Description
Book SynopsisCoplin uses his 50+ years of undergraduate teaching experience to present a series of roles, strategies and tactics to help professors prepare undergraduates for life after college. Through his courses and a highly successful undergraduate program, which he designed in the 1970s and still leads, Policy Studies, he has developed ways to increase student engagement and prepare them for careers and citizenship. He has students and alumni that number in the thousands over two generations who attribute their success to Coplin's approach to teaching. You can check out his website, where more than 96 unsolicited testimonials from successful alumni who are now doing well and doing good are listed. This book is a self-help manual so that undergraduate professors in all fields can test out his suggestions ideas for themselves. College professors will be much happier because their actions will meet the needs of their students and society.
Trade ReviewThe Happy Professor is a clear, straightforward toolkit for those who want to meaningfully impact all their undergraduate students, and who want to have a happy, meaningful vocation as a college teacher. -- Kent D. Syverud, Chancellor and President, Syracuse University
The instructional strategies and tactics presented in Coplin’s work have been game-changers in my classes as I try to move students toward confidence, competence, and self-efficacy. -- Cherry McCabe, J.D, Associate Professor of Political Science, Simpson University
My path from a small town in Upstate New York to a career as a six-time president and CEO was solely influenced by my undergraduate experience under Dr. Coplin. His guiding principles and coaching makes all the difference. -- Robert E. Watson, President and CEO, Juvare, LLC
Table of ContentsForeword Chancellor Kent Syverud, Syracuse University Acknowledgements Introduction Part I: Roles Chapter 1: You Chapter 2: Artist Chapter 3: Skills Coach Chapter 4: Advisor Chapter 5: Boss Part II: Strategies Chapter 6: Andragogy, Not Pedagogy Chapter 7: The Five Laws of the Minimalist Chapter 8: Everything is Experiential Chapter 9: Evaluate Yourself Part III: Engagement Tactics Chapter 10: Use Undergraduate Teaching Assistants (UTAs) Chapter 11: Use Dale Carnegie Speeches Chapter 12: Create Groups for Small In-Class Assignments Chapter 13: Set the Stage in the First Class Chapter 14: Use Simulations and Role Plays Chapter 15: Lie to the Class Chapter 16: Keep Your Mouth Shut Chapter 17: Make Laptops and Cell Phones Helpful Part IV: Organizational Tactics Chapter 18: Start with the Concrete and Familiar Chapter 19: Use Modules Chapter 20: Use Class Time for Coaching Chapter 21: Debriefing Competitions Chapter 22: Create Lateness and Absence Policies Chapter 23: Differentiate Between Points Earned and Points Lost Chapter 24: Use Extra Credit Points to Stimulate Extra Practice Chapter 25: Use Group Presentations as Teamwork Practice Part V: Remedial Tactics Chapter 26: Writing to Communicate Chapter 27: Improve Typing Chapter 28: Simple Computer Applications Chapter 29: Excel is Life Chapter 30: Information Searching Basics Chapter 31: Survey Basics Required Chapter 32: Quantitative Tools Are Not About Mathematics Part VI: Citizenship Tactics Chapter 33: The Easy Way to Community Engagement Chapter 34: Use Continuums to Avoid the Role of Propagandist Chapter 35: Use Problem Solving Exercises Chapter 36: The Order, Freedom, Equality Triangle Chapter 37: The Grading Exercise Chapter 38: The Prince System Conclusion: Where Do You Go from Here? Appendix A: Debriefing the Grading Exercise Appendix B: Forecasting with the Prince System About the Author
