Teaching evaluation can be a pathway to better teaching and learning, fairer recognition of faculty work, deeper conversations among colleagues about professional values and commitments, and stronger institutional cultures that foster teaching and learning excellence. However, typical approaches to teaching evaluation often fall far short of achieving these outcomes. Acknowledging critiques of usual strategies for teaching evaluation, including bias in results, this webinar — presented by Ann E. Austin, University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University — explains new and effective approaches tested and implemented in more than 70 departments through a funded project called TEval.

Participants will learn how to transform teaching evaluation by identifying and evaluating multiple dimensions of teaching and using multiple sources of evidence. The ideas discussed will be readily applicable to participants’ own departments and courses.

Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE Program, Award #2304868 aims to address the significant challenge of hiring and retaining women and underrepresented minorities in STEM faculty positions, particularly at small rural institutions in the Appalachian region. As a non-profit consortium of 33 private four-year liberal arts institutions, the Appalachian College Association (ACA) serves Appalachian communities through the transformational work of its faculty, staff, and students. The National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE program is aimed at increasing the participation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers, thereby developing a more diverse science and engineering workforce. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.