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Teaching and Enhancing Student Learning
Recommended Books, etc. from the Faculty Center

BYU faculty may check out the following books
and materials from the Faculty Center Library.
Materials may be requested by phone (801) 422-7419,
fax (801) 422-0223, or e-mail faculty_center@byu.edu.

Topic: Instructional Development/Teaching Techniques and Skills

Education for Judgment: The Artistry of Discussion Leadership

Discussion-teaching—a learning technique which helps students develop process skills, subject matter, and understanding of group function—has been successfully used for years in teaching at the Harvard Business School. Discussion-teaching is effective in almost all teaching environments from medical school to high school English classes. Central to this technique is the discussion leader who questions, moderates, and observes the group discussion. This book concentrates on the elements that mold a successful group leader and examines the broader philosophical questions regarding the use of discussion-teaching.

Christensen, C. Roland; Garvin, David A.; & Sweet, Ann. ( 1991). Education for Judgment: The Artistry of Discussion Leadership Harvard Business School Press.
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Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn, 3rd Edition

In the more than two decades since its original publication, Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn has become the classic reference for understanding adult motivation in educational and training settings. . . Raymond J. Wlodkowski offers a clear framework and sixty practical, research-based strategies that are designed to elicit and encourage learner motivation. In addition, the book is filled with practical examples, guidelines for instructional planning, and cutting-edge ideas for assessment and transfer of learning. The book explores the conditions that evoke student motivation and shows the ways in which teachers of adults can create learning environments that stimulate and nourish the desire to learn.

Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn takes an interdisciplinary perspective, not only drawing on research from adult development and education but from fields that include cultural and ethnic studies, the biological and neuropsychological sciences, psychology, and literature. As in the previous edition, the ideas and methods advocated in this book are generally applicable to online learning as well as conventional classroom settings. (Excerped from inside cover.)

Wlodkowski, Raymond J. (2008). Enhancing Adult Motivation to Learn. Jossey-Bass.
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Extraordinary Teachers: The Essence of Excellent Teaching

Stephenson enlists 36 other master educators (K-College) to write on teaching philosophy, responsibilities, advice, myths, and realities. The resulting essays describe the obstacles preventing today's students from attaining excellence and give answers to instructors seeking to become more effective teachers. Essay topics address the importance of preparation, communication in the classroom, various lecture techniques to keep students riveted, the overwhelming influence of an enthusiastic instructor on the learning curve of struggling students, and critical thinking methods.

Stephenson, Frederick J. (2001). Extraordinary Teachers: The Essence of Excellent Teaching. Andrews & McMeel.
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First Steps to Excellence in College Teaching

Johnson offers comprehensive instruction for new instructors, TAs, adjunct instructors or tenure faculty. The basics of instruction, from preparation through evaluation, are discussed. Subjects include course objectives, syllabus, selection of textbooks, effective lectures, student involvement and evaluation.

Johnson, Glenn R. (1995). First Steps to Excellence in College Teaching. Atwood Publications.
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First-Order Principles for College Teachers: Ten Basic Ways to Improve the Teaching Process

Based on many years of teaching, training, and writing, Boice has developed ten principles that form a foundation for effective teaching. These unique and interrelated principles are empirically tested and address attitudes as well as actions. Practicing the principles can bring faster success to classroom performances, generalize to other tasks such as scholarly writing, and provide a basis for making better use of traditional advice about teaching improvement.

Boice, Robert. (1996). First-Order Principles for College Teachers: Ten Basic Ways to Improve the Teaching Process. Anker Publishing Company, Inc.
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Making the Most of College: Students Speak Their Minds
This book is based on ten years of research on American college students. Light and associates interviewed hundreds of students about their college experience—both inside and outside the classroom. Out of this research, Light has authored this important book for faculty, students, and administrators. Chapters include "The Most Effective Classes," "Good Mentoring and Advising," "Faculty Who Make a Difference," and many more. Light uses the voices of students themselves, something often lacking from faculty discussions on these issues. This book is being quoted coast to coast for providing the best insight on the American college student experience.

Light, Richard J (2004). Making the Most of College: Students Speak Their Minds. Harvard University Press.
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Science Teaching Reconsidered (RECOMMENDED)
Directed towards undergraduate science educators, this book provides a pathway to understanding students, accommodating differences, and helping them grasp the methods of science. Effective science teaching requires creativity, imagination, and innovation. Topics include: effective lecture, laboratory impact, and discerning what students do and do not understand.

Nat'l Research Council. (1997). Science Teaching Reconsidered. Nat'l Academy Press.
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Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors
This book addresses a variety of issues such as coordination between faculty and TAs, copyrights, and directions for collaborative and experiential learning. The author also addresses learning needs and styles for different disciplines.

Nilson, Linda B.. (2007). Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College. Anker.
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Teaching Through the Cycle
This monograph addresses the learning styles that form the basis of the Kolb Learning Cycle; it facilitates practical application of learning style theory in the classroom, and documents its use in classes at BYU. Although the engineering instructor is the targeted audience, the educational theory and methodology provide a solid instructional framework for any discipline.

Harb, J. N. , Hurt, P. K. , Terry, R. E., Williamson, K. J. (1995). Teaching Through the Cycle. Brigham Young University Press.
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Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers
A best-seller and classic in its field, McKeachie’s Teaching Tips is invaluable for courses in post-secondary education, professional workshops in pedagogy, and training seminars for graduate teaching assistants and their faculty. Written by a renowned educational researcher, the Tenth Edition profits from six additional experts’ knowledge of current fields such as diversity, ethics, planning, and technology.

McKeachie, Wilbert. (1999). Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers. Houghton Mifflin.
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The Course Syllabus: A Learning Centered Approach (RECOMMENDED)
A practical manual that directs the construction of a "learning-centered" syllabus that focuses on the tools and resources you can provide a student to help them learn as opposed to a syllabus that outlines what will be covered in the course. A "learning-centered" syllabus promotes teaching that helps students understand how to actively acquire, use, and extend knowledge in an ongoing process of learning. This guide is concise, straightforward, and immediately applicable to those constructing or revising a syllabus.

Grunert, Judith. (1997). The Course Syllabus: A Learning Centered Approach. Jossey-Bass/Anker Series.
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Tools for Teaching (RECOMMENDED)
A compendium of classroom-tested strategies and suggestions designed to improve the teaching practice of beginning, mid-career, and senior faculty members. These teaching tools are organized in sections and cover both traditional tasks (such as writing a course syllabus) and newer concerns (such as responding to diversity or incorporating technology in the classroom). The strategies and tools are designed to be read and used independently, and the volume acts as a reference for the best practices for effective teaching.

Davis, Barbara Gross. (1993). Tools for Teaching. Jossey-Bass Publishers.
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Topic: Collaborative Learning/Active Learning

Active Learning: 101 Strategies to Teach Any Subject
Active Learning contains a comprehensive collection of active learning techniques. Each strategy is described with clear, step-by-step instructions. Good as an introduction for those attempting active learning for the first time or as an infusion of fresh ideas and strategies for experienced teachers.

Silberman, Mel (1996). Active Learning: 101 Strategies to Teach Any Subject. Allyn and Bacon
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Active Learning: Cooperation in the College Classroom (RECOMMENDED)
Active Learning is a comprehensive look at the use of formal cooperative learning lessons, informal cooperative learning groups, and cooperative base groups in the college classroom. Numerous specific lesson structures are included. It is an excellent overview of how to use cooperative learning at the college level.

Johnson, David W.; Johnson, Roger T. & Smith, Karl. (1991). Active Learning: Cooperation in the College Classroom. Interactive Book Company.
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Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom (RECOMMENDED)
The authors offer suggestions for making classes more interactive and engaging. Chapter subjects include the modified lecture; questioning and discussion; and strategies to promote active learning such as writing in class, problem solving, debates, drama, role playing, and peer teaching.

Bonwell, C.C. and Eison, J.A.. (1991). Active Learning: Creating Excitement in the Classroom. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Reports, Jossey-Bass..
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Topic: Testing and Grading

Effective Grading: A Tool for Learning and Assessment (RECOMMENDED)
Effective Grading was written for the faculty member who believes the grading process is a valuable measure of student learning. This hands-on guide for evaluating student work offers an in-depth examination of the link between teaching and grading. It uses grades, not as isolated artifacts, but as part of a process that, when integrated with course objectives, provides rich information about student learning. The authors reveal how the grading process can also be used for broader assessment objectives such as curriculum and institutional assessment.

Walvoord, Barbara E. & Anderson, Virginia Johnson. (1998). Effective Grading: A Tool for Learning and Assessment. Jossey-Bass Publications.
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Assessment Essentials: Planning, Implementing, and Improving Assessment in Higher Education.
This step-by-step guide provides current practices for developing assessment programs on college and university campuses. Assessment Essentials outlines the assessment process from start to finish and is filled with illustrative examples to show how assessment is accomplished on today's campuses. It is especially useful for faculty members and others who may be new to the assessment process. In clear, accessible language, Palomba and Banta describe effective assessment programs and offer a thorough review of the most up-to-date practices in the field.

Palomba Catherine A. & Trudy W. Banta. (1999). Assessment Essentials: Planning, Implementing, and Improving Assessment in Higher Education. Jossey-Bass.
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Educative Assessment: Designing Assessments to Inform and Improve Student Performance.
Grant Wiggins outlines design standards for performance-based assessments that promise students—no matter what their ability—clear and worthy performance targets, useful feedback, coaching, and the opportunity to progress toward excellence. Educative Assessment furnishes the information needed to design performance-based assessments, craft performance tasks that meet rigorous educational standards, score assessments fairly, and structure and judge student portfolios. It also shows how performance assessment can be used to improve curriculum and instruction, grading, and reporting, as well as teacher accountability.

Wiggins, Grant P. (1997). Educative Assessment: Designing Assessments to Inform and Improve Student Performance. Jossey-Bass.
(link to Amazon)
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Meaningful and Manageable Assessment Through Cooperative Learning
Meaningful and Manageable Assessment includes practical, comprehensive coverage of assessment procedures. It demonstrates with forms and instruction how these procedures become more meaningful and manageable with cooperative learning.

Johnson, David & Johnson, Roger. (1996). Meaningful and Manageable Assessment Through Cooperative Learning. Interaction Book Company.
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Tips for Improving Testing and Grading, Volume 4
Ory and Ryan provide a thorough discussion of general testing and grading issues, covering all topics in a step-by-step manner with activities accompanying each chapter. The activities are brief and inviting. The authors are particularly good at addressing the needs of new faculty, but experienced faculty would enjoy chapters on evaluating past exams and the pros and cons of various grading policies.

Ory, John C. & Ryan, Katherine E. (1993). Tips for Improving Testing and Grading, Volume 4. Sage Publications.
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Topic: Evaluating Your Own Teaching