Books on university-level teaching

[Tristan Miller]

Greetings.

Since university course instructors and professors don't typically get any
formal training in pedagogy, I was wondering if anyone could recommend an
introductory book on teaching aimed at this group. I imagine such a book
might cover lesson plans, selecting a textbook, structuring the course,
how to write effective assignments and exams, tips on giving lectures,
dealing with students, and working with teaching assistants. If someone
can recommend a book specific to undergraduate science or computer science
education, so much the better.

Regards,
Tristan

[Chris McDonald]

Post by Tristan Miller
Since university course instructors and professors don't typically get any
formal training in pedagogy, I was wondering if anyone could recommend an
introductory book on teaching aimed at this group. I imagine such a book
might cover lesson plans, selecting a textbook, structuring the course,
how to write effective assignments and exams, tips on giving lectures,
dealing with students, and working with teaching assistants. If someone
can recommend a book specific to undergraduate science or computer science
education, so much the better.

Hi Tristan,

This suggestion is probably somewhat removed from your questions
(may be just "dealing with students"), but I'm currently reading
"Educating the Net Generation", whose 6MB PDF you may download from
http://www.educause.edu/educatingthenetgen.

I'm finding many of the scenarios discussed in the book reflected in my
3rd and 4th year CS students, particularly ones covering reduced attention
spans and an (apparent) ability to multitask through many educational
objectives, simulataneously. While I'm enjoying the book, I'm fearing
that the future of on-campus education and lectures is not all rosy.

A couple of short reviews from the website summarize it better than I can:

This e-book offers an insightful look into the way today's students think
about and use technology in their academic and social lives. It will help
institutional leaders help their students to become more successful and
satisfied."
John Hitt, President, University of Central Florida


"Educating the Net Generation illuminates a topic most of us in higher
education are wrestling with: Today's students are different; they're much
more technosavvy in their lives, but they still like personal contact.
Both can be accommodated with the thoughtful use of technology in
learning. Anyone interested in providing the best education possible can
use this as a first step in reflecting on what the Net Generation means
for their campus."
Karen Holbrook, President, The Ohio State University

______________________________________________________________________________
Dr Chris McDonald E: ***@csse.uwa.edu.au
Computer Science & Software Engineering W: http://www.csse.uwa.edu.au/~chris
The University of Western Australia, M002 T: [phone]
Crawley, Western Australia, 6009 F: [phone]

[Herman Rubin]

Post by Chris McDonald

Post by Tristan Miller
Since university course instructors and professors don't typically get any
formal training in pedagogy, I was wondering if anyone could recommend an
introductory book on teaching aimed at this group. I imagine such a book
might cover lesson plans, selecting a textbook, structuring the course,
how to write effective assignments and exams, tips on giving lectures,
dealing with students, and working with teaching assistants. If someone
can recommend a book specific to undergraduate science or computer science
education, so much the better.

Hi Tristan,
This suggestion is probably somewhat removed from your questions
(may be just "dealing with students"), but I'm currently reading
"Educating the Net Generation", whose 6MB PDF you may download from
http://www.educause.edu/educatingthenetgen.
I'm finding many of the scenarios discussed in the book reflected in my
3rd and 4th year CS students, particularly ones covering reduced attention
spans and an (apparent) ability to multitask through many educational
objectives, simulataneously. While I'm enjoying the book, I'm fearing
that the future of on-campus education and lectures is not all rosy.
This e-book offers an insightful look into the way today's students think
about and use technology in their academic and social lives. It will help
institutional leaders help their students to become more successful and
satisfied."
John Hitt, President, University of Central Florida

This might well be correct. But it is no reason to keep
teaching them the subject matter so they will be able to
use it in situations NOT taught. Teaching them how to
use technology for the here-and-now, and emphasizing this,
is the type of mental crippling done by the schools.

Post by Chris McDonald
"Educating the Net Generation illuminates a topic most of us in higher
education are wrestling with: Today's students are different; they're much
more technosavvy in their lives, but they still like personal contact.
Both can be accommodated with the thoughtful use of technology in
learning. Anyone interested in providing the best education possible can
use this as a first step in reflecting on what the Net Generation means
for their campus."
Karen Holbrook, President, The Ohio State University

They are not more technosavvy, except how to do the trivia.
I doubt if they are able to use the computers for COMPUTING.

This is what is happening in other fields as well. Teaching
children how to get the answers to their problems of today,
instead of teaching the universality of the concepts and what
they mean, is mentally crippling and often irrevocable.