Two types of research, general theoretical and specific practical, are involved in the evaluation and improvement of university teaching. Not all faculty members can or will carry out general theoretical research, although they can benefit from its findings. However, all can and should carry out specific practical research on their own teaching.…

Classroom research addresses the why and how of learning, encouraging teachers to use their classrooms as laboratories for the study of learning. At its best it involves students as collaborators rather than as subjects. Classroom research has the potential for creating teaching and learning communities with the shared goal of understanding…

In a study of effectiveness of classroom assessment techniques (CATs) on student learning, two college accounting teachers each taught two classes, one using CATs and one not using them. Course results did not suggest greater learning in CATs classes, better student participation, or more positive attitudes. Further research is recommended on the…

In a study of the utility of classroom assessment techniques (CATs) for improving quality of college instruction, ten instructors were trained in CAT use, implemented those techniques, and discussed experiences with other faculty. Faculty found CATs particularly helpful in certain areas of instruction and planned further use. Students also…

Research on group performance and student teaming is summarized, and a new classroom assessment technique for guiding and monitoring student teams is described. The model provides for early, midway, and summative assessment of collective effort and accounts for a range of social functions in the team environment. Results of this technique's use…

Although there is a small body of research on effective teaching techniques, questions to be answered include those concerning criteria of effective teaching, reliability of current measures, and the possibility of developing an enlightened policy for evaluating teaching. (MSE)

The University of Guelph's Office for Educational Practice, an administrative unit for instructional development that relies on faculty volunteer leadership and participation, is described and discussed in the context of research on improvement of instructional effectiveness. (MSE)

College teaching effectiveness, as perceived by students, can be predicted from specific, observable classroom behaviors of the instructor and can be improved through feedback and training procedures designed to modify these behaviors. (Author/MSE)

Understanding the link between classroom assessment techniques (CATs) and cognitive learning theory not only allows college teachers to choose and design CATs that fit particular classroom needs, but helps them explicate to students the potential applications of CATs to study strategies in general. Once students make this leap, the effects of a…

Research that provides a detailed analysis of college instructor expressiveness indicates that it influences student achievement and perceptions of teacher control in the classroom, but not for all students or in all classrooms. This body of research can contribute to development of models for classroom instruction. (MSE)

Summarizes results of a study on implementation and impact of classroom assessment techniques (CATs) in community colleges, examining how classroom assessment has been applied by teachers, documenting changes in teaching behaviors, and considering costs and benefits. Also examines students' experiences and satisfaction with courses taught using…

Three college instructors, teaching very different content (management, political science, and literature) and using classroom assessment techniques (CATs), compared the results. All found that CATs contributed to self-reflection, that designing CATs helps faculty focus on course and class goals, and that responding to CATs requires students to…