Teaching Effectively: Award Winning Faculty Share Their Views

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the phenomena of effective teaching for award winning faculty instructors at the University of Missouri. Nine university faculty members were selected to participate in this study based on their recognition as award winning instructors and by nomination from their respective college's academic dean. Each participant took part in a semistructured interview with a member of the research team. After analysis, several themes were identified and fell into two broad categories dealing first with the act of effective teaching and second, the act of becoming and evolving as an effective teacher. One sub-theme was the need to focus on students. While all acknowledged the importance of course content, they noted that if the focus is not on the student, content is of little consequence. Additionally, sub-themes indicated that effective teaching required dialogue, was relevant and led to critical thinking and progression which caused students to think about content in a new way. Further, themes describing teaching as scholarship and teaching and learning being a process of growth emerged. These themes provide valuable insight into how award winning faculty instructors think about their teaching.

Student Engagement in a Team-Based Capstone Course: A Comparison of What Students Do and What Instructors Value

“…Information gleaned from instruments such as CLASSE has implications for instructors in higher education and can be useful in determining the benefits of new pedagogies highlighting various instructional innovations employed by instructors within colleges of agriculture (Maxwell, et al, 2011). Additionally, this preliminary investigation offers insight on engagement promoted with a student-centered teaching approach; those needing validation as potential "…present day best practices and research-based pedagogies…" (Edgar et al, 2016, p. 39).…”

“…Regarding institutional conditions, the teaching and learning approaches utilized are of considerable importance to student success. Unsettlingly, those who teach within institutions of higher education are generally not trained in any formal means of pedagogy, curriculum design, or assessment strategies (Maxwell, Vincent, & Ball, 2011).…”

Innovative Classroom Strategies that Prepare College Graduates for Workplace Success

“…The goal of the open-ended interview format was to explore the experiences of instructors using interpretive, constructivist, and naturalistic approaches. Maxwell et al's (2011) framework for effective teaching was published after this study was constructed. So, while it did not influence the a priori propositions, it did influence interpretation of the findings.…”

“…The resulting framework for effective college teaching helped exemplary teaching faculty conceptualize effective teaching ( Figure 1). The framework focuses on two broad themes: (1) the act of effective teaching, and (2) the act of becoming and evolving as an effective teacher (Maxwell et al, 2011). Each of these themes has component sub-themes, which add depth to the teacher's understanding.…”

“…Second, "teaching and learning as growth" reflects a consensus in the study that effective teachers approach teaching as though it is a continuous process of improvement and growth. Central to this theme was that effective teachers seek out local, regional, and national professional development activities, as well as collaborate with colleagues (Maxwell et al, 2011).…”