Book Reviews

Issue 29(2)

Teaching Career Development: A Primer for Instructors and Presenters.   (2008). Debra S. Osborn, PhD., National Career Development Association 150 pp., $35.00. ISBN 978-1-885333-22-3.

Review by: Tamara L. Franklin

Resident Hall Director

College of Notre Dame of Maryland

Teachers and presenters are constantly looking for new ways to make materials exciting and fresh to students. Debra Osborn’s Teaching career development provides readers with ideas that will help make subject matter moving and appealing. Osborn also provides activities that involve speaking to instructors in K-12, undergraduate and graduate courses for breathing life into older subject matter and making new subject matter more stimulating for students.

Teaching career development is broken into nine chapters spanning from the first day of class to presenting at professional conferences. Each chapter presents information as well as activities for reader participation such as writing down goals for class and recalling techniques that have worked in former classes. At times the piece almost seems like a comprehensive workbook, but the activities help keep the reader engaged and connected to the material.

Chapters that stand out as unique are the two that discuss teaching graduate courses and career courses online. These chapters show readers that there is a variety of depth in career development courses. With the continued demand of non-traditional degree options, more and more students use their computers as a compass to the classroom. Osborn guides the reader through making career development courses just as meaningful online. Moreover the chapter on teaching graduate students educates the reader not only on teaching and career development, but how to educate others to do so.

Though present in the title there is only one chapter devoted to making professional presentations on career development. This chapter goes through mistakes that some presenters make and how to go about avoiding common pitfalls. Information is provided that will help the reader decide on handouts and how to use PowerPoint™ presentations effectively. Although this chapter is helpful those looking to have a substantial part of the book cover professional presentations may be disappointed.

Overall the material in Teaching career development: A primer for instructors and presenters is very helpful. The most appealing aspect of the book is that although it focuses on career development the material can be used for other subject matter such as first year experience and student success. Teaching career development is advantageous for advisors with teaching responsibilities, but those without it may not find the text valuable to their everyday duties.