A survey of 108 undergraduate students (32 males, 76 females) revealed 24 features of an ideal college professor, in three general categories: personal; interpersonal; and related. The prototype included 11 verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors. Female and male students differed in the ranks they assigned to both the general categories and…

The staff in a teaching excellence program at the University of Colorado at Boulder analyzed research on new faculty needs and designed a program to support newly-hired, tenure-track faculty in improving their teaching. The approach used in the program, responses of participating faculty, and areas for future analysis are described. (Author/MSE)

At the University of Maryland University College, teaching portfolios are used for professional development of adjunct faculty in continuing education, and for determining annual teaching awards. The faculty development program offers workshops, information packets, and sample portfolios to potential award recipients and other faculty, provides…

A performance-oriented approach to teaching William Shakespeare's literature has been found to be effective and enthusiastically received by college students. Ten years of teaching Shakespeare through full play production has shown that the rewards, eloquently expressed in the testimony of students, more than compensate for extra work required of…

One college history teacher finds lively and constructive classroom discussion in a survey course is primarily a result of the teacher's attitudes toward and assumptions about students. The teacher must create a safe atmosphere in which students can speak, and be direct and respectful with students, which clears the classroom of anxiety and…

Three beliefs college faculty have about teaching large classes, and five challenges associated with teaching them, are discussed. A survey of 126 college students concerning what enhances or detracts from learning in large classes is then reported. Discrepancies between teacher beliefs and student experience are examined, and recommendations for…

Good college teachers are masters of their subjects; are organized, prepared, and clear; demonstrate that they know and care about their students as individuals; display listening skills; create a positive environment for learning; and relate abstract ideas to the realities of everyday life. (JB)

Argues that a growing realization and acceptance of the complexities of college teaching is behind many current trends in the field and suggests that college teaching's complexities lie in changes in the communication process including the population, paths, levels, methods, and assessment in teaching and learning. (JB)

A college professor and his undergraduate student daughter discuss student motivation, relate this to the daughter's desire to own a horse, and discuss six concepts for motivation: giving students choices, placing material in context, arousing curiosity, being enthusiastic, giving students a sense of control, and knowing students personally. (JB)

An experimental colloquium course at the University of Delaware focuses on ways students read and respond to texts. Using nontraditional activities including image making and symbolic expression, the course discourages passive learning as it explores literature and its effect on the reader's inner world. (JB)

This article considers why journal assignments are desirable in a variety of college courses and offers a definition of empowerment, three components of a model journal entry, and criteria for journal assignments. Also described are applications of journal writing in English, management, study skills, and communication. (JB)

Describes "Celebrating the Teacher Scholar" theme year at San Diego State University (California) and the year's special features including: a campus consultation, a communications and network model, selected department and university-wide activities, a teacher scholar resource fair, and how priorities for the year were determined and…