About Us

The Office of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation is your hub for teaching preparation and development before, during, and after this semester and into the future. Whether you need help designing your syllabi and curriculum or would like to request a consultation as you sharpen your skills as an instructor, we're here to help.

Founded in 1998 by Dr. Linda Nilson, author of Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors, OTEI has continued to grow both in size and services under the direction of Dr. Taimi Olsen. As Clemson University's leading teaching center, our work with faculty, administrators, staff and teaching assistants is based on evidence-based research, with an emphasis on community-building and attention to positive assets of all learners.

For more about OTEI, see our annual reports: 2024-25 / 2025-26

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Vision and Mission

OTEI's vision is to focus primarily on building up a collective excellence in teaching that positively influences and reflects on student outcomes. We champion a holistic approach to
educational development by supporting instructors at every stage of their teaching journey and
supporting departments and colleges in the teaching mission. We provide evidence-based tools,
foster inclusive and reflective practices, and cultivate communities of trust and collaboration through our signature programs.

Our mission is to elevate teaching excellence, enhance student learning, and advocate for the agency and well-being of all educators. We envision a thriving teaching and learning community where every educator is empowered, every student is supported, and teaching excellence is celebrated as a cornerstone of academic success. Through innovation, collaboration, and supportive community practices, OTEI inspires a culture of continuous growth and holistic development.

Leadership

Dr. Taimi Olsen, the Executive Director of OTEI, is the former director of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Teaching and Learning Center. With her combined prior experience and Doctorate degree in American and Modern Literature from UNC-Chapel Hill, she offers a uniquely keen eye for the developmental resources and services provided by OTEI. Dr. Olsen has worked in higher education for over 30 years with a focus on developing and teaching general education and major courses, leading a department and a school and completing research in her discipline (E.E. Cummings and Modernism). As OTEI's director, she serves on national professional development committees and publishes in educational development journals. In addition to her efforts, she is an affiliate faculty member of Clemson's Department of English.

Key Partners

While OTEI provides many offerings and services, our primary efforts are through our key partners. In our efforts to support Clemson educators in their profession and professional development, we often collaborate with a variety of on-campus support areas.

The Watt Family Innovation Center is home to our offices and generous host of our events.
Undergraduate Learning Division (link) is a key partner in many teaching initiatives, with OTEI supporting General Education programs in particular.
Clemson Online provides faculty with support for teaching online courses, supports CANVAS and teaching technology, as well as CCIT.
Clemson Libraries provides research expertise, materials, open educational resources and other services.
Through the Graduate School's Grad 360 program, graduate students are provided with the support they need. For graduate teachers and TA's, teaching is included as one of the Graduate School's "Tiger 9" competencies.