Lessons Learned While Implementing a Framework for Assessing Teaching Effectiveness

Current teaching evaluation procedures in higher education are an issue. Most institutional practices are inadequate, incomplete, inaccurate, and neither improve teaching directly nor incentivize teaching improvement. Because of insufficient evaluation and reward structures, faculty may be hesitant to change or may not be motivated to consider their teaching, aware of the need to change their teaching practice, and/or how to effect meaningful change. In this project, we have established a framework defining the four criteria of effective teaching (Course design, Scholarly teaching, Learner-centeredness, and Reflective teaching) and developed a rubric to consider the multiple facets of each criteria that is flexible enough to accommodate different approaches, modes, and environments. We are using both a bottom-up approach in working with individual instructors and departments as well as a top-down approach in consulting with the Faculty Senate and Provost's office to change university policy. The framework, rubric, draft policy, and successes and failures to date will be presented. Concerns around a Center for Teaching and Learning supporting changes in the evaluation of teaching while still providing a safe place for faculty to take risks and explore new practices will be explored. In addition, the lessons learned about the support structures and resources necessary for such efforts to occur at scale will be presented.