Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers, 11th edition by Wilbert J. McKeachie and Marilla Svinicki
Book Review by Mary Lee Swickert

I received a copy of the 9th edition of McKeachie's Teaching Tips when I began teaching master's level students at Northern Illinois University during my doctoral studies. Since I was trained as a teacher and had taught all grades K - 16, I was a little put-off by being given the textbook. In 1994, it had already been 43 years since the book was written. I thought, "Can this possibly be relevant after all these years?" My mentor considered the book invaluable and soon I found out why. Now in the 12th edition, 55 years after it was written, the text remains a highly regarded classic for college level teachers and a recommended resource for teachers everywhere.

Bill McKeachie, Professor Emeritus, Psychology Department, University of Michigan has carefully revised each successive edition to reflect the changes in higher education and has sought chapters by other contributors on many contemporary topics. The text was originally written for his own teaching assistants and was based on his experience with his mentor when he was a TA. Professor McKeachie has retained the philosophical underpinnings of his original "Student as Learner" text, while adding many chapters which relate to 21st Century methods, concerns, students and professors. Even though I have been teaching at the graduate level for 13 years now, I still return to my copy for help. This text is not just for new teachers or teaching assistants. It is a text that even old hands can use as a reliable resource when they find themselves struggling or stumped!

One example is the chapter on Problem Students. Reading the chapter is like having a mentor at your elbow guiding you on to trying something different, or saying, "Yes you're on the right track, you'll do fine!" Here is a memorable line from this chapter: "Remember that your problem students are human beings who have problems and need your sympathy and help -no matter how much you want to strangle them" ( McKeachie, 2002, p. 159). McKeachie talks about motivation theory, student differences, learning styles and being fair in a section of the book entitled "Understanding Students." He reminds the reader that "interpersonal problems involve at least two people, and in many cases the difficulties are not one-sided" (McKeachie (2002, p. 148). I wouldn't be surprised if some of you are thinking that McKeachie is a psychologist and doesn't know what it's like in your math, science or business courses. I've thought the same thing when advice comes from people outside of my field. At the end of each chapter there are additional resources about the chapter's issues. Most are not from psychology but from higher education research. A few are dated, but there has been an obvious and laudable effort to update the text's many references and to give it a strong basis in recent research.

Another great resource is found in the "Teaching Through Technology" chapter. It includes excellent tables showing many technology tools telling when and how to use each. The information on these tools: the Web, Blackboard, streaming audio/video, web-conferencing, PowerPoint and many more, plus a chapter on "Making the Course Manageable" are especially useful when teaching in off-campus programs. McKeachie explains that all of this technology and the many teaching techniques at our disposal make it more necessary than ever to "assimilate the boomin', buzzin', confusion of points of view in the modern course" (p. 182). He says the textbook provides the needed structure and organization that enable students to learn.

Throughout this book, McKeachie brings his wisdom and wit to every aspect of teaching at the college level. This is a fun text to read and I find myself invigorated every time I pick it up.

Other sections of the book are:

1) "Getting Started" - covers college culture, combining research and teaching, and a countdown from teaching contract to walking into the classroom for the first time. Great for new hires!

2) "Basic Skills for Facilitating Student Learning" - examines discussions, lectures, assessment, outcomes, academic integrity and assigning grades. A thorough and thought-provoking section!

3) "Understanding Students"- see above

4) "Adding to your Repertoire of Skills and Strategies for Facilitating Active Learning" - covers writing assignments, reading as a learning tool, cooperative and peer learning, role-playing, games, and teaching through technology. Ideas to bring life to our work!

5) "Skills for Use in Other Teaching Situations", discusses large classes, laboratories, experiential learning, service-learning projects and distance education. Classrooms are everywhere!

6) "Teaching for Higher-Level Goals" - includes teaching how to learn, thinking skills, and values.

7) "Lifelong Learning for the Teacher." reminds us about ethics of teaching, growing through our teaching and the use of student and colleague feedback to improve our teaching.

I enjoyed researching Bill McKeachie's background and am as impressed by the man as I am with his book. I recommend that you get to know Professor McKeachie by reading his brief autobiography A Life of Learning and Teaching found at the following web site:

http://teachpsych.lemoyne.edu/teachpsych/tia/pdf/33.pdf

Then I hope you'll pick up a copy of McKeachie's Teaching Tips to savor.

Reviewer:
Mary Lee Swickert, Ed.D.
Associate Professor and
Director, MA in Counseling
Off-Campus Programs

Title: McKeachie's Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research and Theory for College and University Teachers

Authors: Wilbert J. McKeachie Marilla Svinicki
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Pages: Paperback 407
ISBN: 0618515569
List price (USD): $42.76