Guidelines for collaborative, interdisciplinary teaching at the college level are presented, including: restricting the team to two members, in general; agreeing on a trial period; selecting a coteacher with a healthy psyche; selecting course content fertile for interdisciplinary learning; discussing teaching philosophy and methods; reviewing…

A college teacher's survey of 100 freshmen found only 11 who planned to study in groups, and that most would do so for subjects they believed the most difficult, particularly those requiring quantitative problem-solving and those in which assessment was more frequent. Most believed that reading and writing were solitary, not group, tasks. (MSE)

Research on learning disabilities in students is reviewed, and classroom techniques for college instruction to support writing among these students are suggested. They include making an extra effort for clear classroom communication, dealing with errors in writing mechanics, helping students achieve coherence, giving hints for planning and…

One teacher educator's approach to developing cultural awareness among future teachers was to have them read biographies and autobiographies about teachers in a variety of situations. Student responses to the personal stories are discussed. Use of such materials in a variety of disciplines, as a means of promoting critical thinking, is…

Two college courses, one in literary analysis and one designed to help students apply prior learning, were redesigned to incorporate time for students to tell the class about their own learning experiences. It was found that the narratives enriched faculty and students' understanding and awareness. (MSE)

The technique of having college economics students write brief reaction papers in response to assigned readings has been found to be useful in motivating and enhancing student preparedness for classroom discussions. The reaction papers also helped students study for exams and develop writing skills. (MSE)

A computer modeling program was used in eight sections of a college finance course to help students understand how changing variables changes outcomes in quantitative models. Results suggest the program was effective in meeting that objective, though not all students were aware of or acknowledged its benefits. (MSE)

A discussion of concerns of gay and lesbian college students, based on interviews on one campus, focuses on these issues: understanding and articulating sexual identity; campus and classroom experiences; communication with faculty; and the effects of learning style, classroom content, and research on their lives. Recommendations are made for…

A discussion of misunderstandings occurring in the college classroom looks at the common sources of misconceptions and offers three ways to diagnose and address them: (1) asking students to think aloud as they solve problems; (2) having students teach course topics; and (3) reviewing students' notes with them. (MSE)

A college teacher who also writes children's books, poems, and screenplays advises other faculty to actively pursue interests outside the job of teaching, both as a way of finding balance in daily professional life and as a potential second career. (MSE)

A Russian scholar anticipating language difficulties in teaching a seminar on the former Soviet Union in the United States used journal writing to improve communication. It was found that the journals helped monitor student attention and comprehension and was useful in adjusting teaching strategies to student styles and abilities. (MSE)

Introduces four articles that identify different perspectives on the teaching styles of college faculty. The articles are designed to help college faculty identify attitudes, values, and principles that guide excellent teachers, and to examine the strengths and weaknesses of their own teaching styles. (MDM)

This article profiles the teaching careers of history professor Giovanni Costigan of the University of Washington and English professor Tommy Howells of Whitman College in Walla Walla (Washington). It maintains that both men were accomplished lecturers who set the standard for their respective campuses and corners of Washington State. (MDM)

This article discusses various definitions of teaching, arguing that teaching takes many forms and is conducted at numerous levels. It outlines a continuum of nine forms, with the teacher as disseminator/transmitter, lecturer/dramatist, inducer/persuader, inquirer/catalyst, dialogist, facilitator/guide, witness/abiding presence, learner, or…

This article argues that intellectual excitement and interpersonal rapport are important qualities that influence teaching effectiveness. It proposes a model of effective college teaching based on these qualities that utilizes a 39-item checklist evaluation form. The form was tested with students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill…