Measuring Teaching Effectiveness

Evidence-based measurements of student learning (such as pre- and post-testing or student work samples) that meet defined student learning outcomes

Application
Useful for displaying impact on student learning—how the faculty member’s teaching contributed to increased knowledge/skills.

Considerations
Faculty should carefully select courses (levels and sections) that accurately reflect the faculty member’s strengths and expertise and should anticipate administering these measurements across multiple semesters. This type requires advance planning to design assignments and/or ensure effective administration of pre- and post-tests.

Timeline
At least two full semesters, plus time for planning and evaluation of results.

Parties
Faculty member; Director of Assessment; OTEI, as needed.

Example
In one of her 4000-level courses, Susan designed a final group project to measure students’ attainment of the course’s student learning outcomes. Susan collects the final projects across multiple semesters and presents
(a) original directions for the assignment,
(b) a sample of the completed projects,
(c) the corresponding student learning outcomes from the course,
(d) the rubric used for grading, and
(e) an explanation of any observed trends.

Related Resources

• Learning-Focused Assignment Guide. This holistic guide can help you assess the alignment, transparency, and inclusivity of your assignments, in terms of development, use, and revision of assignments.
• Learning-Focused Assignment Rubric. This rubric preceded the creation of the assignment guide and uses a point-scoring system. From the Universities of Virginia and George Mason.
• Learning-Focused Test Guide. This guide helps you assess the alignment, transparency, and inclusivity of your tests, both development and deployment.
• Test Blueprint Guide. This guide walks you through the process of creating a simple blueprint to evaluate your test questions and check on alignment with learning outcomes.

Evaluation (by peers and/or administrators) of course materials, learning objectives, and examinations

Application
Provides information about the quality of materials designed by the faculty member for the purpose of effectively teaching course content.

Considerations
Faculty should carefully select courses (levels and sections) that accurately reflect the faculty member’s strengths and expertise. Faculty should utilize resources and protocols provided by OTEI to ensure consistency across evaluations.

Timeline
At least one full semester, depending on number of evaluators and volume of materials to evaluate.

Parties
Faculty member; Peer evaluator(s); Administrator(s); TPR Committee; Senior faculty with teaching appointments; OTEI, as needed

Example
Susan gathers the teaching materials, learning objectives, and exams from a 4000-level course she consistently teaches. She asks her department chair to use the protocols and rubrics from OTEI to evaluate her materials and provide feedback, including suggestions for improvement.

Related Resources

• Learning-Focused Assignment Guide. This holistic guide can help you assess the alignment, transparency, and inclusivity of your assignments, in terms of development, use, and revision of assignments.
• Learning-Focused Assignment Rubric. This rubric preceded the creation of the assignment guide and uses a point-scoring system. From the Universities of Virginia and George Mason.
• Learning-Focused Test Guide. This guide helps you assess the alignment, transparency, and inclusivity of your tests, both development and deployment.
• Test Blueprint Guide. This guide walks you through the process of creating a simple blueprint to evaluate your test questions and check on alignment with learning outcomes.
• Diversity & Inclusion Syllabus Statements. This resource lists a series of examples of statements from various institutions, compiled by the Clemson Faculty Learning Community “Dive In”.
• Faculty may also self-evaluate teaching practices and course materials with regards to diversity and inclusion, using the resources on the OTEI Diversity, Equity and Inclusion page.
• A Guide to Assessing the Focus of Syllabi. This article provides an overview and instructions for using a “valid and reliable syllabus rubric” from the University of Virginia. Faculty can also visit the OTEI website for a current version of the CU Syllabus Template (“the Student-Centered Undergraduate Syllabus Template” and others) at the Clemson Teaching page.

In-class visitation by peers and/or administrators

Application
Offers structured feedback from a trained peer observer (ideally) as evidence of effective pedagogical tactics and in-class interactions.

Considerations
This type is most impactful when multiple in-class visitations are completed. Using a trained peer observer will ensure important pedagogical components are evaluated.

Timeline
Up to one full semester to identify peer observer, schedule visit, and receive feedback.

Parties
Faculty member; Peer evaluator(s); Administrator(s); OTEI, as needed

Example
Susan schedules a peer faculty member and her department chair for in-class observations of her 4000-level capstone course. Both use protocols provided by OTEI to offer feedback on specific components of her teaching performance.

Related Resources

• A Guide to Peer Observation: Observing Teaching in Higher Education (OTEI). This guide provides an overview of teaching observations in higher education today, a suggested approach and schedule, and sample documentation.
• A Checklist of Teacher Behaviors for a Class Session
• Classroom Observations CECAS example (adapted from the Center for Faculty Leadership and Development, University of Texas El Paso)

A statement by the faculty member describing the faculty member’s teaching methods and/or teaching philosophy

Application
Offers valuable context for other evidence types.

Considerations
Teaching philosophies should be recent and often benefit from review by a peer faculty member or administrator. Because it provides context, the faculty member may want to include this in addition to three other evidence types.

Timeline
2 weeks, if seeking feedback.

Parties
Faculty Member; Peer faculty member(s)

Example
Susan ensures her teaching philosophy document is up-to-date and shares the document with her department chair and OTEI for feedback. She makes adjustments based on feedback.

Related Resources

• Statement of Teaching Philosophy Example (CAFLS)

Exit interview/surveys with current graduates/alumni

Application: 
Uses the voices of alumni and/or students at the end of their degree program to provide first-hand reflective feedback related to the faculty member’s role as an educator.

Considerations
Interviews and surveys measure student perceptions in a manner similar to that of course evaluations. Ensure response rates are high enough to accurately reflect overall student sentiment.

Timeline
Depending on size of program, 3-4 semesters of feedback may be needed to show consistency. If no current personal, departmental, or program-level system is in place, this will take longer.

Parties
Faculty member; Administrator(s); Student Services Coordinator(s)

Example
Susan’s department administers exit surveys to all graduate students. Her chair aggregates the responses from Susan’s advisees and provides those responses to Susan in a report.

Related Resources

• Exit Survey

A statement by the faculty member of teaching methods or philosophy that also describes and documents how feedback from student rating of course experiences or evaluation instruments above were used to improve teaching.

Application
Displays how the faculty member is willing and able to use feedback in an attempt to improve their teaching performance.

Considerations
Builds upon other evidence types (e.g., using evaluation of course materials to make pedagogical changes). May act as valuable response to early/previous negative, teaching-related feedback.

Timeline
At least 2 full semesters—one to gather feedback and one to design and execute changes.

Parties
Faculty member; Director of Assessment & OTEI, as needed

Example
After receiving feedback from classroom observations, Susan uses the feedback to edit her syllabus for clarity, as well as incorporate more classroom discussions and in-class group activities. She tracks final exam scores for several subsequent semesters to document potential improvement in mean scores.

After receiving quantitative and qualitative feedback from student end of course evaluations, John interpreted the results and looked for practices to continue and practices to improve, documenting actions that he took in response to the feedback.

Useful for showing incorporation of feedback and currency of curricula within the field.

Considerations
This type can take significant advanced planning, including working with department leaders and curriculum committees.

If the course involves a change of delivery mode (i.e., from face-to-face to online), consider working with Clemson Online and the Office of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation.

Timeline
At least one full semester of preparation, plus additional time if course must be approved by curriculum committees

Parties
Faculty, curriculum committees, department chair, program coordinator, Clemson Online (if relevant), OTEI

Example
John converted the curriculum for two traditional (face-to-face) classes to an online format, working with Clemson Online to update the types of activities, assignments, and learning materials he used for the class.

Provides evidence of innovation in the classroom/laboratory and/or adaptation to student needs.

Considerations
Consider basing your techniques on approaches that have been tested or suggested for use in your field.

Document the experience so you can reference it again later or use the experience as a potential publication opportunity.

Timeline
At least one full semester to execute the new knowledge or techniques, plus additional time for planning

Parties
Faculty, peers, OTEI

Example
John used an example of a “flipped” classroom that he saw at a recent conference and applied the idea to a single section of his 2000-level course, documenting observations, student scores, and feedback along the way.

Offers peer-reviewed evidence that methodologies or course content were intentional, measurable, and/or impactful.

Considerations
If designed intentionally, publications can result from the collection of other teaching effectiveness evidence types.

Timeline
At least two semesters to design, collect evidence, write up observations, submit for review, and see publication

Parties
Faculty, peers, Director of Assessment (if applicable), OTEI

Example
John wanted to try a new activity in one of his lab sections to measure its potential impact on student learning. He designed the activity as a human subjects experiment, compared student learning across sections, wrote up his observations, and submitted them for peer review.

Resources
OTEI (Click on "Teaching as Research.")

Indicates exceptional teaching effort and outcomes warranting public recognition or awards.

Considerations
These can be at any level—departmental, societal, state, federal—as long as they involve teaching.

Timeline
Depends on type of award and requirements for consideration

Parties
Varies

Example
John received the college’s Award for Excellence in Teaching his second year teaching at Clemson.

Related Resources

• USDA Teaching Awards Guidelines

Useful for showing external recognition of, and value for, quality teaching in the field.

Considerations
Even if you were unable to accept, the invitation itself is evidence that your teaching is valued by a variety of individuals.

Timeline
Depends on type of event or invitation

Parties
Varies

Example
John was invited by a peer institution to guest lecture on his area of expertise.

Provides information about faculty’s effort to improve their pedagogical skills.

Considerations
Clemson offers various teaching-related workshops throughout the year; also consider those designed by your professional organizations.

Timeline
Workshops and professional development events vary from a single to day to an entire year of participation

Parties
OTEI, Clemson Online, Division of Equity and Inclusion and other Clemson Units; national organizations; other.

Example
During the summer, John attended a week-long workshop series offered to higher ed faculty by NAAEE. At the workshop, he learned how to design a new series of activities and implemented the series in his 3000-level course.

Offers information about time and effort spent contributing to overall improvement in the classroom.

Considerations
May involve teaching-related service specific to Clemson, your field of expertise, organization, or specific regions.

This type references your contributions to improve teaching, as a whole. It is an opportunity for you to provide information about peer reviews you have completed or teaching-related leadership roles you have held.

Timeline
Depends on type of service

Parties
n/a

Example
John was nominated as chair of the Teaching Innovation Committee of a professional organization. As chair, he led the effort to award members’ exceptional efforts in teaching and designed a speaker series that ran the duration of his tenure as chair of the committee.

* For more information see the above section titled "Peer/Administration Evaluation of course materials, learning objectives, and examinations"

Provides evidence of positive student-teacher relationships that persist beyond a course and impact the long-term success of students.

Considerations
This evidence type involves faculty-student interactions that directly impact the student’s academic experience and progression through the program.

Timeline
Several continuous semesters

Parties
n/a

Example
During his time at Clemson, John has seen half of his undergraduate advisees go on to graduate school and has served as major advisor to 6 M.S. students and 5 Ph. D. students.