Mastering the Techiniques of Teaching
by
Gerry Hess

A high quality college education is still undeniably dependent on the skill and motivating power of classroom instructors. Neither innovative ways of organizing classes nor gee-whiz technology have obviated the need for faculty who are skilled at communicating with students and motivating them to work hard outside of class.

So begins Joseph Lowman's second edition of MASTERING THE TECHNIQUES OF TEACHING. Lowman, a psychology professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has won numerous teaching awards and is a national leader in the movement to improve teaching and learning in higher education. Although the book's primary focus is undergraduate education, each of its ten chapters offers valuable insights for legal educators.

What Constitutes Exemplary Teaching?

Lowman proposes a two-dimensional model of effective teaching: Quality instruction results from a teacher's skill in creating intellectual excitement and interpersonal rapport. Creating intellectual excitement is a function of the clarity of the instructor's presentation and its emotional impact on the students. Interpersonal rapport deals with the kind of teacher/student relationship that will motivate students to do their best work. Lowman bases his model on three types of research: (1) his personal observations of 20 exemplary teachers at several universities; (2) his review of hundreds of studies on student evaluations of teaching; and (3) on 500 nominations for teaching awards at UNC.

Understanding Classroom Dynamics

The commingling of teachers' and students' attitudes and behaviors make up the classroom environment. Lowman explores the psychology of teachers and students, including the sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction for each. He offers insights that can help teachers understand their own reactions to the classroom dynamic and their students' feelings and actions as well.

Developing Interpersonal Skills and Teaching Style

Lowman offers specific techniques to help teachers foster relationships with students that promote motivation and satisfaction, including learning students' names, spending time with students outside of the classroom, periodically soliciting feedback from students about their learning and the course, providing indirect (rather than autocratic) leadership, and treating students as individuals.

Analyzing and Improving Classroom Performance

Lowman views the classroom as a dramatic arena in which teachers should strive to capture students' attention and stimulate their interest and emotions. Teachers can improve their classroom communication skills by becoming more sensitive to the effects of speech patterns and movement. Lowman describes a 10-step process for teachers to improve their communication skills by analyzing videotapes of themselves in the classroom.

Selecting and Organizing Materials for Classroom Presentations

The focus of this chapter is effective use of lecture. In a well-planned lecture, a teacher can emphasize conceptual organization, identify difficult issues, articulate critical points, and inspire students. Lowman offers advice on how to lecture with immediacy and spontaneity, to introduce variety, and to use visual tools, such as handouts, blackboards, flip charts, overhead projectors, and computers.

Enhancing Learning Through Classroom Discussion

Discussions can help teachers and students address important objectives of higher education, such as critical thinking (analysis, synthesis, evaluation), student attitudes and values, and students' involvement in their own learning. Lowman gives specific tips on starting, guiding, and ending discussions. He also provides clear thinking about how teachers can deal with students who are overly talkative or withdrawn.

Planning Course Content and Teaching Techniques to Maximize Interest

Lowman believes that effective course and class planning rests on the teacher articulating specific content and skill goals and communicating those goals to students. Lowman encourages teachers to use classroom assessment and cooperative learning to help students achieve those goals. Classroom assessment is a process in which teachers gather ongoing feedback from students about their learning to refocus instruction to be more effective. Cooperative learning is an active learning technique in which students work in small groups.

Integrating Learning In and Out of the Classroom

Much of the learning that occurs in higher education takes place out of the classroom. Lowman describes factors that affect student motivation and performance in key out-of-class learning activities including reading assignments, problem solving, writing assignments, and field work.

Evaluating Student Performance

This chapter is full of practical suggestions regarding evaluation, including principles for constructing valid and reliable tests (both essay and objective), grading, and cheating. Lowman discusses a set of thought-provoking "myths" concerning evaluation, such as "Hard grading and student satisfaction are inversely correlated." and "Differences in grade point average (GPA) reflect differences in student quality."

The Art, Craft, and Techniques of Exemplary Teaching

Lowman organizes his final chapter around four tough questions:

1. Does outstanding instruction result more from individual talent or more from a supportive academic environment?
2. How can college teaching best be evaluated to reflect the full range of teaching effectiveness?
3. How can junior faculty be taught to teach well?
4. Given the rewards and requirements for survival in academia, why should any instructor attempt to strive for excellence in the classroom?

The second edition of MASTERING THE TECHNIQUES OF TEACHING is an important work for legal educators. It contains a thorough analysis of the science and the art of teaching based on a solid research foundation. In addition, it gives detailed descriptions of practical ideas designed to make instruction more effective. This resource is available from Jossey-Bass Publishers, 350 Sansome St., San Francisco, CA 94104, (415) 433-1740.