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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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…
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Interpreting Student Feedback for Course Improvement (Virtual Interactive Workshop)
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Student feedback, whether from mid‑course or end‑of‑course surveys, has its limitations, but it can still offer a valuable signal about how students experience your teaching and course design. To make the most of that input, you need well‑crafted questions that surface what you truly care about,…
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Responsible AI for Reflective Teaching Portfolios (Virtual Interactive Workshop)
Thursday, October 22, 2026 9:00 am – 10:30 am This interactive session is designed for early career educators who are new to articulating their teaching values and practices. Using generative AI as a reflective partner, participants will explore how these tools can help surface and shape their emerging identities as educators. Through collaborative discussion and…
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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Postponed – “DIG” survey setup
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SIRS – Fall 2026
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Midcourse Surveys – Fall 2026
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DIG Dates – Fall 2026
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System Maintenance, August 24
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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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