196 Book Review s/Comptes Rendus h o n e their o w n lecturing techniques, to n e w faculty l o o k i n g f o r support b e f o r e g i v i n g their first f e w lectures. W h i l e it is difficult to a d e q u a t e l y serve such a w i d e audience, What's the Use of Lectures? does a good j o b of b l e n d i n g multiple objectives in a w a y that is of use to each of these groups. T h e fifth edition of What's the Use of Lectures? is a valuable and u s e f u l addition to the higher education literature. 4r- ^ • M i c h e l e M a r i n c o v i c h , Jack Prostko, & F r e d e r i c S t o u t (Eds). (1998). The Professional Development of Graduate Teaching Assistants. Bolton, MA: A n k e r P u b l i s h i n g C o m p a n y . P a g e s : 328. Price: $ 3 5 . 9 5 U S (hardcover). Reviewed by Dieter Schonwetter, University Teaching Services, The University of Manitoba. The Professional Development of Graduate Teaching Assistants is a c o m p i l a t i o n o f the skills, e x p e r i e n c e s , w i s d o m , a n d visions o f c o n c e r n e d researchers and practitioners representing various centres of Teaching A s s i s t a n t ( T A ) d e v e l o p m e n t . It p r o m o t e s t h e s c h o l a r s h i p o f t e a c h i n g t h r o u g h t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f T A s b y m e e t i n g their p r e s e n t a n d f u t u r e p e d a g o g i c a l n e e d s . T h e text b e g i n s w i t h a historical o v e r v i e w o f T A d e v e l o p m e n t , f o l l o w e d b y the role of centralized and departmentally run p r o g r a m s , t h e c o m m o n a l t i e s o f TA training, a p p r o p r i a t e m e t h o d o l o g i e s , a s s e s s m e n t a n d e v a l u a t i o n , a n d c o n c l u d e s w i t h the f u t u r e d e v e l o p m e n t p r o g r a m s issues. T h e early beginnings, current themes, and future issues of TA developm e n t are discussed in chapter one. Historical concerns are illustrated as a progression o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n : " N o t h i n g to Say," "Private Conversations," " C a n W e Talk?," and " E x t e n d i n g the C o n v e r s a t i o n " (p. 1). C u r r e n t p r o g r a m t h e m e s include: t e a c h i n g in n o n t r a d i t i o n a l settings, u s i n g t e c h n o l o g i c a l a d v a n c e s , a c c e s s for all g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s , encouraging r e f l e c t i o n , a p r o g r e s s i o n of d e v e l o p m e n t t h r o u g h o u t t h e g r a d u a t e s ' p r o g r a m , a n d t h e c o m b i n e d e f f o r t s o f p e e r s , m e n t o r s , advisors, a n d f a c u l t y d e v e l o p e r s . T h e skills and k n o w l e d g e base awaiting f u t u r e faculty include: interdisciplinary connections, interactive pedagogy, student The Canadian Journal of Higher Education Volume XXX, No. 1, 2000 197 Book Review s/Comptes Rendus l e a r n i n g , i n s t r u c t i o n a l d e s i g n , t e a m w o r k , a p p l i c a t i o n , diversity, a s s e s s m e n t , a n d d e a l i n g e f f e c t i v e l y w i t h others. T h e i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d institutional p l a c e m e n t of t h e s e p r o g r a m s are the f o c u s o f c h a p t e r two. C e n t r a l i z e d p r o g r a m s are u s u a l l y f o u n d w i t h i n the institution or part of a larger p r o g r a m of f a c u l t y d e v e l o p m e n t . P r o g r a m e f f e c t i v e n e s s is o f t e n d e t e r m i n e d b y t h e s u p p o r t a n d c o m m i t m e n t o f a n a d v i s o r y t e a m c o m p r i s e d of c a m p u s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , faculty, and graduate students. Their responsibilities include: policy making, publicity, assessments, planning, and collaboration with expert staff. T h i s p a r t n e r s h i p p r o v i d e s d i r e c t i o n in p r e p a r i n g f u t u r e f a c u l t y w i t h a c o m m i t m e n t a n d a p p r e c i a t i o n of the c o m p l e x i t i e s o f teaching. C h a p t e r three highlights departments as best suited for training T A s w i t h effective teaching strategies that are discipline and content specific. Training involves: departmental orientations, o n g o i n g training activities, a n d w o r k s h o p s , f o c u s i n g o n issues o f s t u d e n t l e a r n i n g styles, t e a c h i n g styles, presentation skills, classroom m a n a g e m e n t , and teaching techniques. T h e departmental efforts p r o d u c e effective teachers for undergraduate students, a unity in the department around the scholarship of teaching, a n d the professional d e v e l o p m e n t of TAs for present and future pedagogical duties. C h a p t e r f o u r f o c u s e s o n the d e v e l o p m e n t a l p r o c e s s o f a TA, b e g i n n i n g w i t h a s e n i o r learner, a d v a n c i n g to a j u n i o r c o l l e a g u e in training, a n d e n d i n g w i t h a j u n i o r colleague. U n i q u e to e a c h of t h e s e stages are T A c o n c e r n s , d i s c o u r s e , a n d r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h s t u d e n t s a n d authority. T A s u p e r v i s o r s are c h a l l e n g e d to b e flexible, a d a p t i n g to the d e v e l o p m e n t a l n e e d s o f the TA, a n d to i n c r e m e n t a l l y t r a n s f e r responsibility spec i f i c to the d e v e l o p m e n t a l r e a d i n e s s of the TA. A b o v e all, m e n t o r s are e n c o u r a g e d to e n g a g e TAs in the act o f r e f l e c t i o n t h r o u g h o p p o r t u n i t i e s to v o i c e i n n e r s t r u g g l e s , f e e l i n g s , a n d o p i n i o n s , t h e r e b y e m p o w e r i n g T A s to e m b r a c e t e a c h i n g as a shared enterprise. C h a p t e r f i v e e n c o u r a g e s T A d e v e l o p e r s to create a sensitivity in T A s about the learning dynamics of undergraduate students. Students are k n o w n to u s e a v a r i e t y o f p r e f e r e n c e s , skills, a p t i t u d e s , a n d p a s t succ e s s e s a n d to h o l d d i f f e r e n t e x p e c t a n c i e s , attitudes a n d v a l u e s , w h i c h in turn, all i n f l u e n c e w h a t a n d h o w m u c h is learned. B e i n g a w a r e of t h e s e i n d i v i d u a l d i f f e r e n c e s is n o t o n l y b e n e f i c i a l for the t e a c h i n g enterprise, b u t also p r o v i d e s TAs w i t h a better u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f their o w n learning. The Canadian Journal of Higher Education Volume XXX, No. 1, 2000 198 Book Review s/Comptes Rendus C h a p t e r six p r o v i d e s strategies for training TAs to deal w i t h diversity in t h e c l a s s r o o m . Various diversity issues are identified a n d appropriate r e s p o n s e s p r o v i d e d . In order to efficiently train TAs to deal w i t h diversity, f a c u l t y n e e d to b e e d u c a t e d as well. T h i s requires a n e w sensitivity to the subtle n a t u r e in w h i c h r a c i s m exists in the current c l a s s r o o m , as w e l l as interventions in the f o r m of a p r o g r e s s i v e c o n t i n u u m of c h a n g e t h r o u g h b i o g r a p h i e s , v i d e o t a p e s , and print materials, c a m p u s - w i d e w o r k s h o p s , TA d e v e l o p m e n t , a n d individual a n d d e p a r t m e n t a l consultation. C h a p t e r s e v e n p r o v i d e s u s e f u l suggestions, tools, and r e s o u r c e s f o r c r e a t i n g a n e w T A d e v e l o p m e n t p r o g r a m . F o r p r o g r a m s to b e v i a b l e , t h e y n e e d to " d e v e l o p a realistic organizational p l a n , d e m o n s t r a t e e f f e c t i v e n e s s quickly, a n d b e g i n t h e p r o c e s s of b u i l d i n g a c o n s t i t u e n c y b a s e f o r l o n g - t e r m p r o g r a m m a t i c g r o w t h " (p. 122). B u i l d i n g a c o m p r e h e n s i v e p r o g r a m r e q u i r e s n e e d s a s s e s s m e n t f o r strategic p l a n n i n g p u r p o s e s a n d a sensitivity to m e e t i n g the n e e d s of the TA at e a c h level o f d e v e l o p m e n t . M o r e o v e r , a p r o g r a m ' s greatest strength is in its alliance w i t h a n d contrib u t i o n s o f t e a c h i n g a w a r d w i n n e r s , a n d its r e l i a n c e o n T A s as p r o g r a m c o n s u l t a n t s , m e n t o r s , a n d recruiters. C h a p t e r eight p r o v i d e s guidelines and resources for designing a course o n teaching. Current courses r a n g e f r o m content specific to general technical aspects of teaching. Ideally, courses should explore effective teaching t h r o u g h t h e o r i e s a n d relevant e m p i r i c a l research. T e c h n i c a l c o u r s e s are best administered prior to a TA's teaching responsibilities, w h i l e scholarship o f t e a c h i n g courses are best c o n d u c t e d near the end of a TA's p r o g r a m . C o u r s e s should b e taught b y scholarship of teaching experts. T r a i n i n g o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l T A s ( I T A ) is t h e f o c u s o f c h a p t e r n i n e . A l t h o u g h English language skills are important, ITAs need skills of interactive t e a c h i n g to b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d h o w their students c o m p r e h e n d , s o l v e p r o b l e m s , a n d a p p l y learning. T h i s is best a c c o m p l i s h e d t h r o u g h student f e e d b a c k on ITA classroom teaching, discussions on culture expectations, and role-playing classroom scenarios T r a i n i n g I T A s is m o s t b e n e f i c i a l w h e n c o n d u c t e d t h r o u g h a n e t w o r k of c o l l e a g u e s in the f o r m o f a p p r e n t i c e s h i p p r o g r a m s a n d c o - t e a c h i n g . M o s t i m p o r t a n t is the g u i d a n c e , f e e d b a c k , a n d r e f l e c t i o n t h r o u g h w e e k l y m e e t i n g s w e r e relev a n t i s s u e s c a n b e d i s c u s s e d w i t h others. The Canadian Journal ofHigher Education Volume XXX, No. 1, 2000 199 Book Review s/Comptes Rendus C h a p t e r t e n o f f e r s s u g g e s t i o n s a n d r e s o u r c e s o n h o w to i m p r o v e T A s ' r e s p o n d i n g to a n d e v a l u a t i n g o f u n d e r g r a d u a t e w r i t i n g . T r a i n i n g r e q u i r e s a c k n o w l e d g i n g a n d d e a l i n g w i t h T A s ' n e e d s a n d f e a r s as writers. T A s are e n c o u r a g e d to m o v e b e y o n d m e c h a n i c a l skills a n d to a d o p t w r i t i n g as a p r o c e s s of learning, f o c u s i n g o n m a k i n g c o m p e l l i n g ideas, j u s t i f y i n g a r g u m e n t s , w r i t i n g to a n a u d i e n c e , u s i n g c o r r e c t t o n e , a n d v i v i d a n d clear l a n g u a g e . T r a i n i n g s h o u l d o c c u r o v e r t i m e to parallel t h e w r i t i n g p r o c e s s of u n d e r g r a d u a t e s . C o n f i d e n t a b o u t their w r i t i n g p r o c e s s , T A s can m o r e e f f e c t i v e l y t e a c h others. C h a p t e r e l e v e n f o c u s e s o n t r a i n i n g TAs in t h e u s e o f t e c h n o l o g y . Initial steps i n v o l v e r e m o v i n g the intimidation that m a n y T A s (and f a c u l t y ) h a v e t o w a r d s u s i n g t e c h n o l o g y a n d reiterating the i m p o r t a n c e of h a v i n g a w e l l - e s t a b l i s h e d , w e l l - d e s i g n e d c o u r s e as f u n d a m e n t a l to its u s e . C o n v e n t i o n a l a n d e m e r g i n g c l a s s r o o m t e c h n o l o g i e s a n d their p e d a g o g i c a l f u n c t i o n s are described. Part of training is to f a m i l i a r i z e TAs to t h e t e c h n o l o g y , t e a c h i n g support, r e s o u r c e s , a n d a u d i o v i s u a l services. C h a p t e r t w e l v e deals w i t h i m p r o v i n g a n d d e v e l o p i n g t e a c h i n g e f f e c tiveness through formative and summative evaluations. The effectiven e s s o f e v a l u a t i o n s is o f t e n d e p e n d e n t o n a c o n s u l t a n t t o p r o v i d e relevant feedback, encouragement, and suggestions. Different proced u r e s for g a t h e r i n g f o r m a t i v e e v a l u a t i o n d a t a i n c l u d e p e e r o b s e r v a t i o n , c h e c k lists, v i d e o t a p e , s t u d e n t f e e d b a c k , a n d T A s ' t e a c h i n g m a t e r i a l s . G u i d e l i n e s are p r o v i d e d for s u m m a t i v e e v a l u a t i o n f r o m d e v e l o p i n g the q u e s t i o n s f o r a r a t i n g f o r m , a d m i n i s t e r i n g of s t u d e n t ratings, interpreting results, a n d i n c l u d i n g o b s e r v a t i o n s a n d other sources of i n f o r m a t i o n . T e a c h i n g p o r t f o l i o s are i n t r o d u c e d in c h a p t e r thirteen as a tool for e n h a n c i n g t h e s c h o l a r s h i p o f teaching. S a m p l e s of c u r r e n t p r a c t i c e s are p r o v i d e d . A n e f f e c t i v e p o r t f o l i o is v i e w e d as selective in the s a m p l i n g of t e a c h i n g artifacts, i n c l u s i v e in t e r m s o f t e a c h i n g a n d t h e f u l l r a n g e o f f a c u l t y responsibilities, as r e f l e c t i v e in nature, and as s u p p o r t i v e o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l ' s t e a c h i n g strengths. A m o n g the b e n e f i t s listed are e m p l o y m e n t , s c h o l a r s h i p o f t e a c h i n g , collégial e x c h a n g e , h a b i t s o f r e f l e c t i o n , desires of o n g o i n g i m p r o v e m e n t , p e r s o n a l i n v e s t m e n t for quality control, a n d a m o r e c o m p r e h e n s i v e d e m o n s t r a t i o n of t e a c h i n g e v a l u a t i o n . The Canadian Journal ofHigher Education Volume XXX, No. 1, 2000 200 Book Reviews/Comptes Rendus Chapter fourteen focuses on program evaluation through formative a n d s u m m a t i v e t e c h n i q u e s . F o r m a t i v e e v a l u a t i o n i n c l u d e s u s a g e rates, f l o w of r e s o u r c e s , a n d u s e r satisfaction. S u m m a t i v e e v a l u a t i o n r e q u i r e s that e x p e r t s are c o n s u l t e d to p r o v i d e a r e v i e w o f the p r o g r a m b y c o m p a r i n g their o b s e r v a t i o n s , a n d i n t e r v i e w s w i t h the goals a n d e x p e c t a t i o n s of t h e p r o g r a m a n d w i t h other l e a d i n g p r o g r a m s . B o t h f o r m s o f e v a l u a t i o n a r e an essential c o m p o n e n t to direct strategic p l a n n i n g . S p e c i a l i z e d T A c e r t i f i c a t e p r o g r a m s t h a t are d e s i g n e d to e n h a n c e t h e s c h o l a r s h i p o f t e a c h i n g f o r t h e TA, t h e f a c u l t y i n v o l v e d , a n d t h e i n s t i t u t i o n are the f o c u s of c h a p t e r f i f t e e n . P r o g r a m e f f e c t i v e n e s s is b e s t d e f i n e d as w o r k i n g w i t h e x i s t i n g e f f o r t s o f T A d e v e l o p m e n t , b e i n g an i n t e g r a l p a r t o f the g r a d u a t e p r o g r a m , f o c u s i n g o n a n d b e i n g f l e x i b l e to t h e c h a n g i n g n e e d s o f t h e institution, discipline, d e p a r t m e n t , T A s , a n d f u t u r e f a c u l t y , a n d g u i d e d b y a p h i l o s o p h y of the s c h o l a r s h i p o f t e a c h ing. M a n y s u c c e s s f u l p r o g r a m s have adopted supervised teaching, teaching dossier, and workshops. However, a number of concerns p l a g u e c e r t i f i c a t e p r o g r a m s : too j o b o r i e n t e d , lack o f c o n s i s t e n t n a t i o n a l p r o g r a m s , e x t r a w o r k d e m a n d e d o f g r a d u a t e students, a n d lack o f e v i dence of program effectiveness. T h e c o n c l u d i n g c h a p t e r r e c o m m e n d s that doctoral p r o g r a m s include: a f u t u r e f a c u l t y p r e p a r a t i o n p r o g r a m ( F F P P ) ; that all g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t s i n t e r e s t e d in a c a r e e r o f t e a c h i n g s h o u l d h a v e a c c e s s to F F P P ; a n d that c u r r e n t TA d e v e l o p m e n t p r o g r a m s b e s u b s u m e d u n d e r a b r o a d e r r u b r i c o f F F P P . I n d o i n g so, p r o g r a m s c a n b e t t e r p r e p a r e t h e f a c u l t y o f t h e f u t u r e to s e c u r e a n d s u c c e e d in n e w positions, a n d to a d o p t a s c h o l a r s h i p o f t e a c h i n g attitude. T h i s t e x t is r e c o m m e n d e d t o r e a d e r s w h o d e s i r e to i m p r o v e t h e scholarship of teaching, including decision-makers, program developers, administrators, and graduate students. Although geared m o r e for an A m e r i c a n a u d i e n c e , t h e i d e a s l e n d t h e m s e l v e s to t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f f u t u r e f a c u l t y in C a n a d i a n a n d other international centres. T h e text p r o v i d e s e x p e r i e n t i a l k n o w l e d g e interspersed w i t h e m p i r i c a l e v i d e n c e a n d e x c e l l e n t a d d i t i o n a l r e s o u r c e s . A s such, the goal o f the text is a c c o m p l i s h e d , d e m o n s t r a t i n g the v a l u e of scholarship of teaching. 4? The Canadian Journal of Higher Education Volume XXX, No. 1, 2000 ^ •