Author(s):
At many institutions, STEM departments do not adequately evaluate teaching (Dennin et al., 2017). As a result, they cannot incentivize or reward the use of evidence-based teaching, which hinders its implementation. In light of this, our project worked with STEM department chairs to develop and implement new teaching evaluation practices. We facilitated meetings where chairs reflected on existing practices, recognized underlying assumptions, and learned about equitable evaluation practices. We developed a research-based tool called the Guides to Advance Teaching Evaluation (or GATEs) to aid in this process. The GATEs advocates for the use of three sources of evidence, or “voices”, (e.g. students, trained peers, and instructor self-reflection) to evaluate teaching (Weaver et al., 2020). For each voice, the tool includes (1) a list of target practices to serve as goals, (2) a characterization of common starting places to prompt reflection, and (3) guidance for getting started in transforming teaching evaluation. We designed the GATEs using an iterative process of reviewing available scholarship and reform efforts, piloting with unit leaders and other faculty, and revising to best meet faculty needs (Krishnan et al. 2022). The GATEs can serve as a self-assessment, planning tool, and guide for STEM departments working to advance their evaluation practices and for faculty who want to engage in more robust and equitable practices to evaluate their own teaching. In addition to presenting this tool, we will describe how we have used it with department leaders and faculty to foster learning and action for advancing teaching evaluation.
