When the Text is Choosen for You...
It can be hard to facilitate a class if the text your are using is not one you have choosen. If the text is dry you need to find ways to call out the key topics/learnings for the students to help them get engaged.
I agree. I also develop outside materials, handouts, video clips, and group activities that turn the text material into something that becomes relevant and engaging. And when you change the delivery, you change the way the student perceives the text and the class as a whole.
It is frustrating when the text is selected for you and it may be difficult to change. However, nothing is impossible if one does not try for the benefit of the students. Reading material needs to be at the students level of understanding. information should be presented in a logical manner. Assignments should not overlap. As instructors it is our responsibility to make to class work free flowing and logical to assist in the learning process vs. hindering it. We are the experts and we are the ones who are to come together make it so.
Hi Beth,
This is a good approach to using textbooks and other printed material in the instructional process. By showing the students how they can glean information from all materials, even though some may not be too exciting, you are giving them a very valuable learning method. You are showing them how to find content that will be of help to them as they grow in their careers. They will find this important throughout their entire careers.
Gary
I agree that it can be quite difficult to teach using books and other materials that are not conducive for you to teach to your maximum potential. I am lucky in that the books my college chooses for the classes I teach are interesting, thought-provoking, and good reads. Of course there are always chapters or sections that are not as worthwhile or appealing, but you must make the most of them in order to appeal to the students. Just as some of these readings or other materials may be not so interesting, a lot of what we read in our daily lives, or are required to do for work, can also be not so interesting, but we have to do it anyway for a certain purpose. Finding ways to understand and better engage with the material will help our students see that even things they once believed were not so great can be made great through a different viewpoint or perspective.
I prefer to use supplemental materials for my classes. I just feel that it provides a more personalized feel to the class as well. Even if the book is a good fit for the class, additional materials help the information to be more exciting and sometime more current. I find this a great way to discuss current events in the topic area by bringing in material that may be only a week or so old. It keeps the students thinking other than just relying on the book.
Hi Oriole,
The company I have been using for the past five years is www.universityreaders.com (800-200-3908). They do a great job of putting the packets together. They handle everything after I send them the materials. The students order the packets online and when they do they receive 10% of the packet downloaded immediately. This is so they can get started reading from the minute they order the packet. The hard copy is sent withing three days of the order. The cost is very reasonable. You can order different bindings depending on how your students are going to use the packets. For example I have a number of case studies in my packet so the students will be writing in the packets so I use a comb binding and so the packets lay flat on the students' desks.
Gary
Hi Gary,
I would love to know more about the online publishing company. We are going to a new book soon and it is very simplistic, it will not cover near the material we are now. I would love to have a handout that would cover important topics not covered by our new book.
Thanks,
O
Hi Avril,
I don't have any real insight in how you best can find this balance because it depends on the course content and how you teach that content. I have developed my own packet of content for my classes because I couldn't find a textbook that was current enough and reasonable cost. I use an online publishing company that makes my customized packet for a reasonable cost. They secure the copyrights for me and put the content together. This has met the needs for me and my students. If you would like any additional information I will be glad to share it with you.
Gary
I've struggled with this issue as well. I want students to purchase the book because there is some valuable information there, but some of my classes tend to focus more on handouts and supporting materials. I would like to do a better job at striking a balance. Any additional insight you could give on this would be greatly appreciated.
Marc,
I disagree. I feel we rip off the student with books that only cover basics. I always explain that we don't have time to cover all the material, but we chose the book because it does and will provide a great reference in the future.
In 10 weeks there isn’t anyway I can cover more than the basics. We do use our book for 2 classes, which saves the student the cost of another book. The book we use now is also used by the students in the Sr. design classes.
I am more than a little upset, as we will be going to a very basic book in the near future. I feel this will give the student the impression that this is all they need to know. I sure hope I’m wrong.
And additional frustration will occur when the chosen textbook is too large and comprehensive for the prescribed length of the term. Perhaps the textbook was designed for a full college semester (or even two semesters), but is being used in a term lasting only a few weeks.
The instructor will not ignore the book, but can hardly make a dent in it. The students feel ripped-off, both academically and financially.
Hi Stacie,
While I was in school, almost none of my lab classes had a textbook, mainly because there were none. Today, there are lots of books for the subjects.
I didn't miss the books because our teachers made us write our own which were due at the end of the semester along with our finial projects.
I found the act of writing down information as it was demonstrated, really helped me understand the subject better. I didn't need to refer back to "my" book as often just because I had written it.
I try to be creative by using the material to develop worksheets and to try and relate experiences I have had to the subject matter. I also ask the advice of other instructors that have taught the material in the past and get input on what they have done.
Hi Rebecca,
This is good information for instructors. They can be successful with a text that they didn't select if they have to continue using it. It make take some time and effort but you can use parts of a text that you really don't think is the best while providing supporting materials. Good to hear that you were able to find a balance so your students are satisfied that their text is being used enough to justify the cost but that you get to provide them with supplemental materials that are relevant.
Gary
I think creativity with the text is important, but I also think a proactive approach is key. Go see your dept. chair about changing books. It tends to take time, but it will be worth it in the long run.
Also, we should keep in mind that ignoring the book causes frustration among students since they feel they wasted money on it.
Hi Stacie,
Good point about the text. With a text, whether it is the best or not, gives you a reference base that you can use for your students' reading.
Gary
At one time, I worked for several years with a text that was chosen for me that was inadequate but that I could not get changed. When teching with that textbook, I used a great deal of supplementary material that I felt contributed to the learning level of my students. However, I sometimes got complaints from students that I was not making the most of the text they had purchased for the class; they felt as if they had wasted their money on a book that they were required to purchase. When I started using more of the chosen text, my students struggled to grasp the information. I was eventually able to strike a good balance between the text and the supplementary materials.
I have had to use supplemental resources for one of my classes because there is no book assigned to the course. I like to use the book for a guideline and not having one was a slight challenge and the students have made commets that they wish there was a book.So I really feel that having a book assigned is better than not having one.
I have found that using supplemental materials and handouts have received a positive response from the students.
