Teaching Evaluation

The criteria for teaching-faculty evaluation apply to all faculty members involved in research and teaching at the University of Oregon. Depending on the faculty member's particular assignment, some criteria will be emphasized and others may not be applicable. Regular faculty members with tenured and tenure-related appointments are expected to excel in all the areas listed below. Research faculty not on tenure-related appointments are evaluated on their performance relative to the teaching-related criteria. Even for tenured and tenure related faculty appointments, every criterion is not given the same weight. For example, performance in university service is more important for tenured faculty members than for those on probationary service. The University will consider those criteria listed below that are appropriate to the position description in evaluating teaching and research faculty:

- Classroom instruction, including presentation of course materials and effectiveness of presentations
- Large predominately undergraduate classes
- Small upper division and graduate classes

- Academic advising, mentorship, consultation, and informal teaching at all levels

- Stimulation of student interest in doing high quality work

- Supervision of student research
- Post-doctoral
- Ph.D.
- Master's
- Professional student
- Revision of courses to keep them updated 

- Maintenance of appropriate standards of student performance

- Evaluation of student performance

- Interest in effective teaching techniques

- Defining educational objectives and developing teaching and evaluative materials reflecting current scholarship in   
the discipline and in educational theory

- Lecture, discussion, seminar, lab, or studio formats

- Curriculum development


You are expected to be thoroughly familiar with scholarship in your discipline and about current ideas on teaching effectiveness. You must develop course content for your classes, as well as techniques of presentation and evaluation that reflect your knowledge. Course materials must be presented carefully and clearly - the myriad of ways a faculty member's own research and scholarship is brought to bear in the classroom is an important characteristic of university level teaching. "Learning from creative scholars" is why students study at universities and you should strive to live up to that expectation. You must stimulate students to do high quality work and are expected to show a sustained interest in effective teaching techniques and to revise courses to keep them up to date both in content and in style of presentation. You have to establish appropriate measures of student evaluation and set appropriate standards for that evaluation. Additionally, you are expected to do academic advising, consultation, informal teaching, and supervision of student research. Finally, you must build a record of evidence of your achievement in all of these areas. Your attitude as you approach these responsibilities will affect success. All members of our university community must regard our students as our primary constituency, as individuals whose needs are of very high priority and who must be served in a caring, welcoming way.

For additonal support and information regarding teaching effectiveness, the Teaching Effectiveness Program (TEP) is a great resource.  You can contact Georgeanne Cooper, Director at 346-2177.  The Office of Academic Affairs collaborates with TEP for annual workshops on peer review.  More information on peer review and the schedule for these workshops can be found on the Academic Affairs website under Peer Evaluations.