Engaging Ideas: The Professor's Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom (Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education) [Paperback]

John C. Bean (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 1996 | ISBN-10: 0787902039 | ISBN-13: 978-0787902032 | Edition: 1

A practical nuts and bolts guide for teachers from any discipline who want to design interest-provoking writing and critical thinking activities. Engaging Ideas:

• Shows how teachers can encourage inquiry, exploration, discussion, and debate in their courses.
• Presents a wide variety of strategies for stimulating active learning and for coaching writing and critical thinking.
• Offers teachers concrete advice on how to design courses, structure assignment, use class time, critique student performance, and model critical thinking activities.
• Demonstrates how writing can easily be integrated with such other critical thinking activities and inquiry discussions, simulation games, classroom debates, and interactive lectures.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"John Bean's book is aptly named. The ideas in it are engaging; they engage the audience, the college professor, in thinking and rethinking the ways in which writing can be used to stimulate thinking and learning in any discipline.... Bean's style is clear, to the point, and jargon-free. He explains theories of learning and writing with such lucidity that readers see clearly the implications for teaching." (National Writing Project)

From the Back Cover

"Engaging Ideas surprised me. I didn't expect to like it, but I really did. I didn't expect to find so much in it that would cause me to pause and reflect on my own practices as a teacher, but this is exactly what happened repeatedly. I didn't expect to find the writing so sprightly an attention-holding, but it was. And I didn't expect that I would decide to change the nature of the writing assignments I give students as a result of this book, but I have....An excellent resource for faculty across all disciplines who long for ways of improving student writing and thinking skills." —Howard B. Altman, director, Linguistics Program, University of Louisville Engaging Ideas is a practical nuts-and-bolts guide for teachers from any discipline who want to design interest-provoking writing and critical thinking activities and oncorporate them into their courses in a way that encourages inquiry, exploration, discussion, and debate. The book also shows how writing can easily be integrated with such other critical thinking activities as inquiry discussions, simulation games, classroom debates, interactive lectures, and more—helping transform students from passive to active learners.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (March 27, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787902039
• ISBN-13: 978-0787902032
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #384,245 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John C. Bean is professor of English at Seattle University, where he directs the writing program and chairs the Task Force on Teaching and Learning. He is coauthor (with John D. Ramage) of Writing Arguments (3rd ed., 1995) and Form and Surprise in Composition (1986).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent practical advice for the college teacher, August 21, 2004

By 

D. D. Dupont "philosopher and social theorist" (Virginia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Engaging Ideas: The Professor's Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom (Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education) (Paperback)

Professor Bean provides the theory behind his recommendations but, as any teacher who has delved into this literature knows, theories about effective teaching aren't in themselves necessarily very helpful. What one needs is practical advice, and this book has it---lots of it. Bean identifies different writing activities for students; shows how to design tasks for active thinking and learning in the classroom; suggests effective ways to make use of small group discussion in the classroom; explains ways to increase active learning in a lecture course; discusses the mechanics of grading papers; and shows how to enhance learning in essay exams. Even for the experienced teacher, there's a good deal of worthwhile material here, and it's cogently presented. A highly recommended book for the professor who wants to increase active learning in the classroom and get more out of a lecture course.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic Resource, June 20, 2002

By 

"misscommunication" (Alameda, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Engaging Ideas: The Professor's Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom (Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education) (Paperback)

John C. Bean presents a thorough, logical discussion covering issues that (may seem basic) but that I for one, still struggle with - successfully integrating critical thinking writing assignments into my courses.

Bean blends relevant research and studies to explain and justify what works and what fizzles. His text offers strategies and assignments - from short, informal writings to involved research projects. His work considers learning styles - (students and instructors). The author models rich critical thinking and writing - the discourse allows learners to make their own connections and discoveries (while absorbing the valuable resources and information provided) Readers, like students engage in the journey of sense-making.

In sum, this is not just a book of potential exercies - it is a rich resource for instructors grappling with issues of assessment, critiquing, and the fear of grading overload. These topics and more provided me with some wonderful "aha" moments.

It's the "aha"s that spark my spirit of inquiry - and this is what I strive to share with students.

54 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars insightful, thoughtful, and full of useful classroom tools, January 7, 1999

By 

Gregory R. Glau (Flagstaff, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Engaging Ideas: The Professor's Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom (Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education) (Paperback)

Bean's text is a thoughtful and useful pedagogical "storehouse" of ideas that teachers can use in their classrooms. Not only does the text provide the theory _behind_ collaborative/cooperative approaches to teaching, but it provides such ideas for a wide array of subjects. Anyone who values the teaching of writing--whatever the subject area--will find good value in Bean's text.