McKeachie's Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers (College Teaching) (Paperback)

by Wilbert McKeachie (Author), Marilla Svinicki (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
It places the practice of teaching at the center of the faculty role and takes that responsibility seriously. For that reason, Teaching Tips is also an inspirational and motivational volume that will likely prod faculty to strive for excellence in their teaching. -- Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
McKeachie's Teaching Tips is a handbook designed to provide helpful strategies for dealing with both the everyday problems of teaching at the university level, and those that pop up in trying to maximize learning for every student. The suggested strategies are supported by research and are grounded in enough theory to enable teachers to adapt them to their own situations. The author does not suggest a "set of recipes" to be followed mechanically, but gives teachers the tools they need to deal with the ever changing dynamics of teaching and learning.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 407 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing; 12 edition (June 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618515569
• ISBN-13: 978-0618515561
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,238 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely essential for any college instructor new or old!, October 7, 2002

By	Matthew A. Fisher (Monroeville, PA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Teaching Tips Eleventh Edition (Paperback)

If I could give this book six stars, I would. I was first introduced to an earlier edition of McKeachie's book back in 1992, when I first started teaching as a faculty member at a small school. This new edition is the third one to sit on my shelves, alongside two earlier editions. All three are worth keeping, reading, and re-reading.

What I appreciate most about this book is it's mixture of theory and practical suggestions. When talking about how to make lectures more effective, McKeachie provide a concise review of the most relevant research, then spends time going over specific suggestions for how an instructor can improve his or her lectures. This same approach of providing an overview of the most important research alongside extremely practical suggestions is found in a number of chapters.

Another aspect that I like about this book is that McKeachie has the openness to invite other people to write specific chapters on topics such as technology in teaching, motivation, laboratory instruction. Many of the individuals writing these chapters are recognized nationally for their expertise in various aspects of teaching. So this book isn't just a collection of McKeachie's insights - it provides the wisdom and counsel of nine other individuals.

In my own work as a teacher at a small undergraduate college, it has become absolutely essential for me to re-read this book cover to cover every few years. There are other books that are highly recommended as resources for various aspects of teaching. But _McKeachie's Teaching Tips_ is one of the most balanced, broadest, and best coverages of what is involved in teaching effectively at a college. Get it, read it, reflect on it, and both your teaching and your students' learning will benefit.

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Start here!, August 12, 2003

By	Peter A. Kindle (Kansas City, Missouri) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Teaching Tips Eleventh Edition (Paperback)

Having just finished my first year of teaching undergraduate psychology courses, I would like to confirm the praise of this book written elsewhere. I cannot imagine a better introduction. Twenty seven short and specific chapters make this an easy read and a useful reference. Each chapter ends with annotated recommendations for further study. No wonder Teaching Tip's is on so many bookshelves.

McKeachie is a psychologist, and his personal experience is in teaching the social sciences. His preferred approach is constructivist rather than didactic (he prefers discussion to lectures), and his personal value system (chapter 25) can be sensed in most of his advice. His highest value is love and respect for others within a relativistic framework. He is quite committed to active learning in all its various guises.

In a fragmented discipline like psychology, McKeachie's approach is likely to be quite successful. I wonder if those teaching in disciplines with a higher fixed content will find his advice as useful.

The primary strength of this book is the smooth blend of theory with practical advice. Research-supported theory (learning and memory in chapters 4 and 5, Bloom's taxonomy in chapter 24) is introduced with a light touch that makes it easy to assimilate - often with a "take what you want, leave the rest" attitude. In like fashion, the practical advice (cheating, discussion monopolizers) is not heavy-handed, but suggestive.

I read this book through over a two day period, finding that it bogged down only in Part 5 that focused on teaching in contexts that I am unlikely to encounter in the near future. Twice I found myself revising my typical course syllabus.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Meets its Goals, June 6, 2006

By	Gary McDaniel (Pullman, WA) - See all my reviews

The goal of McKeachie's teaching tips is to provide higher education teachers useful tips to improve teaching in the classroom. In its own words "'Teaching Tips' was originally written to answer the questions posed by new college teachers, to place them at ease in their jobs, and to get them started effectively in the classroom." McKeachie goes on to note that it is also a useful resource for experienced teachers.

If you are an experiental learning theorist this book will not be as useful as if you are a teacher teaching students in a college classroom. I know a lot of faculty who use this text as a resource when planning and teaching. As a Learning Design Consultant, I use this book to help faculty reflect on and improve their teaching practices.

If you want a "resource" book on typical/practical issues of teaching in the college classroom, this is your book.