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Book Reviews: Kozma, Robert B., Belle, Lawrence W., and Williams, George W. Instructional Techniques in Higher Education. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Educational Technology Publications, 1978, 419 + xiv pp

Many colleges and universities neglect the preparation of effective college instructors. College professors basically trained as researchers and content specialists are involved in teaching as well as research, but often with little training for one of their primary responsibilities. With this need in mind, Kozma, Belle and Williams have written a research oriented handbook on instructional techniques for college teachers. The authors' intended audience is the college classroom practitioner, not the expert researcher. The writers use study findings to indicate that their conclusions have a foundation in educational research. They note the restrictions and limitations of the research, but acknowledge the importance of using what is currently available. The authors refer to at least four reasons for this type of book., 1) the increase in both variety and sophistication of intructional methods which are available to instructors, 2) simultaneous increase in the heterogeneity of college student population, 3) the increase in pressure for faculty productivity, and 4) the effective decrease in institutional budgets. The authors' stated purpose is to provide "a personal reference containing information from research and experience on techniques ranging from lecture to computer applications" (p. ix). The book is more than a "how-to-doit" manual; the authors develop a systematic model of instruction. Their system provides for assessing the interactive components of an instructional setting; this assists the individual college teacher in applying the model to the selection of teaching techniques given his/her unique needs. The book is divided into two main sections. The introductory chapter in the first section develops the model for viewing instructional decisions. This is followed by chapters on the various elements of the instructional system. Each chapter begins with a definition of the instructional system element on an abstract level then quickly proceeds to the level of application. The chapters in section I on the instructor, the subject matter, the media, the students, the evaluation, and the learning environment include check lists, questionnaires, etc. to be used in classroom situations. For example, Chapter 5— The Student, includes the GrashaReichman "Student Learning Styles Questionnaire" (p. 89) which provides classroom instructors with data on student attitude toward preferred learning styles. This information is useful for developing a "varied range of instructional strategies that meet the needs of most, if not all, of the individual students" (p. 88). It may not be feasible to pretest for desired learning characteristics before each semester, but it is possible to apply the model in general to one's teaching. The second section of the book describes a selection of specific teaching techniques. Each chapter discusses the techniques' advantages; then elements of the instructional system are applied to each individual technique. The authors cite research to support generalizations. They also include a "how-to-do-it" component and a testimonial from a college instructor, someone who has actually used the technique described. For example, the success of an art history instructor is described using the audio-tutorial instruction method. Art and machines may seem at odds; however this instructor's experience indicated that the machine (video-equipment) could facilitate selfpaced learning. This freed the student from the restrictions of class structure to study art masterpieces whenever and for as long as necessary for mastery. The students liked the change. The authors' investigations indicate the "one best way" to teach successfully has been or should be abandoned. In its place they offer a sampling of types of techniques from classic lecture to experimental simulation games. Assessment of the needs, abilities, interests, and limits of the learning situation should allow the college professor to choose a technique which will result in improved student learning. For instance, by using the authors' system an instructor should be able to select the most appropriate method for teaching psychomotor skills to an independent type of student (audio-tutorial work might be better for this type of student than a highly structured lecturelaboratory). According to the authors, implementation can be brought about by two modes: a) seeking the pattern of the elements of the system (congruency) and, b) specifically delineating desired outcomes, assessing givens, selecting the design, and carrying through with evaluation (decision making).