Teaching at the University Level: Cross-Cultural Perspectives from the United States and Russia

Interest in what constitutes effective teaching in Pre-K-12 and higher education is nearly universal. This important text explores this interest at the college and university level from a unique, international perspective. Teaching at the University Level: Cross-Cultural Perspectives from the United States and Russia brings to one publication the ideas of United States and Russian educators who work as faculty and administrators in American and Russian universities. In their introductory remarks, the President of the American university and the Rector of the Russian university appropriately address the need for the text, calling for greater attention to be given to the study of pedagogy at the university level. They observe that, while professors in colleges and universities are acknowledged as being expert in the subject matter that they teach, they have not, traditionally, had in-depth preparation for the communication of that subject matter to others. Specifically, chapters include important discussions on the purpose of education at the university level; establishing positive classroom environments conducive to student learning; techniques of teaching and motivating students; student-centered and teacher-centered teaching techniques; strategies for active, participatory teaching; the importance of understanding and responding to the cultural backgrounds of students; and methods of assessing students’ learning. Each of these discussions addresses a key area important to effective teaching at the university level. This text will benefit beginning as well as experienced professors as they endeavor to make their instruction more purposeful, dynamic and engaging. It also will be beneficial to anyone interested in exploring issues and trends in the field of higher education.