Department's CurrentTeaching Plan

Faculty Responsibilities

1. Conduct one peer observation of a class for a colleague or graduate part-time instructor
   annually or invite a colleague to complete a peer observation of one of your classes.
   Observation forms will be provided.
2. Include in the “Self Appraisal and Goals” section of Faculty Success (formerly called Digital
   Measures) a brief description of how each of your long-semester classes went (not including
   independent study courses). The suggested reflection questions below may be useful in
   giving you ideas to consider. Please note that this need not be very long but is instead
   intended to provide space to consider what went well, what didn’t go well, and what might be
   changed next time. If things did not go well, include your plan to improve things next time.
3. Attend at least one seminar, professional development workshop, or conference sponsored by
   the department, STEM-CORE, the TLPDC, or its equivalent (e.g., a national teaching
   conference or a webinar or podcast on enhancing teaching).

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Incentives for Full Faculty Participation in the Teaching Plan

1. Participation will be included in annual faculty evaluation teaching scores.
2. Strengthen teaching component in third-year reviews, tenure and promotion dossiers,
   continuing appointment dossiers, and comprehensive performance evaluations.
3. Support for nominations of teaching awards.

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Suggested Reflection Questions on Teaching

1. What did I enjoy about teaching this course?
2. What concerns did I have while teaching this course?
3. What challenged me while teaching this course?
4. How do my teaching and presentation methods serve my students?
5. How did I actively engage students in learning the content in this course? In the future, what
   strategy will I use to further engage students with whom I may have struggled in connecting
   with this semester?
6. Which assignments or classroom activities were most effective in meeting the student
   learning outcomes?
7. Which assignments or classroom activities were the least effective, did not work as hoped, or
   both? What modifications can I make to improve the effectiveness of the assignments or
   classroom activities?
8. How did my professional experiences, expertise, or research inform or enhance my teaching?
9. If I tried a new teaching strategy, method, or technique, what worked well and how could I
   improve it in the future?
10. What pedagogical innovations or changes do I plan to make to increase student learning in
    the future?
11. How did I use student evaluations, peer observation, or both to improve my course?
12. How will I use student evaluations, peer observation, or both to improve my course in the
    future?

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Definition of Excellence in Teaching and Learning

1. Professional Teaching
   Professional teaching combines the pedagogical knowledge, organizational practices, and communication skills necessary to design and implement a high-quality course while including appropriate and up-to-date use of technology to support the instructor’s learning outcomes and promote student learning.
2. Inclusive Teaching
   Inclusive teaching engages and values every student and facilitates a positive social and
   emotional climate of the class.
3. Engaged Teaching
   Engaged teachers participate in ongoing professional development, innovation, and reflection to
   prepare them to actively engage their students in every class.
4. Contemporary Evidence-based Teaching
   Contemporary evidence-based teaching means teaching practices are evidence-based and the
   university’s strategic priority on research and creative activities is infused, as appropriate, into
   the teaching and learning process.