Index for Vol. 19, Numbers 1-8, 2007-2008
Essays on Teaching Excellence
Toward the Best in the Academy

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Teaching Excellence is a publication of The Professional & Organizational Development Network in Higher Education, distributed by the Center for Teaching at the University of Southern Maine.

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19.1 Beyond Writing: Integrative Learning and Teaching in First-Year Seminars
David H. Krause, Dominican University
Robert C. Lagueux, Columbia College Chicago
Balancing theory and practice, this essay helps instructors become more reflective, intentional, and confident about designing assignments that effectively cultivate authentic integrative learning for first-year students.

19.2 Developing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Using Faculty Learning Communities
Milton D. Cox, Miami University
Faculty learning communities have proven successful in developing SoTL, including teaching projects, assessment of student learning, presentations, and publication.

19.3 Teaching, Learning and Spirituality in the College Classroom
Allison Pingree, Vanderbilt University
Using data from a recent report on spirituality among college students, this essay explores the implications of these findings for pedagogical choices regarding classroom practices.

19.4 Role-Play: An Underused but Often Misused Active Learning Strategy
Stephanie Nickerson, Independent Consultant
This essay describes different role-playing strategies based on the learning objectives instructors have. Also outlined are ways to make role-playing successful.

19.5 Building Assignments that Teach
Mary Ann Winkelmes, University of Chicago
Assignments are a necessary part of undergraduate education that we have come to take for granted.  The best assignments are intellectually stimulating exercises that help students build and practice essential, complex skills.

19.6 Collaboration or Plagiarism? Explaining Collaborative-Based Assignments Clearly
Tuesday L. Cooper, Empire State College
When assigned collaborative learning projects, students often have difficulty determining appropriate contribution by each group member. By providing clear instructions, faculty can shape students’ appreciation of collaborative learning opportunities.

19.7 The Right Start: Reflections on a Departmentally Based Graduate Course on Teaching
Craig Nelson, Indiana University
Full credit graduate courses offered on teaching can be an opportunity for powerful professional development. This essay reflects on the pedagogical and content choices for these courses.

19.8 The Useful, Sensible, No-Frills Departmental Assessment Plan
Barbara E. Walvoord, University of Notre Dame
This essay suggests a simple, sustainable, and useful departmental assessment plan that capitalizes on what departments are already doing or know they should do to improve student learning and meet the needs of accreditors.

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This is the index for an 8-part series of essays published by The Professional & Organizational Development Network in Higher Education.

Editor: Elizabeth Chandler, Director

Center for Teaching & Learning

University of Chicago

echandle@uchicago.edu

The POD Network facilitates the exchange of information and ideas, the development of professional skills, the exploration and debate of educational issues, and the sharing of expertise and resources.  For further information, contact:

POD Network

P. O. Box 3318

Nederland, CO 80466 U. S. A.

303.258.9521 (voice)

303.258.7377 (fax)    podnetwork@podweb.org

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