Transforming Institutions through the Evaluation of Teaching

Universities and colleges across the country are recommitting to more inclusive, equitable, and effective learning experiences and cultures that more fully value teaching. Transforming teaching evaluation is a powerful lever to such ends. In this workshop, we will engage with participants to:

1. review and contextualize the TEval framework and associated tools and practices for enacting campus-wide change to implement high-quality teaching evaluation,
2. connect with other change leaders on systemic approaches to transformative change in teaching evaluation and institutional change more broadly, and
3. advance our national dialog around teaching evaluation.

The first part of this workshop explores approaches to effect systemic transformation of teaching evaluation, drawing on the facilitators' work to enact and study change in three different institutional contexts using a common framework, as part of the NSF-funded TEval project. The framework centers on a scholarly framework for evaluation of educational practices where seven dimensions of teaching are reviewed through multiple viewpoints (self, student and peer review). It provides a holistic assessment of faculty and is accompanied by tools and practical processes for implementation. We will highlight approaches to systemic change, with attention to differences in departmental and institutional cultures, to highlight the affordances and limitations of varying contexts. We draw on examples from departments in the three case universities to illustrate practical steps, timelines, challenges, and choices departments face as they change their approach to teaching evaluation. We will also consider possible variations and adaptations beyond our three campus cases, inviting participants to share their own approaches to teaching evaluation transformation, and successes and challenges they face. Participants will gain understanding of effective, research-based approaches to teaching evaluation, as well as practical strategies for involving faculty and administrators in the process.

Following the sharing of campus-based approaches to change, the second part of the workshop will explore opportunities and strategies for scaling across the US and internationally, building a broader community of transformation. Building on prior work and a 2023 HHMI-TEval sponsored gathering, we will use the second section of this workshop to both share the status of and invite members to participate in this national dialog. Some questions we will explore include: Is the creation of a network of institutions a useful next step? What common challenges and notable successes can these representatives build on? Is it the right time? Who else needs to participate? And who are our audiences?