

20 Web 2.0 181

21 Learning in Groups 190

22 Informal Group Learning Activities 207

23 Formal Group Learning Activities 214

24 Case Studies 222

25 Simulations: Role Playing, Games, and Virtual Worlds 229

26 Service Learning and Civic Engagement 233

27 Undergraduate Research 244

28 Guest Speakers 251

PART VI: ENHANCING STUDENTS’ LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 257

29 Helping Students Learn 259

30 Learning Styles and Preferences 273

31 Motivating Students 278

32 Informally Assessing Students’ Learning 290

33 Mobile Learning 298

PART VII: STRENGTHENING STUDENTS’ WRITING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS 303

34 Helping Students Write Better in All Courses 305

35 Designing Effective Writing Assignments 314

36 Evaluating Students’ Written Work 325

37 Homework: Problem Sets 335

PART VIII: TESTING AND GRADING 343

38 Promoting Academic Honesty 345

39 Quizzes, Tests, and Exams 362

40 Allaying Students’ Anxieties about Tests 375

41 Multiple-Choice and Matching Tests 390

42 Short-Answer and Essay Tests 401

43 Grading Practices 409

44 Calculating and Assigning Grades 419

PART IX: PRESENTATION TECHNOLOGIES 431

45 Flipcharts 433

46 Chalkboards and Whiteboards 436

47 Interactive Whiteboards 441

48 Overhead Projection 443

49 Slide Shows 447

50 Video Recordings and Clips 450

51 PowerPoint Presentations 453

PART X: EVALUATION TO IMPROVE TEACHING 459

52 Early Feedback to Improve Teaching and Learning 461

53 Video Recordings and Classroom Observations 472

54 The Teaching Portfolio 481

PART XI: TEACHING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM 489

55 Holding Office Hours 491

56 E-mail, Text Messages, and Instant Messages 497

57 Academic Advising and Mentoring Undergraduates 504

58 Guiding, Training, Supervising, and Mentoring Graduate Student Instructors 517

PART XII: FINISHING UP 527

59 The Last Days of Class 529

60 Student Rating Forms 534

61 Writing Letters of Recommendation for Students 551

Index 557

There are many strengths to this book. First, it is helpfully organized as a reference guide. Readers can consult chapters as needed and do not have to read it from cover to cover. It is easy to find targeted suggestions to enhance performance or remedy a problem in a specific area. Moreover, Davis writes concisely and in very practical terms. Second, Tools for Teaching is applicable to a wide range of audiences across disciplines and experience levels.

In sum, this updated edition of Tools for Teaching is a thorough compendium of effective teaching practices. If I were to select only one book to give to a colleague or graduate student to help him or her teach, it would be this text."

--American Psychological Association PsycCritiques Vol 54, Release 43, Article 9 (October 28, 2009)