In What the Best College Teachers Do (Harvard University Press, 2004), Ken Bain concludes that effective teaching faculty “Have some systematic program… to assess their own efforts and to make appropriate changes” (p. 19). CATL and TLT’s consultation services are designed to help all Elon faculty to be systematic and reflective in assessing teaching and learning.
All consultations about teaching and individual courses are formative and developmental, not part of the formal faculty evaluation process. We will consult with a faculty member only at her/his request, and we will share materials generated for the teaching consultation only with the faculty member involved.
In a consultation, your consultant will offer collegial support informed by research on learning and teaching. We will not tell you how to teach, but we will ask questions and explore possibilities so that you can meet your teaching and learning goals.
Consultations typically focus on topics like these:
Consultations will be tailored to meet the goals of individual faculty, using one or a combination of approaches:
Conversation
A consultation can be as simple as a focused conversation about a particular class, teaching technique, technology, or question about student learning. We also might discuss options for how you could gather data from your students about how a class is going right now, so you don’t have to wait for end-of-term evaluations to get some feedback.
Midterm student focus group
We can also provide a more structured way to gather midterm feedback from students. Research on this technique, called a Small Group Instructional Diagnosis (SGID), demonstrates that these focus groups typically lead to more student learning and greater student satisfaction. The process involves setting aside about 20 minutes of class time to allow a consultant to gather written feedback and to talk with students while you are not present. The consultant then meets with you and together you analyze the feedback, discussing how you might respond to the range of student comments generated by the focus groups.
Classroom observation
A consultant can observe your classroom teaching. After the visit, the consultant will discuss with you what was observed; together, you and the consultant can develop strategies for further experimentation and refinement, and identify areas for ongoing reflection. A teaching observation works particularly well if you already have engaged in some analysis of your own teaching, but would like another perspective.
Videotaped analysis
Videotaped analysis You can have your class taped and then watch the recording with a consultant. This kind of analysis offers you the chance to observe and reflect on your practice through a different “lens” than when you’re involved in the moment-to-moment teaching process.
To schedule a consulting appointment, contact Barbara Guy in the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning at (336) 278-5100 or email bguy@elon.edu.
To schedule an appointment to discuss academic technology, contact Kelly Reimer in Teaching and Learning Technologies at (336) 278-5020 or email kreimer@elon.edu. Teaching and Learning Technologies also welcomes drop-in questions in Belk Library room 115 on weekdays between 8am and 5pm.
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