Workshops and Training

Workshops and Training

OTEAR offers multiple workshops on the improvement of teaching evaluation and assessment. All current workshops that are available are listed below, and each session is facilitated by OTEAR staff unless otherwise noted. If you are interested in scheduling a specific workshop for your office or department, or would like to speak with an OTEAR staff member, please email us at otear@rutgers.edu.

To stay informed of our upcoming workshops and trainings, please sign up for the OTEAR email listserv.

Available Sessions

  • 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 development as an educator. If you wish to attend the workshop or receive the video recording after the workshop, please register.

    Register

  • 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 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 if you plan to attend. 

    Register

  • 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 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.

    Register

  • 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, strategies for interpreting open‑ended comments, practical approaches to analyzing qualitative feedback, and a clear sense of which feedback to act on and which to set aside. You also need effective techniques for eliciting high-quality feedback in the first place, especially when you’re facing low response rates, contradictory comments, or emotionally charged reactions. This session helps you turn student feedback into actionable insights, so you can address concerns, strengthen learning experiences, and make meaningful adjustments while the course is still in progress. You will examine sample feedback, practice interpreting both quantitative data and qualitative comments, and draft or refine your own survey questions to better align with your goals. By the end of the workshop, you will leave with a clearer framework for deciding which feedback deserves your attention and practical strategies for using student input to guide concrete changes in your courses. If you wish to attend the workshop or receive the video recording after the workshop, please register. 

    Register

  • 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 hands-on experimentation, attendees will develop practical strategies for expressing their pedagogical beliefs in clear, authentic language, whether for teaching statements, portfolios, or conversations with peers and mentors. 

    Register

  • Strategies for Assessing Microcredential Programs (Virtual Interactive Workshop)

    Monday, November 9, 2026
    11:00 am – 12:30 pm 

    This workshop introduces participants to strategies for assessing microcredential programs to support learner achievement and program effectiveness. The session provides guidance on developing clear and measurable learning goals that align with the intended outcomes of the credential. Participants examine approaches to assessment for mastery, ensuring that learners demonstrate competence in targeted skills, as well as assessment for continual improvement, which emphasizes feedback loops that inform ongoing program refinement. Several viable strategies are discussed, including the use of quizzes and tests, reflection papers and projects, and interviews, each offering different approaches to measuring learner progress. Attention is also given to process fidelity assessment, which evaluates how consistently and effectively the program is delivered, ensuring that instructional design and implementation match intended standards. The workshop also addresses reporting practices by outlining schedules and content frameworks that communicate both learner outcomes and program quality to stakeholders. Please register to attend or receive the recording.

    Register

  • Designing Assessment Plans for Academic Programs

    Wednesday, January 20, 2027
    1:00 pm – 2:30 pm 

    This workshop will guide you through the process of developing a comprehensive assessment plan. You will learn to articulate clear learning goals, design a curriculum map that aligns with these goals, and effectively measure program success. We will explore a variety of direct and indirect assessment techniques and demystify the difference between programmatic and learning-focused evaluation. Whether you are launching a new program for Board of Governors review, revitalizing an existing curriculum, or aiming to improve your current assessment strategies, this session will provide you strategies for success. Please register to attend or receive the recording.

    Register

  • Navigating Peer Review of Teaching (Asynchronous Presentation)

    Available On Demand 

    Peer review of teaching is an important part of the advancement, reappointment, and promotion process for instructors of all ranks. This asynchronous session is designed to prepare reviewers tasked with conducting peer review of teaching, but instructors preparing to be observed may also find it helpful. The presentation will focus on peer review of in-person classroom instruction and peer review of course materials, and will provide suggestions for effectively documenting observations. This presentation is available through Canvas and requires a login to view.

    If you have any questions, please contact otear@rutgers.edu.

    Access

  • Preparing Teaching Documentation for Promotion, Reappointment, and Renewal (Asynchronous Presentation)

    Available On Demand 

    What should be included in a teaching portfolio? How should one respond to peer review of teaching suggestions? What really matters about student feedback? In this workshop, we talk about how to put together evidence that demonstrates effective teaching. This session is open to instructors of all ranks and others involved in promotion, reappointment, or renewal. This presentation is available through Canvas and requires a login to view.

    If you have any questions, please contact otear@rutgers.edu.

    Access

  • Assessment of Learning 101 (Asynchronous Presentation)

    Available On Demand 

    This session explores the fundamentals of academic assessment, including program learning outcomes, course learning goals, and both direct and indirect assessment techniques. It will examine the crucial role of rubrics within the assessment process and discuss how assessment strategies can effectively inform course design. The presentation will also address best practices for enhancing assessment quality, including the implementation of blind grading procedures, ensuring grading reliability through inter-rater checks, and utilizing multiple reviewers for comprehensive evaluations. This is designed for faculty who are new to academic assessment or need a refresher on learning about different methods of assessment and the assessment cycle. This presentation is available through Canvas and requires a login to view.

    If you have any questions, please contact otear@rutgers.edu.

    Access

  • Strategies for Assessing Microcredential Programs (Virtual Interactive Workshop)

    Monday, November 9, 2026
    11:00 am – 12:30 pm 

    This workshop introduces participants to strategies for assessing microcredential programs to support learner achievement and program effectiveness. The session provides guidance on developing clear and measurable learning goals that align with the intended outcomes of the credential. Participants examine approaches to assessment for mastery, ensuring that learners demonstrate competence in targeted skills, as well as assessment for continual improvement, which emphasizes feedback loops that inform ongoing program refinement. Several viable strategies are discussed, including the use of quizzes and tests, reflection papers and projects, and interviews, each offering different approaches to measuring learner progress. Attention is also given to process fidelity assessment, which evaluates how consistently and effectively the program is delivered, ensuring that instructional design and implementation match intended standards. The workshop also addresses reporting practices by outlining schedules and content frameworks that communicate both learner outcomes and program quality to stakeholders. Please register to attend or receive the recording.

    Register

  • Designing Assessment Plans for Academic Programs

    Wednesday, January 20, 2027
    1:00 pm – 2:30 pm 

    This workshop will guide you through the process of developing a comprehensive assessment plan. You will learn to articulate clear learning goals, design a curriculum map that aligns with these goals, and effectively measure program success. We will explore a variety of direct and indirect assessment techniques and demystify the difference between programmatic and learning-focused evaluation. Whether you are launching a new program for Board of Governors review, revitalizing an existing curriculum, or aiming to improve your current assessment strategies, this session will provide you strategies for success. Please register to attend or receive the recording.

    Register

  • Assessment of Learning 101 (Asynchronous Presentation)

    Available On Demand 

    This session explores the fundamentals of academic assessment, including program learning outcomes, course learning goals, and both direct and indirect assessment techniques. It will examine the crucial role of rubrics within the assessment process and discuss how assessment strategies can effectively inform course design. The presentation will also address best practices for enhancing assessment quality, including the implementation of blind grading procedures, ensuring grading reliability through inter-rater checks, and utilizing multiple reviewers for comprehensive evaluations. This is designed for faculty who are new to academic assessment or need a refresher on learning about different methods of assessment and the assessment cycle. This presentation is available through Canvas and requires a login to view.

    If you have any questions, please contact otear@rutgers.edu.

    Access

We’re currently planning our next series of workshops and training sessions. Stay informed by subscribing to our mailing list for the latest updates from OTEAR.

Subscribe

  • 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 development as an educator. If you wish to attend the workshop or receive the video recording after the workshop, please register.

    Register

  • 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 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 if you plan to attend. 

    Register

  • 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 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.

    Register

  • 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, strategies for interpreting open‑ended comments, practical approaches to analyzing qualitative feedback, and a clear sense of which feedback to act on and which to set aside. You also need effective techniques for eliciting high-quality feedback in the first place, especially when you’re facing low response rates, contradictory comments, or emotionally charged reactions. This session helps you turn student feedback into actionable insights, so you can address concerns, strengthen learning experiences, and make meaningful adjustments while the course is still in progress. You will examine sample feedback, practice interpreting both quantitative data and qualitative comments, and draft or refine your own survey questions to better align with your goals. By the end of the workshop, you will leave with a clearer framework for deciding which feedback deserves your attention and practical strategies for using student input to guide concrete changes in your courses. If you wish to attend the workshop or receive the video recording after the workshop, please register. 

    Register

  • 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 hands-on experimentation, attendees will develop practical strategies for expressing their pedagogical beliefs in clear, authentic language, whether for teaching statements, portfolios, or conversations with peers and mentors. 

    Register

  • Navigating Peer Review of Teaching (Asynchronous Presentation)

    Available On Demand 

    Peer review of teaching is an important part of the advancement, reappointment, and promotion process for instructors of all ranks. This asynchronous session is designed to prepare reviewers tasked with conducting peer review of teaching, but instructors preparing to be observed may also find it helpful. The presentation will focus on peer review of in-person classroom instruction and peer review of course materials, and will provide suggestions for effectively documenting observations. This presentation is available through Canvas and requires a login to view.

    If you have any questions, please contact otear@rutgers.edu.

    Access

  • Preparing Teaching Documentation for Promotion, Reappointment, and Renewal (Asynchronous Presentation)

    Available On Demand 

    What should be included in a teaching portfolio? How should one respond to peer review of teaching suggestions? What really matters about student feedback? In this workshop, we talk about how to put together evidence that demonstrates effective teaching. This session is open to instructors of all ranks and others involved in promotion, reappointment, or renewal. This presentation is available through Canvas and requires a login to view.

    If you have any questions, please contact otear@rutgers.edu.

    Access

  • Navigating Peer Review of Teaching (Asynchronous Presentation)

    Available On Demand 

    Peer review of teaching is an important part of the advancement, reappointment, and promotion process for instructors of all ranks. This asynchronous session is designed to prepare reviewers tasked with conducting peer review of teaching, but instructors preparing to be observed may also find it helpful. The presentation will focus on peer review of in-person classroom instruction and peer review of course materials, and will provide suggestions for effectively documenting observations. This presentation is available through Canvas and requires a login to view.

    If you have any questions, please contact otear@rutgers.edu.

    Access

  • Preparing Teaching Documentation for Promotion, Reappointment, and Renewal (Asynchronous Presentation)

    Available On Demand 

    What should be included in a teaching portfolio? How should one respond to peer review of teaching suggestions? What really matters about student feedback? In this workshop, we talk about how to put together evidence that demonstrates effective teaching. This session is open to instructors of all ranks and others involved in promotion, reappointment, or renewal. This presentation is available through Canvas and requires a login to view.

    If you have any questions, please contact otear@rutgers.edu.

    Access

  • Assessment of Learning 101 (Asynchronous Presentation)

    Available On Demand 

    This session explores the fundamentals of academic assessment, including program learning outcomes, course learning goals, and both direct and indirect assessment techniques. It will examine the crucial role of rubrics within the assessment process and discuss how assessment strategies can effectively inform course design. The presentation will also address best practices for enhancing assessment quality, including the implementation of blind grading procedures, ensuring grading reliability through inter-rater checks, and utilizing multiple reviewers for comprehensive evaluations. This is designed for faculty who are new to academic assessment or need a refresher on learning about different methods of assessment and the assessment cycle. This presentation is available through Canvas and requires a login to view.

    If you have any questions, please contact otear@rutgers.edu.

    Access