Same course, different textbook: what to do?
Hi everyone,
I enjoyed learning about some ways to save time as an instructor. One thing that came to mind as I read about re-using materials is that textbooks change so often, making it difficult to re-use the same PowerPoints, lesson plans, etc even if you are teaching the same course. Has anyone else encountered this problem? If so, how have you dealt with it in the most time-saving way possible?
Thomas, Sometimes changes in publications can be tough. Simple updates can really throw you off. Some publishers offer overviews of their updates and this can really help.
Dr. Melissa Read
I have that same problem in my up coming term. We are updating the textbook to keep up with the certification, but it is in a different format. Same publisher and author, but different delivery
I've been in that boat several times. It depends on whether or not one has any control over the selection of the texts or whether one is dictated to -- here is your text so now teach it.
If one has some control over the texts, they can schedule it with adequate preparation time before usage. Obtaining a "desk copy" from the publisher prior to implementation is extremely helpful.
If one does not have any control or advance time, rely on one's expertise in the subject matter. Additionally, have the administrators, directors, etc., who are making these textbook decisions obtain "desk copies" from the publisher when the book change is made a give them to the instructors for preparation time.
At my present job, this experience has taken place multiple times. I found it is better to sit down and dedicate the time to redoing the material from the updated text. I have wasted time trying to manipulate information to fit the text and it failed to deliver a quality product. Yes, this involves tremendous time but the benefit of having a tailored lesson plan, PowerPoint’s, and knowing how the author interprets the topic provides a quality presentation. Not everyone has the time to redo lesson plans but I have made the time to read the new book and to select information useable for the student. I have contacted the instructor directly who has provided me with additional resources to help with lesson plan preparation. Many authors are thankful you are using their textbooks and are willing to help you in supplying supplimental resources. Overall, my feelings about starting from scratch are: Pros – increasing my personal knowledge from another’s perspective and forcing myself to improve my lesson plans and PowerPoint’s. The negative – very time consuming and will take time away from the family.
Sara, Wow, that sounds like a tough challenge. For most of us, this would be a nightmare. It's natural for us to want to prepare and be on top of things by reading through course materials before we use them to teach. For most of us, the day class starts is not the best time for materials review!
Dr. Melissa Read
Our company recently changed publishers, and the unfortunate part is that we didn't get these books until the day classes started. Not giving any time to review the chapters and compare. Pretty nerve wracking. I have compared sylibi and pulled material from previous books used, after making sure that the old material matches the new.
Rita, That sounds tough. You might ask around to see if any other instructors in your college have used the book before. Even if the publisher doesn't have standard materials to accompany the book, a fellow faculty member may have produced some that could also work.
Dr. Melissa Read
That is happening to me right now. I have a brand new textbook for the same course. Unfortunately, this book did not come with any supplemental materials, so I need to check into that first. I have already begun previewing the new text to see how much overlap there is with the old materials; I can already see I won't have to start from scratch--some of my old PowerPoints will be able to be modified. That encourages me a bit, knowing I have some material already.
