Teacher Evaluation Initiative
This year, the Center for Teaching and Learning (CETL) is sponsoring a work group to focus on the topic of Teacher Evaluation. You may have been involved or seen the excellent work of a similar group run by April Bleske-Rechek organized last year on the topic of Student Evaluations. Please see CETL Publications for the report and tools the Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEI) group generated.
The Quality Teaching and Teacher Evaluation Initiative (TEI) will be first investigating what we value in teaching at UW-Eau Claire and developing a definition of good teaching. Participants will then research and develop tools for peer and self evaluation in our teaching practices.
Participants
Rose-Marie Avin David Lonzarich
Li-Ying Bao Susan McIntyre
Bob Eierman Scott Oates
Rodd Freitag Kristin Schaupp
Thomas Hilton Robert Sutton
Mary Hoffman Amy Young
Michael Jansen Cecelia Zorn
Lee Ellen Kirkhorn Kate Reynolds - facilitator
Project Goals
1) Summarize insightful readings from differing perspectives and from renowned teacher evaluation experts to help inform our discussions,
2) Identify and discuss effective instructional practices that we value in university instruction,
3) Analyze, adapt and develop tools for faculty teaching evaluation and self-evaluation, and
4) Encourage and support the implementation of these practices and tools through a University-wide presentation, summative report, and/or journal article.
The ultimate goal for this project is to improve our understandings of effective instruction and the processes we undertake to analyze and evaluate those practices to make more informed renewal, promotion and tenure decisions.
Possible Project Impact on University
Because quality instruction is foundational to our work, this project could have a tremendous impact on the University and the ways we teach and evaluate teaching. For instance, it could help us engage large lecture classes or help us rethink how we write our syllabi or structure our lessons. It could cause us to modify the way we mentor junior faculty and staff by providing feedback on their teaching that is both useful and constructive as well as serve as a tool for Department Personnel Committees, Chairs, and Deans in the evaluation processes of faculty and staff.
Responsibilities
Group members will commit to meet once weekly for 10-12 sessions during the Fall and Spring semesters. They will read and summarize topical literature. They will analyze, adapt and develop peer and self teaching evaluation tools and collaboratively write the summative report. Members will be invited to present the group’s outcomes at a University-wide presentation. Members will be offered a small stipend for their involvement.
