A Book Review of Donelson R. Forsyth’s College Teaching: Practical Insights from the Science of Teaching and Learning

As an advanced doctoral student and former college instructor for 12 years, I reviewed Forsyth’s (2016) book, College Teaching: Practical Insights from the Science of Teaching and Learning, to determine how the author created an accessible and contemporary text for novice and veteran higher education instructors, alike. In a straightforward appeal, the book offers proven college teaching recommendations and debunks what the author, an experienced social and personality psychologist, considers faulty theoretical analyses by bolstering arguments in empirical studies grounded in psychology theory and research. The book’s discussions, which are backed by ample supporting qualitative and quantitative data distributed throughout 10 chapters, purport to inspire professors to consider how their students learn, and to closely examine how they, the instructors, should teach. The book offers observations into 10 crucial aspects of college-level teaching, which are covered as chapters: (a) identifying purposes, (b) course planning, (c) student engagement, (d) lecturing, (e) assessment, (f) grading, (g) classroom management, (h) using technology, (i) course evaluation, and (j) developing a portfolio