Beyond Evaluation: Framing and Documenting Scholarly Teaching
Location
Logan, UT
Start Date
8-13-2025 11:00 AM
End Date
8-13-2025 11:45 AM
Description
Teaching excellence as an evaluative concept in higher education has been around for several decades, yet the definition of teaching excellence and methods to document it remain contested. Excellent teaching not only helps students achieve the stated learning objectives but also is experienced by students as engaging and empowering.
Many observers can identify excellent teaching when they see it in action, whether online or in the classroom. But challenges arise when instructors are faced with documenting their own teaching excellence for reviewers who have not observed the instructor’s teaching. The difference between claiming and showing teaching excellence is at the heart of that challenge.
In this session, we move beyond traditional grading metrics and explore how reflective, evidence-based narratives can illuminate the impact of teaching on student learning and engagement. Drawing from our newly published open-access book on documenting teaching excellence, we focus on frameworks and strategies to support instructors as they gather and curate meaningful evidence of their own teaching, and to inform evaluators of the perspectives to be considered when reviewing someone’s teaching dossier. Recognizing the range of teaching-related appointments at USU, this session offers practical guidance for all those who teach, regardless of rank or position.
This session features reflective activities and small-group conversation while highlighting key features of the book. Participants will leave with actionable insights and practical tools to document teaching excellence in ways that extend well beyond the grade.
Beyond Evaluation: Framing and Documenting Scholarly Teaching
Logan, UT
Teaching excellence as an evaluative concept in higher education has been around for several decades, yet the definition of teaching excellence and methods to document it remain contested. Excellent teaching not only helps students achieve the stated learning objectives but also is experienced by students as engaging and empowering.
Many observers can identify excellent teaching when they see it in action, whether online or in the classroom. But challenges arise when instructors are faced with documenting their own teaching excellence for reviewers who have not observed the instructor’s teaching. The difference between claiming and showing teaching excellence is at the heart of that challenge.
In this session, we move beyond traditional grading metrics and explore how reflective, evidence-based narratives can illuminate the impact of teaching on student learning and engagement. Drawing from our newly published open-access book on documenting teaching excellence, we focus on frameworks and strategies to support instructors as they gather and curate meaningful evidence of their own teaching, and to inform evaluators of the perspectives to be considered when reviewing someone’s teaching dossier. Recognizing the range of teaching-related appointments at USU, this session offers practical guidance for all those who teach, regardless of rank or position.
This session features reflective activities and small-group conversation while highlighting key features of the book. Participants will leave with actionable insights and practical tools to document teaching excellence in ways that extend well beyond the grade.