Evaluating Teaching Effectiveness
Center for Teaching & Learning

A multi-pronged approach for effective teaching

Renee Beeton, Ph.D., working with a student in chemistry lab.

Fort Lewis College defines effective teaching through the Dimensions of Effective Teaching, which were designed to:

Foster a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment that reflects the institution’s identity as a Non-Tribal Native-Serving Institution and its core value of placing students at the center.
Serve as a tool for instructors to provide evidence of effective teaching, beyond relying on student course evaluations, which disproportionately affect women and faculty of color.
Draw on research-based practices to guide growth, rather than being a prescriptive, top-down evaluation tool.
Offer common criteria and language to guide reflection (individual, peer, and departmental) and support continuous improvement.
Help instructors improve by focusing on common elements of effective teaching while allowing flexibility for disciplinary practices and individual style.

Teaching goals are central to the evaluation process and guide who instructors collaborate with and how they structure their review. Goals should be based on student or peer feedback and align with the Dimensions of Effective Teaching to focus professional development. These goals also make feedback evidence-based and shape the kind of peer observation instructors seek.

How to start using the Teaching Effectiveness Framework

Step 1: Choose a dimension

Select a teaching dimension to focus on, guided by feedback from students, colleagues, or personal interests.

Step 2: Set a goal

Review the criteria for your chosen dimension on the Dimensions of Effective Teaching page and define a specific, actionable goal.

Step 3: Learn and practice

Participate in workshops, webinars, or discussions with colleagues. Explore literature and apply evidence-based techniques in your teaching.

Step 4: Reflect

Gather and analyze feedback from peers and students. Evaluate successes, identify areas for improvement, and plan adjustments to enhance your teaching.

A comprehensive approach to teaching evaluation

Teaching evaluation should include three essential feedback components. Each type provides considerations for effective assessment, drawing from current literature, research, and best practices from other institutions. Given the complexity of teaching, multiple sources of feedback are necessary to evaluate teaching quality and support instructors' growth.¹

Peer Feedback

Engage in constructive dialogue with a colleague to gain valuable insights into instructional practices and learner experiences.

Learn more about Peer Feedback

Reflexive Feedback

Conduct self-evaluation to foster continuous improvement while honoring the unique educational, cultural, and historical perspectives of our campus.

Learn more about Reflexive Feedback

Student Feedback

Leverage student perspectives to refine and enhance teaching practices, fostering a learner-centered environment.

Learn more about Student Feedback

The background of FLC's Teaching Effectiveness Framework

In 2023-24, a Senate-charged committee revised the existing teaching evaluation process, creating a new teaching evaluation framework consisting of two key elements:

Dimensions of Effective Teaching, grounded in research and as requested in The Committee on the Status of Women Faculty’s report: “To evaluate teaching, the institution needs to first define the qualities of effective teaching that should be consistent across campus and departments, and which align with our mission. The design of teaching evaluation and course evaluation should support and measure the defined aspects and qualities of effective instruction and course design."
Multi-pronged approach that includes three voices of feedback: reflexive feedback, peer feedback, and student feedback.

The Teaching Evaluation Framework was recommended by the Women Faculty Committee, developed by the Ad-hoc Committee on Teaching Evaluation, and endorsed by Faculty Senate in Spring 2024.

References

Berk, R. A. (2012). Start spreading the news: Use multiple sources of evidence to evaluate teaching. Journal of Faculty Development, 32(1), 73-81.

Bernstein, D., Burnett, A. N., Goodburn, A. M., & Savory, P. (2006). Making teaching and learning visible: Course portfolios and the peer review of teaching. Wiley.

Blackmore, J. A. (2005). A critical evaluation of peer review via teaching observation within higher education. International Journal of Educational Management, 19(3), 218-232.

De Courcy, E. (2015). Defining and measuring teaching excellence in higher education in the 21st century. College Quarterly, 18(1), n1.

Fileborn, B., Wood, M., & Loughnan, C. (2020). Peer reviews of teaching as appreciative inquiry: Learning from "the best" of our colleagues. Higher Education, 1-15.

Finkelstein, N., Corbo, J. C., Reinholz, D. L., Gammon, M., & Keating, J. (2018). Evaluating teaching in a scholarly manner: A model and call for an evidence-based, departmentally-defined approach to enhance teaching evaluation for CU Boulder.

Fletcher, J. A. (2018). Peer observation of teaching: A practical tool in higher education. The Journal of Faculty Development, 32(1), 51-64.

Harrison, R., Meyer, L., Rawstorne, P., Razee, H., Chitkara, U., Mears, S., & Balasooriya, C. (2022). Evaluating and enhancing quality in higher education teaching practice: A meta-review. Studies in Higher Education, 47(1), 80-96.

Kreitzer, R. J., & Sweet-Cushman, J. (2022). A review of measurement and equity bias in SETs and recommendations for ethical reform. Journal of Academic Ethics, 20, 73-84.

Medina, M. S., Smith, W. T., Kolluru, S., Sheaffer, E. A., & DiVall, M. (2019). A review of strategies for designing, administering, and using student ratings of instruction. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 83(5).

Williams, D. A. (2007). Examining the relation between race and student evaluations of faculty. Profession, 1, 168-173.

Wolfe, J. (2022, January 20). Let’s stop relying on biased teaching evaluations. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com

Indiana University Kokomo. (2017). Identifying pathways for teaching excellence. Retrieved from https://www.iuk.edu/academic-affairs/academic-resources/identifying-pathways-for-excellence-in-teaching.html

Evaluating Teaching Effectiveness Center for Teaching & Learning