Phase 1 began in spring 2024 and ran through the 2024-2025 academic year. This work created the foundation for all the work to come in future phases.
Phase 1 focused primarily on two key goals:
Establish shared definitions and terms, grounded in the literature and aligned with our institutional identity, for a University-level framework for teaching effectiveness and evaluation.
Establish shared understanding of responsible, evidence-informed teaching evaluation practices. Note: while the Phase 1 Project Team built shared understanding, they were not able to do as much work with the SLU community in this area as anticipated. This work will be picked up in Phase 2.
These are the recommended starting points in the literature on teaching evaluation.
To achieve these goals, the Phase 1 Project Team:
Gathered and analyzed materials from across the University (including departmental/college definitions and teaching evaluation frameworks
Reviewed select literature (on effective teaching, from the learning sciences, etc.)
Reviewed select teaching effectiveness/evaluation frameworks from other institutions
Drew on all of these materials to create draft definitions/framework(s)
Developed multiple draft frameworks; created multiple opportunities for the SLU community to provide feedback on drafts; and revised based on community feedback
Developed a shared understanding of responsible, evidence-informed approaches to the evaluation of teaching. Note: the team was unable to engage in community-wide education about the literature on teaching evaluation, given the time required to develop a framework.
Lisieux Huelman, Ph.D. (co-chair)
Associate Professor, English as Second Language
Co-Chair, Faculty Senate Academic Affairs Committee
Debra Rudder Lohe, Ph.D. (co-chair)
Associate Provost and Chief Online Learning Officer
Amy Cooper, Ph.D.
Associate Chair and Associate Professor, Sociology and Anthropology
Ben England, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor, Biology
Gina M. Merys, Ph.D.
Director, Paul C. Reinert, S.J. Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning
Rabia Rahman, Ph.D.
Interim Department Chair and Associate Professor, Nutrition and Dietetics