"There are many excellent books on college and university teaching, but Teaching Alone, Teaching Together makes a uniquely valuable contribution. Jim Bess has produced a scholarly, intriguing, revolutionary book that could, if implemented, transform higher education in the twenty-first century. It should be read by policy makers and administrators as well as by university teachers."--W.J. McKeachie, professor of psychology, University of Michigan The notion that college teachers are only lecturers or discussion leaders has become greatly outdated in higher education. Today, the instructional process is much more complex and demanding--requiring a range of expertise that cannot be expected from any single individual. In this provocative book, James L. Bess and a select group of scholars propose a radical rethinking of teaching and academic work. They suggest a unique team-based academic organization that matches the different talents of faculty members with the distinct, differentiated tasks of teaching. By working together and supporting each other, faculty members can not only build on their collective strengths and knowledge but also improve their practice in such critical areas as: Designing and preparing courses Lecturing Facilitating group work Advising students Advising and mentoring colleagues Assessing learning outcomes Researching new techniques and technologies Linking academic and nonacademic pursuits More important, this new model of collaborative instruction will inspire a fresh, enhanced commitment to teaching--one that moves beyond the current practice of isolated classroom teaching. Teaching Alone, Teaching Together is a scholarly, groundbreaking volume that will surely inspire debate and discussion among faculty members, department chairs, and academic administrators.

Table of Contents:
1. Tasks, Talents, and Temperments in Teaching: The Challenge of Compatibility, James L. Bess. Part I: Preparatory Roles. 2. The Pedagogue: Creating Designs for Teaching, Janet Gail Donald. 3. The Researcher: Generating Knowledge for Team Teaching, John M. Braxton, Marietta Del Favero. Part II: Direct Student Contact Roles in Classroom Settings. 4. The Lecturer: Working with Large Groups, Alenoush Saroyan. 5. The Discussion Leader: Fostering Student Learning in Groups, Richard G. Tiberius, Jane Tipping. Part III: Facilitating Roles. 6. The Mentor: Facilitating Out-of-Class Cognitive and Affective Growth, Michael W. Galbraith, Patricia Maslin-Ostrowski. 7. The Integrator: Linking Curricular and Cocurricular Experiences, Thomas W. Grace. 8. The Assessor: Appraising Student and Team Performance, Bruce W. Speck. Part IV: The Present and Future Organization of Teaching. 9. Integrating Autonomous Professionals through Team Teaching, James L. Bess. 10. The Future of Teaching: Creating a New Academic Identity, James L. Bess.