5 comments about Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses (Jossey Bass Higher and Adult Education Series).

1. This book is worth it. I graduated from a graduate program (in education) and this information has increased/expanded my knowledge as to how things must be done in the classroom (when teaching, when testing, and when lecturing). For example, each square of information must be related to the other square of information in order to reach ones point with ones students. Education is about detail. Let this information from this book change the way you see and teach the information you have obtained a degree in. Let it take you to new spheres, or portals of information that were always present in the work that you do, but that you never saw because one lacked the tools in order to open up those worlds. Create beauty in the work that you create (in the quizzes, in the lesson plans, in the rubrics chart, in the surveys, etc.) What you lecture must be from the book, and what you assign for reading must mirror the lecture, and that equals learning.
   
   Education masters graduate.



2. This book changed the way I design my college level courses in a very effective and enjoyable way. It will give you a lot of insight on the design of courses that will encourage students to continue learning. I also enjoyed all the reference on the results of scientific work that deals with innovative teaching methods. You will love this book.



3. Fink starts with an interesting proposition: What do you want your students to know several years from now?
   To be realistic, while it would be great for my students to have a working sociological vocabulary five years from now - I would rather they look at their world with respect and understanding, treat other people with dignity and grace, and be able to think critically about the world around them.
   Fink proposes that curricula and teaching methods can (and should) be changed to meet the ever changing educational needs and dynamics of today's students. The text soundly lays out justification for the change in educational environments, and provides a sound framework to build classes that reach beyond memorization and regurgitation. Fink advocates setting students up for success by meeting their needs for core subject components, tying subject matter together with other subjects, personal life experiences, and the student's social context. The logical effect being, students who learn more, because they want to, and retain the material longer.



4. This is an assigned text in a course I am taking. It seems like a good choice so far, but I've only read one chapter. The book arrived in good shape. The packaging was very good-no bent book covers.



5. This is a wonderfully comprehensive look at research in the field of course design and instruction. I work with faculty and the research that this book provides for the work that we do is crucial. I am able to cite research and underscore the importance of what I have been teaching then all along.
   
   The title of this book makes it seem less important than it really is. This book is about research.

5 comments about Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers (Jossey Bass Higher and Adult Education Series).

1. The text was used in a course through UW Stout and it is a very good resource for methods that can be used to assess learners progress towards a goal. Great tool to have on the bookshelf!



2. Excellent book! Angelo was very clear and concise in guiding teachers through the assessment process.



3. This book is a handbook-style text that elaborates on the concept of "Classroom Assessment Techniques," a term used by the authors to refer to alternative methods of evaluating or assessing student learning. The book is a handbook because each "CAT" is listed in terms of how to prepare, use, and evaluate results; the authors also present rather subjective indicants of the amount of time required for each technique.
   
   The techniques range from the laughably simple (such as "muddiest point") to the more involved (such as student learning portfolios); the handbook is arranged in terms of types of assessment that may be conducted with each group of techniques. The book provides a wide variety of techniques, and the user should be able to find several applicable techniques for a particular educational situation.
   
   However, I would strongly suggest that anyone using these techniques NOT rely on this text as the sole source of how and why to do educational assessment and evaluation -- the field is too complex and the implications are too important.



4. The book arrived in perfect condition, even though it was listed as used. Arrived on time.



5. This is our second order of the book. It is used by our Tablet Users Group faculty members. We have had Thomas Angelo as a speaker at Rose-Hulman and were very pleased by him and his work. We would highly recommend Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. The book has been very well received and helpful teaching, evaluating & assessing classroom techniques.

3 comments about Environmental Health: From Global to Local (Public Health/Environmental Health).

1. This was a good book but I received it somewhat late from amazon.



2. I was required to buy this as a textbook for a class that I am taking, but I am glad I bought it. It is an easy read and a well-rounded reference for a gamut of environmental health issues and topics. I would recommend this as a textbook for the beginning environmental scientist to build upon as well as a good reference book for the occasional environmentalist.



3. With chapters ranging from 20-60 pages and a judicious use of figures and photographs, each section provides an appropriate amount of material for an overview of the topic presented. I would recommend this text as an excellent starting point for further investigations into EOH.

5 comments about The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church.

1. Excellent book which speaks to the problems the modern church faces. Gives specific information and direction to deal with current issues. I have found this work tremendously useful in advocating change for the church I serve as pastor.



2. Fantastic book. Really makes you reflect on your ministry and the questions the book asks gives a structure for evaluating the overall focus of your church. I would highly recommened this book for someone seeking to bring about revitalization within their congregation and personal ministry.



3. Reggie McNeal writes a thought provoking book that will either excite and challenge you or anger you. Not everyone is ready for the truth that is laid out in his book. But it is the truth none the less. The American Church has lost the right to be heard and this book gives us some tough questions we need to ask ourselves in doing a self-evlaution and earning the right to share the important message of Jesus Christ and be heard by those who need to hear it. This book was a great confirmation for our church in who we are and why we don't seem to fit in with the other churches in our community. God is doing a new thing and this book has shown our church we are part of it. I am now taking our entire church leadershipo through the book. I highly recommend every Christian who is tired of "doing church" and maintaining the status qou read this book.



4. For many years I have felt disenfrancised from the church, even though I have spent my entire life in it and even raised my family in it. Now that I am nearing fifty, I have found myself seeking ways to spread my faith that are real and substantive. This Present Future has given verbal affirmation to what I've felt all along, and to what I've always known to be true. But in Churchian circles, the only truth is the one they tell you, and to think outside the box is frowned upon. But now I understand why, and I understand what I must do to change and effect my world for Christ.
   
   Thank you Reggie McNeal.
   Lonnie Friesen
   The Homeless Heart



5. This book is a must read for Christians who are not satisfied with their spiritual life and a MUST READ for those in churches considering major capital expenditures that will serve only the members. It will change the way you think about how you and your church can best serve Jesus.

2 comments about Minority Populations and Health: An Introduction to Health Disparities in the U.S..

1. As a textbook, it is difficult to address the fast paced world of health care and health care disparities. The situation and statistics change too quickly. In the case of this book, the authors attempt to cast a wide net and report as many statistics as possible related to the subject matter. There is little else in the way of substance in this book. Unfortunately, that means that the book is out-of-date and of little use by the time it makes it to the bookstore/library shelves.



2. This is the first textbook written for a very important topic, health disparities and minority health. The other books are edited with different authors of each chapter. This book was written by one author. It was written for use in classes. It outlines and describes the state of the topic, which explains the tables and charts that the "C. Bullman" review talked about. However, there is MUCH more than just charts and tables in this book. The book talks about causes of health disparities and describes all of the various theories and research. Also, it includes chapters on all minority groups, including Native Americans and Pacific Islanders, two groups that are usually left out. I agree with the book review from JAMA. I think this an excellent book for use in classes.

5 comments about Apollyon: The Destroyer Is Unleashed (Left Behind No. 5).

1. Toward the top of this very page, the authors declare: "For some reason, I'm finding that a large percentage of people who greet us at signings, etc., and tell us they have read "all the books" actually haven't. They are largely unaware that between books 12 (Glorious Appearing) and 13 (Kingdom Come) we produced three prequels (The Rising, The Regime, and The Rapture). These need not be read before Kingdom Come (the final sequel), but if you're a Left Behind fan, you won't want to miss them.
   Dr. LaHaye and I also have a new series -- fiction based on the gospels -- that began last November with John's Story: The Last Eyewitness. Late this year the second of the four titles, Mark's Story: The Gospel According to Peter will release. And, of course, we'll finish with Luke's Story and Matthew's Story. As always, I'd love to hear from you."
   
   Indeed, they'd love to hear from you, to hear the sound of your money clinking in the cashbox of sanctimony. NOW hear the gospel (the good news): you don't need to read this escapist fantasy in order to find your place among the ELECT! Do you suppose St. John of Patmos would have delighted in such melodrama? Do you suppose Jesus of Nazareth would have smirked along with Tim and Jerry in their sagas of self-righteousness?
   
   Shame! Shame! Make better use of your time, while the Bridegroom tarries!



2. From the very first letter of the alphabet that my eyes looked upon inside this series of books, until the very last period of the very last sentence, I was hooked. Each one of these books absorbed my attention like no other book has ever done in my life. Biblically sound, theatrically entertaining, and brilliantly written, the Left Behind books will inspire you to dig into God's word and take the pieces of news from your T.V. screen and match them right smack-dab up with the prophecies of the Bible. Your hair will stand up, your heart will race, and you will find yourself helplessly caught in the suspense. Once you finish one of these books, you will desperately race to your computer screen or your local library to pick up the next one!
   
   Carrie Lynn Jones
   Author of It All Began... When Jesus Gave Me Sneakers



3. Ok, This book is ok,it's a bit silly at times, unbelievable at others. I am starting to agree with everyone else that this could have been a whole lot better if they hadn't have stretched it out. Because all they are doing is rewording the passages from the previous book into the next one and so on. I have almost given up, but since I already bought the majority of the books, I want to try to finish it. I am glad that I purchased them from a library book sale, so they didn't actually make money off of me. The books that I am missing...I will probably just skip.



4. I really enjoy this series.
   Although it has some minor flaws... such as the somewhat dry writing style, scarce characterization, and the fact that the series seems without end, I couldnt help myself but to be sucked into the plot. I admit, it could be better, but I couldnt put it down and devoured the book in as little as 4 days.



5. This is the fifth book in this series. In my reviews of the first four, I've laid out a number of reasons why this series is really, truly awful. Oh, sure, I could point out some stuff here, too. Like some of the stereotyping (saving LaHaye/Jenkins from the hard work of creating characters)...
   
   On (the sinisterly named) Abdullah: "Buck wondered what he did before becoming a believer. Maybe he'd been a terrorist" (364).
   
   Rayford on his daughter, Chloe: "She's also very pregnant, Buck. That floods the body with a hormone wash and turns a woman into a mother hen" (367).
   
   Or, how about the complete lack of actual story events or drama?
   
   Ken Ritz on urgency: "We've already won....It's just a matter of going through the motions. The Bible's already told the story..." (160).
   
   I could, if I chose, talk about the perverted morality presented here, and the unexamined hypocrisy in the heroes (and thus, one infers, in the authors)...
   
   Tsion Ben-Judah on God's love, p. 156: "God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. That is the reason for this entire season of trial and travail."
   
   God is not willing that any should perish? Really?
   
   Tsion Ben-Judah on God's love, pp. 160-161 (aka 4 pages later): "The great wrath of the Lamb earthquake devastated the globe...the first three Trumpet Judgments alone scorched a third of the earth's trees and grass, destroyed a third of the oceans' fish, sank a third of the world's ships, and poisoned a third of the earth's water..."
   
   Oh, uh, I see...
   
   But, to be honest, this is all ground that I've covered before and am likely bound to do again, before I'm done with this wretched series. So, instead, here I'd like to just point up something that I find really funny about this whole ordeal -- there is a Left Behind series for children (Left Behind: The Kids).
   
   Forgetting for a moment the absurdity of LaHaye/Jenkins doing everything within their power to milk this series (that'll be the meat of Book 13's discussion, if I ever get there), I really wonder how this series can be made *more* for children than it already is.
   
   * The language, syntax, grammar in this series is as easy as can be. All dialogue, no description. I'd guess 3rd grade reading level, tops. (I swear, at one point Rayford even defines the word 'therapeutic.' In the story, it's for the benefit of another character, but I think it's actually there for the intended audience!)
   
   * The subject matters put vanilla to shame and makes it wish it were a blander flavor. Even before all of the main characters converted -- back in their free-wheeling days without the Power of Christ in their lives -- none of the troupe did anything really worthy of censure. Rayford *thought* about fooling around on his wife. Buck Williams, 30 years old, living a jet-setting life in NYC, was a virgin for cripes-sake! There is no sex. No swearing. Violence less than you'd find on any given Saturday morning cartoon. Most of the "plot-events" are characters evangelizing to one another. Have you *been* to a fundamentalist party? I have, and it's kind of like one of those.
   
   * There's no gray morality. No difficult choices for anyone to make. The good guys always agree with one another (and, in fact, sound roughly the same) and the bad guys always twirl their moustaches. Disney routinely shows more depth in its characters, both heroes and villains. I mean, in the Sorcerer's Apprentice even Mickey crossed the line more than these people ever do!
   
   The only reason why I wouldn't recommend this to children is because I like kids, and want to see them enjoy the books they read. They'd put this stuff down early, because it's *too* easy, tedious, and flat-out dull. Adults can read it because we've learned how to persevere through poor writing, and several of us are masochistic in that we finish the books/series we start no matter the pain of it. Also, I'm sure that many Christians out there convince themselves that these books are "good" because of their basic philosophical sympathies with the authors.
   
   But these books aren't good. They aren't even decent. Though I'm not Christian, I still believe that a person can be one *and* still be able to discriminate between good and bad fiction. This series, which makes the idea of a kid-level version redundant, will reveal itself to any discriminating reader as bearing the Mark of Beastly Bad Lit.

5 comments about Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens.

1. It is a thought provoking book that helps you to re-evaluate what church really is and should be. It makes a great discussion starter.



2. Be very careful when you read this book. This is not taught in church, nor is it taught in Bible schools. It is not taught in Christian books nor is it taught any where in America. Nope, this is a revolutionary way of doing church, one that is Biblical and organic in nature. (Thus, the title). Niel Cole does an excellent job showing what the purpose of the Church truly is. He also clearly shows how the way we do church here in America is ineffective.
   
   So beware, it will rock your world, if you let it.



3. I loved the first half of this book, even though my parish is running from a far more traditional model. I felt that the course this book suggested could be integrated into a more traditional church for a more balanced approach.
   But the author just kept pushing the Organic idea so far that he stretched the metaphor. It got rather hard to deal with and distracting and I put the book down half way through. I'm glad for what I got out of it, but I just couldn't stomach the rest.



4. I have been reading a lot of books about the organic church movement lately, and I have found that Neil Cole's is the most persuasive one. And here is the funny thing about it: he doesn't emphasize organic church being better, or more doctrinally correct than the institutional church although I would say he clearly lays out the points in the case for just that fact. However, he does so not by stating a lot of little known facts, logical statements, and I-told-you-so scripture references. Instead he explains his spiritual journey and that of many others which led him to an organic expression of the church, not because all others are wrong, but because that is what God would have them do. If you want a bunch of facts on the matter, I would recommend Frank Viola's Pagan Christianity? But when it comes to helping an institutional church member understand what the organic church is, this is definitely the first book I'll give them.



5. Organic Church answers the heart-cry of a worship-hungry soul. Worship is not just about music. Worship is a life-lived in a loving relationship with Jesus Christ with a desire for others to find that same loving relations with HIM. Organic Church is a must read for those who are serious about finding "non-traditional" avenues of being CHURCH that desires to reach family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers with the Good News of Jesus. Don't read this book if you think that CHURCH must be four-walls, pews, and a pulpit. It will probably make you a little upset.
   Cole speaks in simple terms without lofty theological language. His illustrations hit the mark. I liked that what Cole is doing is not just "ivory-tower" ideas, but practical teaching that he is living out daily. We can do this. Thanks Neil Cole for getting out-of-the-box, taking the risk of truly following what the Spirit led you to do, and giving us a grand example of what God can do with a man who not only desires to follow Jesus but steps-out and does it.
   Personally, I am recommending this book to some of my close friends that go to church because they love Jesus, but seem to say, "There has got to be more to the Christian life and Church than this . . ." I am so sure this book is what true believers are seeking that I am not only recommending it, but have sent it to one friend as a present. I hope to send more in the near future. I am that convinced that this is the CHURCH that pleases Jesus.
   What's so cool about this book is that you can take what Cole shares and start today! You don't have to wait on a MDIV, or a certificate from a Bible Correspondence course to start a church. Just do it! Get this book! Read it! And share your life and the Good News of Jesus with a friend.
   Cole's Life Transformation Groups are a must for new believers, old believers, and any believer. Cole wrote that we need to read God's Word in bulk. I agree so that we will get the "big picture" and to have a better understanding of what the Bible says a whole. A 20 minute sermon once a week that is based on 1 to 4 verses is not enough Bible-intake. Also, Cole's accountability questions are painful, but so needed to keep our eyes on Jesus and to keep us clean and healthy in mind and body. Lastly, we are so convinced that we have the power to change things . . . this is so untrue. Cole emphasizes the need for prayer and dependency on God, Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit in the LTG's. Wow! What a refreshing read! I read it twice so far.
   When you buy a copy, think about buying two and invest one in someone who is not totally satisfied with the "status quo" of just going to church. Give them this book and let them learn how to be CHURCH!

5 comments about The Art Teacher's Book of Lists.

1. I added this book to many others purchased for a good all around
   library for an individual. She finds it helpful.



2. I first found this book in the library but decided not to check it out because there was just too much knowledge contained in it that I knew I had to buy it. While no book can possibly contain everything an art teacher needs to know, this book certainly is an excellent start.



3. I have been teaching art for 10 years and refer to this book often when I need to find definitions, artists names and work, quotes, or quick ideas. But, now that the internet has become such a reliable source, it needs to be updated with websites that are helpful to the art teacher!!! I find myself looking on the internet for hours searching through all of the information. Wouldn't it be great to add a page or two to this book of lists!



4. This book is so out of date. This book is just what it says, a book of lists. There is nothing in this book that I couldn't find in about 30 seconds online. If you don't have a computer in your room then it would be a good resources, but if you use the internet then it is a complete waste of money.



5. New art appreciation teacher. Exactly what I needed to begin planning units for middle school

2 comments about The Law of Higher Education.

1. Kaplin & Lee's "The Law of Higher Education (Third Edition)" was the required text for a graduate course, "Legal Aspects of Higher Education" and should be present on the bookshelf of any university administrator. The book's subtitle, "A Comprehensive Guide to Legal Implications of Administrative Decision Making," is wholly accurate in describing the scope and utility of this massive tome (over 1,000 pages from cover to cover).
   
   The book is a valuable investment on a number of fronts, not the least of which is the paucity of comparable texts on this complex topic. "The Law of Higher Education" begins with an overview of postsecondary education law and continues with an interesting organization that considers the college and its various constituencies -- "The College and Trustees, Administrators, and Staff," "The College and the Faculty," "The College and the Students," "The College and the Community," "The College and the State Government," "The College and the Federal Government," "The College and the Educational Associations," and "The College and the Business/Industrial Community." Each chapter is further broken down into key arenas (for example, in the chapter on students, a few of the topics include admissions, financial aid, disciplinary rules and regulations, and athletics). Each topic includes a context and is connected to numerous examples from case law. Despite the high degree of legal terminology, the book is readable for the layperson. There are separate indices for subject, statute, and cases that make it easy to locate relevant information.
   
   This book is an excellent treatment of the enormously complex field of high education law.



2. This is an outstanding book on higher education law. Lots of case examples and descriptions. A little repetative at some points, but I suppose that is true about law in general. Not even as dry as one might think about a 2 volume law book set.

5 comments about Three Weeks with My Brother.

1. Warning. Don't read the front cover flap of this book. It is a plot buster.
   
   This book is for anyone who ever had a brother or sister or ever wanted one. It describes a trip around the world in three weeks to some of the oldest buildings on this planet. While it seems like they spent more time on the planes than actually in the countries, and they saw more museums than they could handle, they also stood in awe of the world's greatest man-made treasures. Interspersed with the stories of old buildings, there were stories of old relationships: between two brothers, to their parents, to their sister, to their spouses and to their own children. In short a great read.
   
   Just don't read the front cover flap before reading the book.



2. Nicholas Sparks -- author of novels-turned-into-movies like "Notebook" and "Message in a Bottle" -- uses an around-the-world trip with brother Michah Sparks as the catalyst for this autobiographical work. It is largely about pain, ranging from Nicholas' pain over feelings of emotional neglect because he was the "middle child" between an older brother and a younger sister to the childhood pain of seeing his close companion drifting away from him as the boys moved in different circles of friends during their school years. However, pain also strengthened the bond between the brothers as they faced the loss of loved ones; no one else had the memories they shared, so no one else could understand the depth of their hurt. Sparks's clear and simple style makes for easy reading so that the emotions are not obsured by language.



3. After having 4 kids, most books would put me a sleep. I could not put this book down. What a great true life story about this fantastic author.



4. I just finished this book this morning and I have to say it was just average. Having just come back from a trip with my own brother and being of similar age to the Sparks brothers, I connected with this book on some level, but not completly. For instance, they refer to each other as "Brother" or " Little Brother". I have never really heard brothers regularly refer to each other in that way. I also never realy connected with the family as a whole, so I wasn't vested in the loss of his father or mother as there was a sense of detachement for both throughout the book. His sister's struggle and ultimate death was hard to read due to my own relationship with my younger sister, so the last third of the book gripped me more than the first 2/3s.
   
   
   
   All in all, it is an average book. If I were to rate it, "Tuesday's with Morrie" was a 10 on a 10 point scale, the "Tender Bar" was a 9 while this book was an even 6.



5. Not only is this story a memoir of the three-week trip around the world, it is an autobiography of their childhood. So many great humorous scenes - several I just had to read to my husband! I did not feel the detatchment to the parents as some readers described, but I got a clear picture of parent/child relations in the generation before me. And although I do not having siblings I grew up with, I did not feel alienated and was genuinely drawn into the friendship between them. Several parts had me in tears - and not just from laughing.
   
   I want my husband and his older brother (who are close) to read this - I think it will spark their memories of childhood.
   
   All in all, a fantastic book! For anyone - men and women alike, with or with out siblings, younger or older.... something for all.