The question of whether schools can do a better job of teaching American children “higher order skills” is very much in the air. It arises in Congressional hearings, where calls are heard for school graduates better able to take on work that requires responsibility and judgment. It is reflected in public concern that changing employment demands are not being met, students' preparation for college is less than satisfactory, and general problem-solving abilities remain low. Yet beyond the agreement that our schools ought to be doing better than they are at building the intellectual capabilities of American young people, it is extremely difficult to discern what really should and can be done.

The increasing demands for teaching excellence in higher education have led to new academics needing induction into what it is to teach and how students learn. In the United Kingdom in particular, the creation of the Institute for Learning and Teaching (ILT) has increased the pressure on universities to provide and deliver courses that meet the demands and recommendations of the ILT within the domain of teaching and learning.

These are exciting and challenging times for education. The demands of a global society have changed the requirements for educated people; we now need to learn new skills continuously during our lifetimes, analyze quickly, make clear judgments, and exercise great creativity. We need to work both independently and in collaboration and to create engaging learning communities. Yet the current educational establishment is not up to these challenge; students work in isolation on repetitive assignments, in classes and schedules fi xed in place and time. Technologic and scientific innovations promise to dramatically enhance exiting learning methods.

The first edition of this book was a bestseller, and is generally regarded as the most widely used and authoritative text on this topic.
This completely revised and updated second edition takes into account the latest changes in educational practice, and includes coverage of recent developments in teacher appraisal and school inspection procedures.

How can we help new teachers succeed in the classroom? Given high attrition rates and increasing teacher shortages, attracting new teachers and helping them thrive are among the most important challenges that schools face.