The continued nonevaluation of teaching contributes to the dominance of research in the evaluation of faculty members. For both promotion and salary increases, the number of articles published is basically the definition of research. The idea that research is more important than teaching is discussed. (MLW)

Based on the idea that the skills needed to mentor a college faculty member in development of a reflective teaching portfolio are similar to those a composition teacher uses for student consultation, the process and guiding principles used by one mentor are described. Issues of portfolio organization and sources for objective feedback are also…

Describes the peer observation program developed by faculty at California State University, Dominguez Hills, its structure and adaptations, outcomes, and recommendations for development of formative peer observation programs. The program helps reduce faculty professional isolation by providing an informal structure for discussion of teaching and…

A recent Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching report counters the conventional wisdom in academe that faculty research must be evaluated by standards different from those of teaching and service, maintaining that the different types of faculty work have much in common and must be judged similarly if teaching and service are to gain…

Approaches to college faculty peer coaching and peer review are described, including team mentoring, reciprocal class visits, teaching circles, departmental teaching libraries, teaching portfolios, course portfolios, pedagogical colloquia, and departmental reviews. Methods can be adapted, combined for different goals, contexts. All rest on faculty…

Issues emerging in the use of active learning techniques at the college level are summarized, including faculty's risk of colleagues' disapproval, risk of student disapproval, creation of a positive classroom environment, inclusiveness and equitable participation, course and student evaluation, and use of electronic tools for instructional…

Several national projects supported by professional associations are redefining faculty roles and focusing the energies of faculty on teaching, on community service, and on their institutions' missions. Resulting faculty reward systems should recognize institutional mission, departmental priorities, the strength of individuals, and the uniqueness…

A study of 12 award-winning and 87 novice University of Sydney (Australia) faculty found award-winners had more complex and flexible concepts of teaching effectiveness; used a wider range of criteria for evaluating teaching; relied more on personal feelings, peer evaluation, and longer-term student learning; and used more systematic feedback…

Describes a system of undergraduate and graduate instructional evaluation that integrates student and peer evaluation techniques. The procedure has three steps: preliminary meeting between faculty member and peer facilitator; in-class assessment session in which the facilitator engages students in focused discussion of teaching, in the teacher's…

Purdue University's participation as a fund associate in National Project III (NP III) for elevating the importance of teaching has its origins in a flexible and diagnostic instructional evaluation system called "CAFETERIA." CAFETERIA services include test development, scoring, and analysis; social surveys on topics of importance in…

Evaluation alone will probably not improve teaching, but, when it is accompanied by feedback, information about teaching and learning, and work with a knowledgeable consultant, evaluation may lead to improvement. An experienced consultant can foster trust, offer encouragement, and provide guided practice to help faculty improve their teaching…

A Tel Aviv University study determined the characteristics of good teaching, as defined by college students, and the difference in concept and definitions among students in various disciplines. The most commonly cited characteristics included teacher delivery, advising, contribution to student thinking, and scholarly attributes. (MSE)

This study examined the use of faculty development activities to improve the effectiveness of colleges and universities in the United States. A total of 116 institutions in 45 states responded to a mailed survey questionnaire on faculty development activities. It was found that all responding institutions included a faculty development component…

The ultimate criterion of effective teaching is evidence of impact upon student learning. Three purposes of evaluations are identified: to help faculty improve, to make personnel decisions rewarding good teachers and getting rid of those who are not, and to help students choose courses more wisely. (MLW)

Four aspects of faculty self-evaluation are discussed: its relationship to student ratings and teacher characteristics; its use for personnel decisions and improving performance; sample self-evaluation forms and their proper use; and faculty growth contracts. (MSE)