Book Review of Flower Darby, with James M. Lang (2019) Small Teaching Online: Applying Learning Science in Online Classes

Abstract

This book endorses the idea of small changes to teaching practice in the context of distance learning.  However, even if you are not delivering distance learning, there are useful ideas and tips here for everyone.  This is a US-based publication, where there are now over 6 million students a year who are engaged in learning at a distance.  Although there has been little growth in the UK in terms of ‘pure’ distance learning students (HESA, 2019), there is a growing interest in flexible approaches to learning (Universities UK, 2018).  Therefore, this book is interesting because it supports the immediate need to develop teaching practice through small, manageable, research-informed changes, whilst also helping us to reach forward to explore the bigger potential questions around flexible delivery. [Review continues]