The Whole Faculty Study Groups Fieldbook

In this practical guide, an experienced group of contributors provide concrete strategies and real-world examples for implementing this highly successful design for professional learning communities.

'Whole-Faculty Study Groups' presents illustrative examples, snapshots of real-world situations, and instructions for the development and implementation of whole-faculty study groups in schools.

Build a dynamic system for change! From NCLB to Common Core standards, we are inundated with directives for improving our schools. How can we really create lasting change? By applying the Change Creation system! Learning community pioneers Dale Lick, Karl Clauset, and Carlene Murphy lead teachers, principals, and schools in this dynamic approach to school improvement. With a free, comprehensive online collection of practical resources, this book shows you how to: Develop the right vision, relationships, and culture to create and sustain change Model learning-inquiry cycles for action teams for success Build loyalty, trust, and responsibility within your teams and across the school

Used by hundreds of schools and school districts across the country, the Whole-Faculty Study Group (WFSG) System is a student-driven, holistic process for facilitating major staff development and schoolwide change. While providing a step-by-step methodology for the development and implementation of successful WFSGs, this newest edition of Murphy and Lick's groundbreaking bestseller incorporates the most current theoretical concepts on change, the latest refinements to change management procedures, and a wealth of new experiences from more than two thousand individual study groups. Other significant revisions to this edition include: Three additional chapters: the research foundation for WFSGs, how to recognize and understand school culture, and fourteen key findings A reorganization of chapters to make the book even more reader-friendly New material on timely topics such as "learning communities" and "learning teams" An increased focus on assessment of student results Updated sets of resources and illustrations in the appendix WFSGs are a proven way to successfully reform, improve, and transition schools to meet tomorrow's needs. Filled with real-world examples and illustrative cases, this book provides both the practical knowledge and the theoretical foundation necessary to negotiate the societal, organizational, and cultural barriers affecting education. This new edition is essential for administrators, teachers, and staff in K-12 schools, as well as district level administrators, teachers of education, and anyone interested in increasing student learning.

The Full-Time Faculty Handbook is a guide to the life of a college professor. Editors Virginia Bianco-Mathis and Neal Chalofsky examine the major components of a life in the academy-teaching, advising, publishing, research and service. Practical, comprehensive, and engaging, this handy guide appeals to a broad audience across all academic disciplines-from new professors to tenured faculty. Themes that are introduced and woven throughout the book include: + The basics of academic life + Key strategies for success + Political realities vs. the "ideal" + Managing your career-creating your own schedule, roadmap, and network + Assessing where you are and what needs to be done + Finding, fueling, and maintaining your passion The authors also address the latest trends in the field that are affecting time-honored teaching traditions, such as distance learning, outcome assessment, continuous learning, and the evolving roles and responsibilities of full-time faculty.

A guide to thirty-five creative assignments for pairs and groups Collaborative Learning Techniques is the bestseller that college and university faculty around the world have used to help them make the most of small group learning. A mountain of evidence shows that students who learn in small groups together exhibit higher academic achievement, motivation, and satisfaction than those who don't. Collaborative learning puts into practice the major conclusion from learning theory: that students must be actively engaged in building their own minds. In this book, the authors synthesize the relevant research and theory to support thirty-five collaborative learning activities for use in both traditional and online classrooms. This second edition reflects the changed world of higher education. New technologies have opened up endless possibilities for college teaching, but it's not always easy to use these technologies effectively. Updated to address the challenges of today's new teaching environments, including online, "flipped," and large lectures, Collaborative Learning Techniques is a wonderful reference for educators who want to make the most of any course environment. This revised and expanded edition includes: Additional techniques, with an all-new chapter on using games to provide exciting, current, technologically-sophisticated curricula A section on effective online implementation for each of the thirty-five techniques Significantly expanded pedagogical rationale and updates on the latest research showing how and why collaborative learning works Examples for implementing collaborative learning techniques in a variety of learning environments, including large lecture classes and "flipped" classes Expanded guidance on how to solve common problems associated with group work The authors guide instructors through all aspects of group work, providing a solid grounding in what to do, how to do it, and why it is important for student learning. The detailed procedures in Collaborative Learning Techniques will help teachers make sure group activities go smoothly, no matter the size or delivery method of their classes. With practical advice on how to form student groups, assign roles, build team spirit, address unexpected problems, and evaluate and grade student participation, this new edition of the international classic makes incorporating effective group work easy.