Emerging from a rich tapestry of educational theory, practical advice, and personal narrative, Joy-Centered Pedagogy in Higher Education introduces joy as a catalyst for transformative teaching and learning experiences.

This text names joy as an essential source of abundance and vitality that can be intentionally cultivated in the classroom to activate a sense of mattering, resilience, and engagement. In a series of reflective essays and teaching stories, contributors explore how promoting joy shifts the learning focus from product to process and disrupts notions of rigor that suggest learning should hurt. Each chapter includes reflection questions to guide reader contemplation. The Appendix offers aggregated practitioner-focused suggestions, detailing key joy-centered pedagogies with specific callouts to chapters that directly apply the technique.

College instructors, faculty developers, and education scholars alike will find the insights and actionable solutions offered in this book invaluable for promoting deep, meaningful learning and mutual flourishing.