Teaching Evaluation
Teaching evaluation is a constructive process and review of pedagogical practices, effectiveness of instructional methods, curriculum delivery, classroom engagement, and the overall impact on student learning.
Improving the Evaluation of Teaching
At Rutgers, we are committed to supporting the development of robust processes for the evaluation of teaching. 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 has developed a series of best practice recommendations that may guide departments seeking to adopt and improve procedures for teaching evaluation. The pages here provide information on different forms of teaching evaluation and how to put them together within a department. In addition to brief summaries of best practices, we have compiled a list of resources that model quality evaluation programs which can be found on our Improving the Evaluation of Teaching Canvas site.
Teaching Portfolios
The Teaching Portfolio is best thought of as a documented statement of a faculty member’s teaching responsibilities, philosophy, goals, and accomplishments as a teacher. It is a flexible document, and can be used in a number of ways, depending upon the needs and interests of the faculty member. It can be an extensive collection of information, or something much more compact and limited.
Peer Review of Instruction
Peer review of teaching is the process by which an instructor’s faculty peers observe a component of his or her teaching and provide feedback for professional development and summative evaluation. Through this collaborative exchange, instructors can share successes and challenges with colleagues, allowing them to improve their teaching practices with collective insights.
Student Feedback
While students are not subject or pedagogy experts, students spend more time with faculty than anyone else and can provide valuable information about instructor behaviors such as whether the instructor was engaging, prepared, organized, and understandable. When used in combination with other components of teaching evaluation, and when interpreted carefully, student feedback is a valuable tool for measuring effective teaching.
Upcoming Workshops
Visit Workshops and Training to browse a complete selection of our available workshops.
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Peer Review of Teaching using the Critical Teaching Behaviors Framework (Virtual Interactive Workshop)
Friday, January 24, 2025, 12:00pm-1:30pm
Peer review of teaching is an important part of the advancement, reappointment, and promotion process for instructors of all ranks. This workshop is primarily designed to prepare reviewers tasked with conducting peer review of teaching, but instructors preparing to be observed may also find this session helpful. We will introduce the Critical Teaching Behaviors Framework and show how it can be used to facilitate peer review of teaching. If you wish to attend the workshop or to receive the video recording after the workshop, please register.
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Using the Rutgers Guidelines for Presenting Evidence of Effective Teaching (Virtual Interactive Workshop)
Thursday, January 30, 2025, 9:00am-10:30am
This workshop will explore the Guidelines for Effective Teaching, which adopts a framework showing what effective teaching looks like and encourages faculty to present evidence that shows their strengths across all aspects of teaching. As part of this session, participants evaluate samples of evidence and brainstorm what sources of evidence they can muster to build their promotion packets. This workshop is intended for all instructors presenting evidence for effective teaching. Please register to attend or receive the recording.
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Writing & Refining the Teaching Philosophy (Virtual Working Session)
Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 9:00am-10:30am
This new 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 student learning. In this interactive session we explore examples from different disciplines before spending time writing, editing, and peer reviewing. This workshop will not be recorded. Please register to attend.
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Interpreting SIRS and other forms of Student Feedback (Virtual Interactive Workshop)
Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 1:00pm-2:30pm
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 on the limitations and potential biases of student feedback. We present strategies for how department chairs and program directors should review, interpret, and utilize the likert-scale and comment responses from the Student Instructional Ratings Survey (SIRS) to improve course curriculum, support faculty, and evaluate teaching. This workshop is especially beneficial for those who regularly engage with SIRS, but we also encourage anyone from the university community interested in learning about best practices in interpreting student feedback to join us. To attend the workshop or to receive the video recording after the workshop, please register.
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Writing & Refining the Teaching Philosophy (In-Person Working Session)
Tuesday, March 18, 2025, 9:00am-10:30am
This new 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 student learning. In this interactive session we explore examples from different disciplines before spending time writing, editing, and peer reviewing. This workshop will be held in person in New Brunswick (location will be shared prior to the event) and will not be recorded. Because of limited space, we are capping registration at 20 participants. Please register to attend.
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Best Practices for Peer Review of Online Teaching (Virtual Interactive Workshop)
Monday, April 21, 2025, 2:00pm-3:30pm
Peer review of teaching plays a crucial role in the advancement, reappointment, and promotion process for instructors across all ranks. Many educators now teach courses with significant online components, including asynchronous online, synchronous online, and hybrid formats. Peer review of these courses presents unique challenges, such as defining the concept of “observation,” understanding the integration of course design and student engagement, and recognizing the specific challenges faced by both instructors and students in online settings. This workshop offers a platform to share best practices and engage in discussions about these issues. If you wish to attend the workshop or to receive the video recording after the workshop, please register.
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Peer Review of the Teaching Portfolio (Virtual Working Session)
Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 10:00am-11:30am
Does your teaching portfolio present strong evidence showcasing your teaching success? Is the teaching philosophy clear and well-matched with your instructional goals? In this workshop we provide a rubric for evaluating teaching portfolios and assign participants to small teams to peer review their portfolios and document effective strategies and presentation of evidence. We will share results so that all participants can see the best strategies and learn from each other. This workshop is meant for those who can bring a draft portfolio to share with others. If you wish to attend the workshop or to receive the video recording after the workshop, please register.
Additional Resources
Rutgers Resources
Institute for Teaching, Innovation & Inclusive Pedagogy (New Brunswick)
P3 Collaboratory (Newark)
Instructional Design & Technology (Camden)
University Online Education Services (formerly TLT)
Accessibility for Instructional Materials and Course Sites
DCS – Digital Classroom Services
Active Learning Community & Resources
Open Educational Resources Guide
Scheduling
Important Policies
Policy on Academic Integrity
FERPA – Faculty Responsibilities for Student Privacy