Optimizing Teaching and Learning will serve as a practical guide for anyone, anywhere, who is interested in improving their teaching, the learning of their students, and correspondingly, contribute to the scholarship of teaching and learning. Bridges the gap between the research and practice of SoTL Provides explicit instructions on how to design, conduct, analyze, and write-up SoTL work Includes samples of actual questionnaires and other materials (e.g., focus group questions) that will jumpstart investigations into teaching and learning Explores the advantages and disadvantages of various pedagogical practices and present applications of SoTL using case studies from a variety of disciplines

Optimizing Teaching and Learning will serve as a practicalguide for anyone, anywhere, who is interested in improving theirteaching, the learning of their students, and correspondinglycontribute to the scholarship of teaching and learning.* Bridges the gap between the research and practice of SoTL* Provides explicit instructions on how to design, conductanalyze, and write-up SoTL work* Includes samples of actual questionnaires and other materials(e.g., focus group questions) that will jumpstart investigationsinto teaching and learning* Explores the advantages and disadvantages of variouspedagogical practices and present applications of SoTL using casestudies from a variety of disciplines

Preface viiiAcknowledgments xiii1 What Is Pedagogical Research? 1Multidisciplinary Roots of Pedagogical Research 3Examining Definitions of Scholarship 4The Other SoTL: Action Research and Teacher Research 6Beginnings 8Why Is Pedagogical Research Important? 11A Teaching Hierarchy 12A Caveat 16How Can Pedagogical Research Be Useful to You? 162 Pedagogical Research: Focussing on the Teaching 18Assessing Our Teaching Effectiveness 20What Can We Learn from the "Best" College Teachers?25Creating your Teaching Philosophy Statement 31How Do I Teach? 33Using Teaching Inventories 34Determining Your Teaching Goals 38Assessment Tools 43Alternative Classroom Assessment Techniques 65Teaching Portfolios 68Learning to Conduct Pedagogical Research: How to Get Started:Designing Your Pedagogical Research Program 70Developing Your Research Ideas and Questions 72Focus on Student Learning: Connecting Your Learning GoalsAssessment Choice, and Teaching Technique 75Applying the Findings of Your Pedagogical Research: UsingGeneral Principles of Learning to Making Changes to Your TeachingStrategies 78Sharing Your Findings and Connecting with Others in the Field81Conclusion 84Appendix: Examples of Discipline-Specific SoTL Journals 853 Pedagogical Research: Focussing on Learning 87What Do You Want to Find Out? 90What Do We Know about How Students Learn? 91Student Engagement: If You Engage Them, They Will Learn 94How Can You Investigate Your Students' Learning? 96How Do Students Study? 103Metacognition 104Measuring Study Behaviors 110Can You Improve Study Skills? 118Key Psychological Factors Influencing Learning 119Designing Your Research: How Do You Study Your Students'Learning? 120Measuring How Performance on Your Assessments Vary 125Guidelines for Human Research Participants in SoTL 131A Further Note on Ethics 132Conclusions 141Appendix: Questions on How to Make Cognitive Research Availableto Educators 1414 Is It Significant? Basic Statistics 145Why Do We Need to Analyze Our Classroom Data? 145Qualitative or Quantitative? That Is the Question 147Setting the Stage: Important Background for Measurement andAnalyses 149Two Main Forms of Statistical Analyses: Descriptive Analyses151Watching Your Curves 153Inferential Statistics 154Software Options 159Calculating Descriptive Statistics 161Calculating Inferential Statistics 163Kicking It Up a Notch: Testing Multiple Factors 164Conclusions 1685 Pedagogical Research as Scholarship: Resources for Success169Developing a Center with a Focus on SoTL 170Determining Needs on Your Campus 174Determining Your Goals: What Is the Purpose of the Center?175Guiding Principles when Creating a New Center 178Creating Programming Initiatives to Achieve Your Goals 183Mentoring Programs 191SoTL and Tenure and Promotion 193The Role of Assessment 195Sources for SoTL Support or Funding 199What Else Is Available through Faculty Development Centers?200Potential Challenges Identified by Those Who Have Come BeforeYou 201Appendix: Useful References 203References 207Index 222