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Reflect and iterate

Many instructors have internalized the myth that the ability to teach is inherent. The reality is that no one finishes learning how to teach. Good teaching is a life-long, iterative commitment. This page includes strategies for reflecting on, developing, and assessing your teaching practice.

Developing a reflective teaching practice

Self-reflection is the cornerstone of an effective, inclusive teaching practice and plays a key role in helping improve your teaching. Keeping track of what’s working (or not working) in the classroom can reveal new ways to engage your students. Reflection also helps identify how your training and lived experiences shape your selection of content and approach to teaching.
Learn more about developing a reflective teaching practice

Assessing your hybrid or online courses

Based on practices that have been shown to increase learner engagement and success, the UW Digital Learning Alliance’s Hybrid/Online Course Evaluation Rubric is designed to help instructors evaluate their own or a colleague’s hybrid or online teaching.
Learn more about hybrid/online course assessment

Gathering student feedback

Gathering information from your students about their experience as learners in your class is a valuable way to assess your teaching. There are many ways of collecting feedback from your students: Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGIDs), surveys, webQ’s and open-ended feedback forms. Which method is best, depends on your assessment objectives and the kind of information you need.
Learn more about gathering student feedback

Self-assessment

Faculty self-assessment is core to any evidence-based approach to evaluating teaching. In addition to providing the instructor’s perspective on and analysis of their teaching, self-assessment also contextualizes other forms of data submitted to the committee, including peer reviews and student evaluations. Too, self-assessment practices can provide faculty members with systematic and ongoing reflection on their own teaching.
Learn more about self-assessment

Peer review and evaluation

Faculty may find colleague “peer reviews” a valuable way to gain multiple perspectives on teaching and learning as well as a welcome addition to tenure files. Observations are most effective when approached as a collaboration meant to benefit all involved.

Learn more about faculty peer reviews

Teaching & Learning Scholarship

On a formal level, the application of research methods to teaching contexts is known as the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). The field boasts an ever-growing list of peer-reviewed journals designed to publicly share findings. This page includes a selection of SoTL-focused academic journals and interdisciplinary conferences that you might explore and/or contribute to.

Learn more about teaching & learning scholarship