FACULTY RESOURCES
Welcome to the resource page for instructors of Honors College classes. Working with honors students can present opportunities and challenges, and these resources will help you to prepare.
- “Teaching Honors” by S. Schuman in Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council 2005 Fall/Winter p31-33. Abstract: “The writer describes the characteristics of great honors teachers. These characteristics are loving their subject matter, loving their students, and acting as a link between the subject matter and their students. The writer clarifies that these characteristic apply to non-honors teachers as well. He concludes that sharing the teaching burden with students, the willingness to experiment with different pedagogies, and pushing students beyond the confines of syllabus are some factors more associated with honors teachers than non-honors teachers.”
- “The Dos and Don’ts of Instruction: What it Means to Teach Gifted Learners Well” by C. Tomlinson for the National Association for Gifted Children. Tomlinson explores several facets of good and poor instruction tips for gifted learners.
- “Reading and Writing Critically” posted by R. Reis on the Tomorrow’s Professor Mailing List. Dr. Reis highlights an excerpt from the book Teaching for Critical Thinking: Tools and Techniques to Help Students Question Their Assumptions by Stephen Brookfield. The text focuses on misunderstandings relating to the concept of critical reading.
- “Designing a First-Year Honors Seminar with a Whole New Mind” by E. Goldberger in Honors in Practice 2012 v8 p79-84. Abstract: “An essay is presented which describes the innovative details of a honors course being used in Mount Ida College. The author states that the mission of the Honors Scholars Program (HSP) is to promote creative thinking, interdisciplinary study, and close monitoring relationships with faculty and requires a first-year honors seminar. She notes that the book “A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future,” by Daniel Pink made her realize that she need to change the way she was teaching.”
- “The Last Class: Critical Thinking, Reflection, Course Effectiveness, and Student Engagement” by E. Bleicher in Honors in Practice 2011 v7 p39-51. Abstract: “The article describes a critical thinking assignment called “The Last Class” which has been proven to be so transformative for the students in the college honors program. It notes that the educational practice, which was based on the constructivist learning theory, aims to foster critical thinking and develop motivated, independent learners. It cites the prompts in the Last Class program including writing assignments, in-class activities and outside-class activities, and favorite parts of the course. It further indicates the significance of the activity on the improvement of a course syllabus.”
- “Majoring in the Minor: A Closer Look at Experiential Learning” by Bernice Braid in Honors in Practice 2008 v4 p37-42. Abstract: “A revised version of a plenary address delivered at the annual meeting of the North Carolina Honors Association at Fayetteville State University on September 28–29, 2007. The writer considers the role of experiential learning in pedagogy. She describes a number of examples of experiential learning and argues that experiential learning is a vital part of pedagogy and that it can enhance other forms of teaching and learning.”
- “More than a COIN Flip: Improving Honors Education with Real Time Simulations Based on Contemporary Events” by K. Hackemer in Honors in Practice 2010 v6 p75-84. Abstract: “The writer discusses the concept of using real-time simulations of contemporary events for improving honors education. He uses the example of the 2003 U.S. intervention in Afghanistan to oust the Taliban, and the subsequent insurgency situation there, in conceptualizing and designing an honors course. Although this approach involves a certain amount of risk and requires a great deal of flexibility, it can be extraordinarily effective in engaging students with their course materials and the world around them.”
- “Bridging the Divides: Using a Collaborative Honors Research Experience to Link Academic Learning to Civic Issues” by A.D. Fink and M.L. Lunsford in Honors in Practice 2009 v5 p97-113. Abstract: “The writers discuss the research project for honors students at the Longwood University. The aim was that this project would serve as a unique and powerful learning experience and as a means of academically engaging in the campus’s two-year “sustainability” theme. The project had a number of distinctive features. First, the project was a collaborative effort between two lower-level honors classes, one in science and one in statistics. Second, during one semester, the students in these two classes engaged in the entire research process. Third, this research was carried by mostly first- and second-year students who were not majors in a scientific or mathematical field. Fourth, the project tied the students’ research to the larger issue of sustainability and challenged the students to consider this issue as engaged citizens.”
- “Team Teaching on a Shoestring Budget” by J. Ford and L. Gray in Honors in Practice 2011 v7 p103-111. Abstract: “An essay is presented about the different models for team teaching in the Rogers State University Honors Program in Claremore, Oklahoma which do not involve significant financial expense. The author discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the said educational approach and highlights the teaching collaboration on subject areas such as literature, art, and philosophy. He discusses the team teaching models which include unpaid overload, guest lectures, and shared assignments approach.”
- “Team Teaching a Cross-Disciplinary Honors Course: Preparation and Development” by M. Letterman and K. Dugan in College Teaching 2004 v52.2 p76-79. Abstract: “Collaborative teaching is used in many college and university programs to foster student enthusiasm and inquiry and to promote interdisciplinary learning. A literature review reveals benefits and pitfalls, but it lacks sufficient information for instructing team teachers in planning collaborative courses. In this article, we outline suggestions from a combination of sources, including informal written and verbal conversations with faculty members and our own experience. Collaborators for a team-taught course should talk to experienced others, review the literature, become acquainted with one another’s teaching style, open the channels for communication, and anticipate and plan for interjecting and turn-taking strategies, potential power dimensions, and sources of conflict.”
- “Peer Review Across Disciplines: Improving Student Performance in the Honors Humanities Classroom” by J. Barst, A. Brooks, L. Cempellin, and B. Kleinjan in Honors in Practice 2011 v7 p127-136. Abstract: “The article discusses the significance of student peer review in the honors humanities classes at South Dakota State University and its potential use for other disciplines. It states that the method helps reduce faculty workload and enables students develop their critical thinking and analysis through evaluating the work of others. It elaborates how student peer review was successfully utilized at the university’s humanities classes which include composition classes, communication studies and theatre, and art history. It cites the benefits of peer review as a teaching methodology in the university which include the decline of the number of failed or dropped out students.”
- “To Discuss or Not to Discuss: Integrating Pedagogies for Honors and Mathematics” by W. Griffiths, N. Reichert, and L.R. Ritter in Honors in Practice 2010 v6 p85-99. Abstract: “The writers discuss the concept of classroom discussion and its importance as a tool to enrich critical thinking. They note that while students of social sciences and the humanities are allowed the privilege of collaborative discussion, mathematics students are typically asked to think critically within the context of their coursework. The writers examine whether greater discussion in mathematics classrooms would promote student thinking and improve problem-solving processes. Based on the multiple perspectives that emerged from their study, the writers conclude that discussion has an important role in mathematics classes, offering students similar opportunities to those found in other fields.”
- Honors in Practice full journal “Honors in Practice (HIP) accommodates our members’ need and desire for articles about nuts-and-bolts issues, innovative practices in individual Honors programs, and other Honors topics of concern to the membership. HIP publishes practical and descriptive essays, including descriptions of successful Honors courses, suggestions for out-of-class experiences, and administrative issues. The journal is published annually.Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council
- Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council full journal Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council (JNCHC) is a refereed periodical publishing scholarly articles stressing research in and on Honors education. Articles include analyses of trends in teaching methodology, articles on interdisciplinary efforts, discussions of problems common to Honors programs, items on the national higher education agenda, and presentations of emergent issues relevant to Honors education.
Lauren Bellard, the Honors College Librarian, is available to help Honors students and faculty with library use or research questions. Contact Lauren at [email protected]u.