Reconceptualizing the evaluation of teaching in higher education

Abstract

Trends within higher education in the United States and Canadasuggest that, although there are calls for recognition of teaching as ascholarly activity, teaching is not perceived to be a significant aspect ofscholarly work. Furthermore, policies, procedures, and criteria for theevaluation of teaching in higher education contribute to the marginalizationof teaching within the reward structures of universities and colleges.Evaluation policies, procedures, and criteria tend to (1) emphasizetechnical, rather than substantive aspects of teaching, (2) focus on processrather than outcomes, (3) lack strategic concern for the use of evaluationdata within the institution, and (4) are devoid of the very substancethrough which academics derive a sense of identity – their discipline.Recommendations are offered for evaluating three aspects of teaching:planning, implementation, and results. Within each aspect, conceptualarguments and practical solutions are suggested for establishing criteria,deciding on sources of data, and determining the nature of data that must begathered. The goal is to set in place evaluation policies, procedures, andcriteria that will be perceived as rigorous and credible alongside moretraditional forms of scholarship, while respecting the diversity of contextsand disciplinary identities within universities and colleges. Sevenprinciples for evaluation of teaching are proposed.