The following list of recom-
mended readings was published
in Professional Development
Quarterly (Vol.7, No.1] - October
1989), the staff development
newsletter of Mount Royal Col-
lege. It was based on the com-
ments and readings recom-
mended in the College Teaching
article, with some revisions. Here
then are

Essential Sources: The
14 Best on Teaching and
Learning

Browne, M. Neil and Keely,
Stuart M. Achieving excellence:
Advice to new teachers, College
Teaching, 1985, 78-83. A list of
practical teaching behaviours
linked with productive educa-
tional outcomes.

Carrier, C.A. Notetaking re-
search: Implications for the
classroom, Journal of Instruc-
tional Development, 1983, 19-25.
A review of research findings
about notetaking and _ student
success with suggestions for
classroom activities that will
encourage better notetaking and
better learning.

Cashin, William. Improving lec-
tures. Center for Faculty Evalu-
ation and Development, 1985,
#14. Recommendations for lec-
ture preparation, organization,
presentation and clarity, stimula-
tion and interest, feedback, and
interaction.

Cashin, William and McKnight,
Phillip. Improving discussions.
Center for Faculty Evaluation
and Development, 1986, #15. A
look at the strengths and weak-
nesses of discussions and a debate
on the use of discussion to im-
prove cognitive learning, to in-
crease interest in learning and to
increase participation.

Cole, Charles C. Implications of
recent learning theories. Improv-
ing Instruction: Issues and Alter-
natives for Higher Education,
1982, 7-14. A concise and well-
researched overview of the learn-
ing theory in an interesting book
on improving instruction --
mainly geared to university
teaching but with considerable
relevance to the college setting.

Cross, K. Patricia Accent on
learning. (1976) A classic work
by an authority on college teach-
ing --- the chapter on cognitive
styles is an excellent summary of
the research and suggests practi-
ca! implications.

Eble, Kenneth. The mythology of
teaching. In The Craft of Teach-
ing, 1981, 9-21. An expose of ten
dubious assumptions made about
teaching -- an interesting and
motivating reflection for any
instructor.

Frederick, P. The dreaded dis-
cussion: Ten ways to start. Im-

rovin llege and Universit
Teaching, 1981, 109-114. Ten

practical and pragmatic ways to
get discussion started, in precise
and specific detail.

Lowman, J. Evaluating student
performance: Testing and grad-
ing. In Mastering the Techniques
of Teaching, 1984, 184-209. An
examination of several aspects of
evaluation and the use of evalu-
ation to promote learning. A
somewhat basic but complete
overview of the topic.

McKeachie, W.J. Improving lec-
tures by understanding students’
information processing. In New
Directions for Teaching and
Learning, 1980. One of the many
articles on lecturing, but from a
different angle -- it looks at the
link between what the lecturer
does and what the students are
doing in terms of information
processing.

=p)

Skinner, Ballou. The myth of
teaching for critical thinking.
The Clearing House, 1971, 372-
376. An examination of the in-
consistency between instructors’
expressed wishes to teach critical
thinking skills and their instruc-
tional techniques.

Steitz, Jean A. Issues of adult
development within the academic
environment. Lifelong Learning:
An Omnibus of Practice and Re-
search, 1985, 15-18. One of many
sources of information on the
characteristics of adult learners,
but a very concise and readable
article.

Sternberg, R. Teaching Critical
Thinking: Eight easy ways to fail
before you begin. Phi Delta Kap-
pan, 1987, 456-459. An examina-
tion of some of the faulty as-
sumptions instructors make about
teaching thinking skills by one of
the leaders in the area.

Whitman, N. Choosing and using
methods of teaching. National
Society for Performance and In-
struction Journal, 1981, 16-19.
Whitman asserts that there are
only 5 methods of teaching -- he
suggests useful ways of deciding
which to use for what.

ACCC Liaison would like to hear
from its readers on which articles,
journals or sourcebooks they feel
should be added to the list above.
An updated list, focusing pref-
erably on Canadian material
available, could then be pub-
lished in a future issue. In the in-
terim, happy reading!

 

 

Reading Your Way to Better Teaching,
College Teaching, Vol.36/No.2, p.48-53,
1989. Reprinted with permission of the
Helen Dwight Reid Educational Founda-
tion. Published by Heldref Publications,
4000 Albemarle Str., N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20016. Copyright (c) 1989. Annual
subscription rate is $42.00 , plus $8.00 for
subscriptions outside the U.S. To order: 1-

800-365-9753.