Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Disciplinary Approaches to Educational Enquiry

'This book argues for educational enquiry as a way to invigorate academic teaching and student learning. It takes the individual academic’s point of view as it shows how educational enquiry starts in the discipline and evolves further into an invitation for students to participate. It is important, inspiring and useful.'

(Torgny Roxå)

'This is a comprehensive and important volume. Disciplinary-focussed chapters can be read as stand alone pieces, but when combined with the introductory material in Part 1, the result is one of both breadth and depth of insight into the principles and practices of educational enquiry in a HE setting. It will be particularly useful for those starting out in discipline-based educational research, those moving into this area and those charged with supporting or leading this vital form of scholarship.'

(Simon Bates)

'For all academics who care about their own teaching and who want to engage students fully, this book will be invaluable.  The authors show how it's possible to draw on the special culture of one's own subject discipline to enhance education in ways which benefit staff as well as students. Make this the first book on your reading list.'

(Dr Dilly Fung)

'Teaching and Learning in Higher Education explores an exciting new development in higher education: educational enquiry as an approach to improving teaching and informing pedagogical and curricular design.  As this welcome guide attractively illustrates and clearly explains, educational enquiry is not just for education researchers and social scientists, but can be undertaken by academics in any discipline through methods that are a good ³fit² for their own fields. For readers who want to know why and how to get started, this is your book!' (Mary Taylor Huber)

In today's higher education climate academic staff are encouraged to focus not only on the up-to-date content of their teaching, but also to identify the most effective ways to engage students in learning, often alongside other key transferrable skills. This had led to a growing requirement for staff to adopt a scholarly approach to learning and teaching practice, and to undertake scholarship of learning and teaching as part of ongoing professional development.

This text explores broad best practice approaches to undertaking enquiry into learning and teaching in higher education. It provides an introduction for staff who have been educated within a range of academic disciplines, often with high-level but very focused knowledge about, and understandings of, research processes to the potentially new world of educational enquiry. This is complemented by chapters exploring what educational enquiry means in the context of different academic disciplines, including physical sciences, mathematics, engineering, the life sciences, the arts, the humanities, the health professions, and law.

It also includes:

• An overview of research methodology including data collection, literature reviews, good ethical practice, and research dissemination
• Case studies of actual research projects to support understanding of how to carry out educational enquiry in practice.

Lecturers, why waste time waiting for the post arrive? Request and receive your e-inspection copy today!