Program Overview

Introduction to the Teaching Excellence and Evaluation CAIT Program

The Teaching Excellence and Evaluation CAIT program is an initiative developed through a partnership between Teaching Excellence and Evaluation CAIT TEP, the Office of the Provost, and the UO Senate. This program aims to advance the University of Oregon's (UO) innovative approaches to evaluating teaching excellence.

Program Overview

The program builds upon the Continuous Improvement and Evaluation of Teaching System, which was developed in the previous academic year and partially adopted by the Senate. The primary objective is to bring faculty leaders together with home units and research on teaching excellence to foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Program Structure and Participants

• The program consists of a group of 10 fellows drawn from various schools and colleges across the university.
  • These fellows ensure that UO's new evaluation frameworks and instruments are practical, designed to mitigate bias, and contribute to the development of UO's teaching culture.
• Three CAIT fellows simultaneously serve on the Senate-legislated Continuous Improvement and Evaluation of Teaching Committee to guide the system towards full approval.
• Half of the group leads their units in piloting new student surveys, while the other half considers peer review.

Key Participants

• Facilitators:
  • Sierra Dawson, Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Senate Committee Co-Chair
  • Lee Rumbarger, Director, Teaching Engagement Program and Assistant Vice Provost for Teaching Engagement
• Fellows:
  • Adell Amos, Professor of Law, School of Law
  • Tina Boscha, Senior Instructor II and Assistant Head, English, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Dian Del Guercio, Professor of Finance and Senior Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs, Lundquist College of Business
  • John Halliwill, Professor and Head, Department of Human Physiology, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Jenefer Husman, Professor of Education Studies, College of Education
  • Toby Koenigsberg, Associate Professor of Jazz Piano, School of Music and Dance
  • Richard Margerum, Professor and Associate Dean, College of Design, Director School of Planning, Public Policy and Management
  • Gabe Paquette, Professor of History and Dean, Clark Honors College
  • Brett Rushforth, Professor and Head of History, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Kim Sheehan, Professor, School of Journalism and Communications

Conclusion

The Teaching Excellence and Evaluation CAIT program represents a significant step forward in UO's efforts to redefine teaching evaluation, emphasizing practicality, bias mitigation, and the enrichment of the university's teaching culture. Through the collaborative efforts of its fellows and facilitators, the program aims to implement effective evaluation frameworks that support the continuous improvement of teaching excellence across the university.