Teaching Evaluation and Assessment Research
Office of Academic Assessment and Accreditation
About OTEAR
The Office of Teaching Evaluation and Assessment Research (OTEAR, pronounced ot·ter: ä-tər) sits within the Office of Academic Assessment and Accreditation, and supports teaching evaluation, assessment, and program review. OTEAR also engages in research to enhance evidence-based decision making across the university. Our work is driven by collaborations with partners across the institution, best practices around assessment, and continuous improvement.
Rutgers is dedicated to continuous improvement in academic affairs, aligning periodic reviews and annual assessments with the strategic goals of its schools, colleges, and Chancellor-led Units. The university supports this through academic assessment, program and research center reviews, and both institutional and specialized accreditation. Learn more about the Office of Academic Assessment and Accreditation.
Sign up for the OTEAR Workshop mailing list to stay up to date on our office’s latest offerings.
Upcoming Workshops
To view all of our available sessions, please visit our Workshops and Training page.
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Developing a Teaching Portfolio (Virtual Interactive Workshop)
Monday, August 17, 2026 10:00 am – 11:30 am Craft a standout teaching portfolio to effectively communicate your teaching responsibilities, philosophy, goals, and achievements. This interactive workshop will teach you how to present an engaging teaching philosophy and compile compelling evidence of your teaching success. You will also learn to highlight your professional growth and…
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Writing & Refining the Teaching Philosophy (In-Person Working Session)
Thursday September 3, 2026 10:00 am – 11:30 am In-person in New Brunswick This workshop is a deep dive into what might be the most important piece of a teaching portfolio or teaching statement: the teaching philosophy statement. This reflective and highly personal narrative encapsulates an instructor’s instructional goals, teaching methods, and their approach to assessing…
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Evaluating Teaching using SIRS and other forms of Student Feedback (Virtual Interactive Workshop)
Thursday, September 24, 2026 9:30 am – 11:00 am While students are crucial stakeholders in the university’s teaching enterprise, their feedback should not be mistaken for “evaluation of teaching,” which is a task for instructional colleagues. Student feedback is an indicator which provides evidence that must be interpreted. In this workshop, we explore scholarly research…
Teaching Evaluation
According to the Guidelines for Teaching Evaluation, each department should develop a teaching evaluation process which may include peer review of teaching, review of student feedback, and review of information from a teaching portfolio. OTEAR provides workshops and consultations to support departments and instructors in collecting and presenting this information.
Assessment
OTEAR supports University Academic Affairs’ commitment to continuous improvement by facilitating university assessment processes, reviewing new program assessment plans, consulting on program assessment and grant assessments, and sharing best practices for assessment methods related to learning outcomes.
Announcements
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June 24 – Restored – SIRS Reminders in Canvas
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Exploring Generative AI to Enhance Data Artifact Use in Accreditation
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June 8 — SIRS Reminders in Canvas outage [update – fixed]
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OTEAR Assistant Director Position
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Spring 2026 SIRS Results Available to Faculty
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SIRS Dates – Summer 2026
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May 7 – Canvas Outage
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April 26 [resolved] – Universitywide login issues, affects SIRS and Heliocampus
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