Priciples of Efective Teaching
Principles for Effective Teaching By Patricia Smittle
ABSTRACT: Effective teaching in developmental education is one of the most challenging jobs in the college teaching profession. The search for teaching excellence in this field extends beyond basic cognitive issues to address noncognitive needs of underprepared students also. The six principles for effective developmental education teaching reviewed in the article are the product of integrating research findings from successful developmental education programs and general principles for effective teaching in undergraduate education. The principles focus on key elements that teachers may use to support effective teaching.
Many teaching professionals spend their entire careers in search of teaching excellence. This search may be even more important when students are underprepared adults. These students lack the foundation and skills required for rigorous college curriculum and many of them have adult responsibilities that place excessive demands on their time and other resources. These students present challenges to developmental educators that often far exceed those presented by traditional college students: “How to guide and teach students who are underprepared for traditional college level studies is the thorniest single problem for community colleges” (Cohen & Brawer, 1982, p. 236 ). This challenge extends throughout all levels of postsecondary education with developmental education serving as a gateway to postsecondary education for many students in this country. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in 1999-2000, 32% of all freshmen in 4-year colleges and universities and 41% of community college freshmen required remedial education (NCES, 2001).
Research findings of successful developmental education programs and general principles of effective practice in teaching offer a
ABSTRACT: Effective teaching in developmental education is one of the most challenging jobs in the college teaching profession. The search for teaching excellence in this field extends beyond basic cognitive issues to address noncognitive needs of underprepared students also. The six principles for effective developmental education teaching reviewed in the article are the product of integrating research findings from successful developmental education programs and general principles for effective teaching in undergraduate education. The principles focus on key elements that teachers may use to support effective teaching.
Many teaching professionals spend their entire careers in search of teaching excellence. This search may be even more important when students are underprepared adults. These students lack the foundation and skills required for rigorous college curriculum and many of them have adult responsibilities that place excessive demands on their time and other resources. These students present challenges to developmental educators that often far exceed those presented by traditional college students: “How to guide and teach students who are underprepared for traditional college level studies is the thorniest single problem for community colleges” (Cohen & Brawer, 1982, p. 236 ). This challenge extends throughout all levels of postsecondary education with developmental education serving as a gateway to postsecondary education for many students in this country. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in 1999-2000, 32% of all freshmen in 4-year colleges and universities and 41% of community college freshmen required remedial education (NCES, 2001).
Research findings of successful developmental education programs and general principles of effective practice in teaching offer a