The Documentation of Faculty Teaching

forThe USU Regional Campuses

April 16, 2013

Laurens H. Smith Jr, PhD.Executive Senior Vice Provost

ROCKY & BULLWINKLE

BORIS BADENOV

THE DOCUMENTATION OF RESEARCH OR CREATIVE ACTIVITY

• What do you do?

• Why do you do it?

• Is it making an impact and if so, how much?

• Where is the research program going? How has your research program changed over time? What would make your research program better? What are the short and long term research goals and how will

you achieve those?

• Take action and achieve goals

DOCUMENTATION OF RESEARCH

What You Do

Goals

Reflections&

Assessment

Actions&

Outcomes

TEACHING DOCUMENTATION

A. Prescribed Checklist

B. Individualized Narrative• Articulate Philosophy and Approach• Motivation, Effort, Activities• Engagement and Creativity• Assessment and Improvement

WHAT DO YOU DO?

Document teaching activity and teaching assignmentsCourse # Name Level Enrollment Venue Frequency

TaughtBIOL 2000 Human Phys Soph 220 Face to Face MWF 900-950 27 times

• Course descriptions

• Class materials such as texts, readings, etc.

• Syllabi with learning outcomes or goals

• Grading plan; examples of quizzes, tests, assignments

• Grading history

• Student mentoring or advisor

= WHAT DO YOU TEACH?

WHY DO YOU DO IT?

Reflections and the Teaching PhilosophyWhat is your teaching style, and why?

What are your teaching goals? Short term, long term, for each class.

What has influenced your choice of teaching approach and perspective?

What guides your teaching development? Are you using a scholarly approach to teaching?• Literature• Colleagues or mentors

Do you actively seek ways to improve your understanding of teaching?

What are those ways and did it make a difference?

What do you know about learning?

Do you know your students? Do you know what they know and why they are in your class?

= WHY DO YOU TEACH THE WAY YOU DO?

Teaching AssessmentStudent Course Ratings, Comments, Other Forms of Student Feedback

• What do you do with student feedback?

• What changes have you made as a result of student feedback and did they improve your teaching?

• Have you measured improved student learning?• Do you pre-test student knowledge?• Do you do mid-term class evaluations?

Peer Reviews• Do you do them?• Do you know best ways to do peer reviews and apply them?• What is your response to peer reviews?

Other• Non-institutional Methods• Awards

Have you documented this?!

IS YOUR TEACHING SUCCESSFUL AND MAKING AN IMPACT? HOW DO YOU KNOW?

Pedagogical research and publishing.

Reading pedagogical literature and applying it.

Funding for pedagogical research.

Funding to improve your courses.

Restructuring your courses.

Leadership role in department or college to improve teaching.

TEACHING ENGAGEMENT – WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?

TEACHING ENGAGEMENT

Attend teaching and learning workshops and apply or share what you learn.

Participate in, or lead, a department journal club in teaching and learning.

Produce teaching materials.

Earn awards or honors for your teaching efforts.

Student success in ways attributable to you.

Have you documented this?!

SHORT AND LONG TERM TEACHING GOALSTeaching Improvement

What can you do differently and better?Are you doing something more than delivering content and grading?

How are you responding to feedback from students and peers in constructive ways?

Are you measuring improvement in your teaching and in student learning?

Are you staying updated on teaching in your field? On new teaching methods or technologies?

Are you trying new approaches, new textbooks or information resources?

What have you done innovatively to improve your teaching?

Have you visited classes of colleagues to observe other teaching styles and approaches?

Have you had colleagues with expertise in teaching visit your classes or review your teaching materials?

Have you documented this?!

DOCUMENTATION OF TEACHING

What You Do

Goals

Reflections&

Assessment

Actions&

Outcomes

Engaged

Knowledgeable

Innovative

Imaginative

Follow throughand productive

TEACHING DOCUMENTATION

• Responsibilities• Philosophy or Statement• Assessment• Engagement• Improvements• Goals

TAKE HOME MESSAGES

• Have an Excellent Teaching Enterprise

• Reflect on Your Teaching Enterpriseo Are you investing serious effort in

teaching?o Is it thriving and improving?

• Routinely Update and Organize Documentation of Teaching

• Collect Evidence of Teaching Activities

• Consider a Teaching Journal or Log

IS THE DOCUMENTATION OF TEACHING A MAGIC TRICK?

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSION?