Resources

Click Here for Book Review Abstract: Catholic colleges and universities have long engaged in conversation about how to fulfill their mission in creative ways across the curriculum. The "sacramental vision" of Catholic higher education posits that God is made manifest in the study of all disciplines. Becoming Beholders is the first book to share pedagogical strategies about how to do that. Twenty faculty—from many religious backgrounds and teaching in fields as varied as chemistry, economics, English, history, mathematics, sociology, and theology—discuss ways that their teaching nourishes students' ability to find the transcendent in their studies. (From the Publisher)

Click Here for Book Review Abstract: Learning to learn is the key skill for tomorrow. This breakthrough book builds the foundation every student needs, from freshman orientation to graduate school Recent advances in brain science show that most students’ learning strategies are highly inefficient, ineffective or just plain wrong. While all learning requires effort, better learning does not require more effort, but rather effectively aligning how the brain naturally learns with the demands of your studies. This book shows you what is involved in learning new material, how the human brain processes new information, and what it takes for that information to stick with you even after the test. Taking a small amount of time to read and act upon the material in this book will prove to be one of the best decisions you can make as a learner. What you discover will change the way you learn in college and will be helpful in your personal and professional life. You live in a world where you will have to be a lifelong learner, constantly updating your skills and changing jobs to compete in the global marketplace. Most college students today will have as many as 10-14 different jobs by age 38. Learning how to learn in harmony with your brain is crucial to your long-term success. This succinct book explains straightforward strategies for changing how you prepare to learn, engage with your course material, and set about improving recall of newly learned material whenever you need it. This is not another book about study skills and time management strategies, but instead an easy-to-read description of the research about how the human brain learns in a way that you can put into practice right away. Did you know neuroscientists have shown that memories are made while you sleep, and by studying right before sleeping you can make stronger memories for your information? In this book the authors explain the role that sleep, exercise and your senses play in learning; how memory works and what makes the brain pay attention; the importance of your mindset towards learning and pattern recognition; as well as new breakthroughs in brain science that can enhance your ability to learn new information and make later recall (for tests or everyday life) easier. (From the Publisher)

A guide to developing productive student-faculty partnerships in higher education Student-faculty partnerships is an innovation that is gaining traction on campuses across the country. There are few established models in this new endeavor, however. Engaging Students as Partners in Learning and Teaching: A Guide for Faculty offers administrators, faculty, and students both the theoretical grounding and practical guidelines needed to develop student-faculty partnerships that affirm and improve teaching and learning in higher education. • Provides theory and evidence to support new efforts in student-faculty partnerships • Describes various models for creating and supporting such partnerships • Helps faculty overcome some of the perceived barriers to student-faculty partnerships • Suggests a range of possible levels of partnership that might be appropriate in different circumstances • Includes helpful responses to a range of questions as well as advice from faculty, students, and administrators who have hands-on experience with partnership programs Balancing theory, step-by-step guidelines, expert advice, and practitioner experience, this book is a comprehensive why- and how-to handbook for developing a successful student-faculty partnership program. (From the Publisher)
Information, web links, and videos explaining "A Domain of One's Own," the University of Mary (Washington) initiative whereby students craft their own web presence into a portfolio that they control and can take with them after graduating.
The developer of the University of Mary (Washington) project "A Domain of One's Own," explains the program’s innovative and expansive understanding of student e-portfolios in a TEDx talk.
Advice for students on the importance of life-long learning and some things to do to become a better learner now and throughout life.
Advice for students to get more out of reading: prepare yourself BEFORE your read, demand understanding DURING reading, and be transformed by your learning AFTER you read.
Advice for students, that recording, prioritizing, analyzing, and scheduling your assignments will help you perform better (with less stress) and maximize your learning.
Advice for students on best practices for effective learning and good grades.
Professors articulate appropriate classroom participation practices.