Initial Publication Date: August 9, 2023

Teaching Effectiveness Framework (TEF) Toolkit

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Peer Reviewed ✔ | Editorial Board Score: 16/18


Teaching Effectiveness Framework (TEF) Toolkit

The Teaching Effective Framework team at TILT at Colorado State University

Contact: Jennifer Todd (jennifer.todd@colostate.edu)

About

The Teaching Effectiveness Framework (TEF) Toolkit developed by the Institute for Learning and Teaching (TILT) at Colorado State University is grounded in the scholarship of teaching and learning. The toolkit includes a framework comprised of seven essential, interrelated domains of effective teaching practices—for face-to-face and online instruction— and includes:

  • a rubric for each domain,
  • a goal-setting process for annual review of teaching,
  • a collection of teaching practices to improve student learning, and
  • materials for instructors and administrators to measure growth in teaching effectiveness. 

All professional development from TILT aligns with the domains of the framework, so that instructors can easily find experiences and resources that can help meet their teaching goals. Professional development includes:

  • Teaching Effectiveness Initiative: certificate program for each domain of the TEF
  • Best Practices in Teaching courses: 3-week, online
  • Teaching Squares: peer observation
  • Conferences
  • Workshops

After several years collaborating and obtaining feedback from stakeholders, the team has developed new and modified existing tools in response to departmental and institutional needs. Most recently, the TEF Toolkit is being included in departmental code.

At least one department has agreed to be used as a case study in the implementation of the TEF toolkit for annual review and T&P.

A Teaching Effectiveness Survey (TES) is currently under development. Questions in the survey align with the evidence based teaching practices included in the Teaching Effectiveness Framework (TEF).

More information about this initiative »

Notes from the Teaching Evaluation Repository Editorial Board

We recommend heading to the website to poke around and get more information. This is a well-constructed effort, and they have captured it well in a navigable way.

Additional Information

Audience: College/university staff, Teaching center staff, Departmental leaders, Graduate students & postdoctoral fellows, Change leaders, Faculty with long-term appointments, Faculty with short-term appointments, Institution administration

Level of Intervention: Course, Teaching center, Program, Department/unit, College, Institution - administration, Institution - shared governance

Resource Type: Website

Institution Type: R1

Scale of Change: 3-5 years, Self-implemented, Broad redesign of reward structure: teaching, research, service, evaluation

Primary Teaching and Learning Context: Multiple contexts, Planned online, Remote learning, Synchronous course delivery, Asynchronous course delivery, Face to face (f2f), Hybrid (any combination of f2f & online)

Framework Emphasis: Justice, equity, diversity, inclusion focus, SoTL frameworks

Tools/Materials for Evaluation: Peer observation, Observation tools (e.g., COPUS, EQUIP), Rubrics (e.g., Teval), Self-evaluation tools, Formative assessment tools for instructors, Willing to share materials

Processes for Revising Teaching Evaluation: Department level evaluation revision, Faculty governance reframing teaching evaluation, Grassroots efforts, Senior-level administrative leaders

Research-Based Pedagogies: Inclusive practices, Active learning, Belonging and identity focus, Multiple pedagogies