Resources

In an effort to provide clarity about the highly charged issue of religion in US classrooms, Nash (College of Education and Social Services, Univ. of Vermont) describes and critiques four diverse religious positions, namely, fundamentalist, prophetic, alternative spiritualities, and post-theist. He uses a narrative approach, asking such questions as, is it workable? is it convincing? does it move people and provide a sense of purpose, community, moral action? and does it explain the unknown? Chapters cover the positive and negative aspects of the four religious positions Nash describes. They outline a methodology and curriculum of religious education, focusing on these four positions, which have gathered much strength throughout society and have created controversy in communities in the United States and around the world. Relevant readings are integrated into the text, which purports to help schools and colleges move toward "religious literacy." For a similar perspective, see Richard J. Bernstein's The New Constellation: The Ethical-Political Horizons of Modernity/Postmodernity (1992). Suitable for upper-division undergraduates and beyond; recommended especially for use by teachers and policy makers. (From the Publisher)

These days, when popular religious movements are enthusiastic rather than reflective, it is particularly helpful for students to be given better ways of grasping the significance and strengths of their own beliefs. Nancey Murphy's new book presents the methods of contemporary argumentation analysis in a way that helps readers develop habits of critical reading and thinking that serve them well not only in religion, but in other fields of experience and action. At one and the same time easy to read, and deep in its implications, her book is something of a tour de force. (From the Publisher)

This book is the written record of seven feminists' commitment to practice what they preach-to make incarnate both the fierce and the whimsical character of that which is born in every shared effort to teach and learn with minds set on justice. (From the Publisher)

Responding to increasing enrollments of students of color, students with disabilities, students whose first language is not English, and students entering college in their mid-twenties or later, many colleges and universities are including multicultural issues in their course and curriculum preparation. Faculty members and administrators involved in multicultural initiatives will find here a suggested framework for making course and curriculum changes, along with specific examples and scenarios from a variety of disciplines. At the heart of the book is a two-dimensional model for infusing multicultural elements into a course or curriculum. The model identifies three levels of change (exclusive, inclusive, transformed) and four course components in which change can be applied (content, instructional strategies, assessment of student knowledge, and classroom dynamics). The authors suggest that instructors approach course change by focusing on one or more of these components and identifying a target level, depending on the instructor's multicultural goals and the nature of the discipline. The book draws upon the skills of experienced college and university educators to show how the model may be applied in specific disciplines and courses. This book is an indispensable, thoroughly documented resource. It will appeal to all post-secondary educators and administrators interested in creating an academic environment that reflects the needs of today's students and the reality of today's diverse society. (From the Publisher)

Here is a thoroughly original work on the meaning of teaching by one who has been widely credited with reshaping the field of religious education in the United States, and to have had a significant effect also in many other countries. Part 1 establishes a fundamental meaning for "to teach," grounding it in its most basic forms and moving from examples in the nonhuman world (what the mountain teaches the mountain climber) to communal and nonverbal forms of teaching among humans. Part 2 explores the languages of teaching and the diverse forms of speech appropriate to teaching: rhetorical forms, including storytelling and preaching; therapeutic languages; and religion's preservation of these languages in ritualized settings, including confessing and mourning. Part 3 draws out the implications of a full understanding of "to teach" for education, the school, and the teaching of morality. Showing How addresses schoolteachers, parents, counselors, ministers, administrators, and all who recognize teaching as a fundamental human act. By exposing the root meaning of teaching, the book represents a challenge to any proposals for educational reform. (From the Publisher)

This definitive "how-to" book on cooperative learning at the postsecondary level is designed to serve as a vital resource for faculty who use a collaborative approach to education. It offers an overview of the cooperative learning process, including its rationale, research base, value, and practical implementation. The authors also describe a variety of approaches to cooperative learning drawn from complementary movements such as classroom research, writing across the curriculum, computer technology, and critical thinking. (From the Publisher)

This book presents successful programs, techniques, and strategies for helping adult learners tap into their rich and diverse life experiences as a basis for growth and lifelong learning. (From the Publisher)

Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning describes the dynamics of how adults learn--and how their perceptions are transformed by learning--as a framework for formulating educational theory and practice. It presents an in-depth analysis of the ways in which adults learn, how they make meaning of the learning experience, and how their lives can be transformed by it. (From the Publisher)

The second edition of Learning in Adulthood integrates the most important contributions to adult learning in the last decade. The result is an updated, comprehensive synthesis of what we now know about adult learning--including the context in which it takes place, who the participants are, what they learn and why, the nature of the learning process itself, major theoretical developments, and much more. Sharan Merriam and Rosemary Caffarella reveal how sociocultural influences can create specific developmental needs and interests, and how such social factors as race, class, and gender can shape learning. From this background, they construct a more inclusive perspective on adult learning, guiding readers toward new ways of thinking about teaching, learning, and the broader social implications of adult education. (From the Publisher)

Each year, hundreds of academics begin new faculty appointments. Some are just launching new careers, while others are advancing to new campuses. As faculty members and their institutions struggle to ease the passage to a new environment, they are faced with critical questions. What are the challenges of the transition process? And how does that process differ for first-time faculty and seasoned faculty? Drawing on a study conducted by researchers at the National Center on Postsecondary Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, Faculty in New Jobs shows how faculty and institutions can work together to ease the transition to a new job and facilitate the process of mastering academic work. Robert Menges and his associates offer practical, real-world advice covering all phases of the faculty career--from the difficult early process of settling in, to becoming socially and academically established, to ultimately building the institutional supports necessary for a successful career. The authors provide newcomers with valuable strategies for adapting to campus culture, building professional relationships, establishing a teaching style, and successfully juggling the diverse responsibilities of the faculty role. They also explain what institutions can do to select, support, and evaluate faculty more effectively. They describe the institutional climate that supports effective faculty transitions into and out of academia. They discuss what administrators can do to help faculty better understand and participate in the institutional culture, while also challenging and changing it in positive ways. (From the Publisher)