New books in the CTL Library

The CTL maintains a library of over 1000 books and journals on various aspects of teaching and learning in higher education. Our collection is located in the CTL and is available for consultation by faculty, staff, and graduate students Monday to Friday, from 8:30am to 4:30pm. The CTL collection has been incorporated and is searchable through Western's Shared Library catalogue.

Recent additions to the CTL library:

Cover of Assessment Strategies for Online Learning

Assessment Strategies for Online Learning: Engagement and Authenticity (2018) by Dianne Conrad and Jason Openo explores the many ways in which students can be assessed in the digital space. Several example syllabi for online courses are presented, complete with learning outcomes based on the online assessment used.

This book is great for: instructors looking to diversify their online assessment practices but do not know where to begin in the process.

Call number: LC5800.C66A77 2018

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Cover of The Discussion Book

The Discussion Book: 50 Great Ways to Get People Talking (2016) by Stephen D. Brookfield and Stephen Preskill is a straightforward guide to discussions in their many forms. Whether your goal in your class discussion is to build group cohesiveness or to foster active listening, there are 10 techniques listed for every type of discussion. Each technique is further broken down into its purpose, how it works, and when it works well.

This book is great for: instructors who want a step-by-step guide for conducting meaningful, effective discussion in their classes.

Call number: LC6519.B75 2016

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Cover of Learning & Teaching TogetherLearning & Teaching Together: Weaving Indigenous Ways of Knowing into Education (2016) Michele TD Tanaka. "Across Canada, teachers unfamiliar with Aboriginal approaches to learning are seeking ways to respectfully weave Aboriginal content into their lessons. This book introduces an indigenist approach to education. It recounts how pre-service teachers immersed in a crosscultural course in British Columbia began to practise Indigenous ways of knowing. Working alongside Indigenous wisdom keepers, they transformed earth fibres into a mural and, in the process, their own ideas about learning and teaching. By revealing how these students worked to integrate Indigenous ways of knowing into their practice, this book opens a path for teachers to nurture indigenist crosscultural understanding in their classrooms." - provided by publisher.

This book is great for: those who wish to learn more about indigenous ways of being-knowing-doing in the classroom.

Call number: E96.2.T36 2016 

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Cover of Unsettling the Settler WithinUnsettling the Settler Within: Indian Residential Schools, Truth Telling, And Reconciliation In Canada (2010) by Paulette Regan "argues that in order to truly participate in the transformative possibilities of reconciliation, non-Aboriginal Canadians must undergo their own process of decolonization. They must relinquish the persistent myth of themselves as peacemakers and acknowledge the destructive legacy of a society that has stubbornly ignored and devalued Indigenous experience. Today's truth and reconciliation processes must make space for an Indigenous historical counter-narrative in order to avoid perpetuating a colonial relationship between Aborignial and settler peoples." - from book jacket.

This book is great for: settlers who wish to engage in the challenging process of decolonization and reflect on the continued mindsets that perpetuate “benevolent” colonialisms.

Call number: E96.5.R44 2010

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Cover of Better PresentationsBetter Presentations: A Guide for Scholars, Researchers, and Wonks (2016) by Jonathan Schwabish offers a well-designed guide for creating visually captivating presentations. Quick tips on slide layout, images, and use of text are all accompanied by many colourful illustrations of example slides.

This book is great for: anyone looking to create more visually-appealing PowerPoint slides for instructional or research purposes alike.

Call number: HF5718.22.S349 2017 

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Cover of Online Teaching at Its Best

Online Teaching at Its Best: Merging Instructional Design With Teaching And Learning Research (2018) by Linda B. Nilson and Ludwika A. Goodson present evidence-based approaches for teaching online. With topics ranging from tools used for online courses to supporting the culture of online teaching, this book serves as a comprehensive guide to teaching online.

This book is great for: instructors or educational developers looking to design a new online course or adapt a previously offered face-to-face course.  

Call number:  LB1044.87.N55 2018

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Cover of Indigenous WritesIndigenous Writes: A Guide to First Nations, Métis & Inuit Issues In Canada (2016) by Chelsea Vowel "initiates myriad conversations about the relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canada. An advocate for Indigenous worldviews, the author discusses the fundamental issues--the terminology of relationships; culture and identity; myth-busting; state violence; and land, learning, law and treaties--along with wider social beliefs about these issues. She answers the questions that many people have on these topics to spark further conversations at home, in the classroom, and in the larger community."- provided by publisher

This book is great for: those who wish to counter the myths and preconceptions that dominate popular understandings of Indigenous histories and politics.

Call number: E78.C2V67 2016

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Cover of The College Classroom Assessment CompendiumThe College Classroom Assessment Compendium: A Practical Guide To The College Instructor's Daily Assessment Life (2018) by Jay Parkes and Dawn Zimmaro explores nearly every facet of assessments relevant to instructors at the post-secondary level. Each chapter is between one and three pages in length, delivering an efficient overview of the topic explored. Some topics include: collaborative testing, grade inflation, and learner-oriented assessment.

This book is great for: new and seasoned instructors interested in the ‘Coles Notes’ version of practical guidelines for assessment implementation and policies.

Call number: LB2368.P37 2018

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Cover of Teaching at its BestTeaching at its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors (2016) by Linda B. Nilson presents a comprehensive handbook on teaching at the post-secondary level. Rich with empirical evidence to support recommendations, this book begins with a guide to support preparation for teaching, followed with teaching methods and tools to facilitate learning, and later covers assessment and grading.

This book is great for: new or experienced instructors looking for a comprehensive, empirically-driven guide to teaching at the post-secondary level.

Call number: LB2331.N71 2016

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