There are many demands on schools today to perform at a high level with competence that improves teaching and learning and promotes higher student achievement. When students perform below national standards, schools may be given a "no vote of confidence" from the public. Therefore, principals in schools need to find ways to groom and…

Student evaluations of teacher performance are generally taken as an important measure of teaching effectiveness. However, they often misrepresent classroom realities. The ratings on the forms frequently reflect students' emotional experiences in their courses rather than pedagogy or the amount of learning. Finally, since education is necessarily…

The purpose of this study was to further extend research initially conducted in 2003 pertaining to the critical issues K-12 principals address on a daily basis. The study involved surveying school principals within the state of Mississippi to discover the critical issues they identified, the significance level of these issues, and the rationale…

This qualitative study examines the career strategies of 17 professors at a major research university who are noted by key colleagues and former students for taking their teaching seriously. The author discusses two career strategies--applying career design principles and acting resourcefully about teaching development--that help these professors,…

The chairperson of the Study Group on the Condition of Excellence in American Higher Education summarizes the group's report, "Involvement in Learning", and its recommendations concerning the need for: demonstrable improvements in student knowledge, skills, capacities, and attitudes; clearly and publicly expressed academic standards; and…

Graduate students in fields in which an advanced degree is gained traditionally as preparation for college teaching develop their self-images as scholars and teachers with faculty at selective research institutions as their only role models. A better approach would be to require graduate students to observe daily operations of a different…

One institution's experience in developing and implementing a freshman program is translated into suggestions for others, addressing such issues as faculty involvement, openness of discussion, program objectives, costs, faculty development, experimentation, and mistakes. (MSE)

A study of the practices of six two-year and four-year colleges of the State Universities of New York concerning the identification of high-risk students, the operation of these practices within the academic system, and college evaluation of student progress in remedial courses is reported. (MSE)

The traditional college curriculum is seen as a collection of answers for students who do not yet have the questions; an alternative approach that nurtures students' capacities for inquiry is suggested and outlined. (MSE)

A study of 55 recipients of the University of California, Berkeley's Distinguished Teaching Award found most felt the award had little effect on their careers and provided little incentive to improve teaching. Four recommendations for making the reward structure more effective in motivating teachers to improve instruction are offered. (MSE)

Describes seven principles for developing a workable system for evaluation of college teaching, and provides both process and decision matrixes for groups interested in building such a system for their own evaluation. Argues that the system must be safe, explicit, manageable, formative, and satisfy environmental demands for accountability and…

Examines military and industrial research on peer assessment and discusses relevance to peer review of college teaching. Gives special attention to practical issues in assessing reliability and validity of peer evaluations, and discusses three characteristics of academic institutions (personal teaching styles/definition of "peer"/nature of…

Discusses problems with summative peer evaluation of college teaching, looking at conflicting interests and mixed metaphors of faculty evaluation that obscure its process and principles. Issues related to five kinds of evaluation (judging, critiquing, assessing, appraising, rating) are examined. Argues that peers can contribute to faculty…

Examines use of collaborative college faculty peer review for instructional improvement. Establishes rationales for formative evaluation of teaching, peer review in instructional improvement, and comprehensive faculty evaluation that includes peer review. Examines roles faculty might play in assessing colleagues' teaching; describes five methods…

Proposes a broader concept of college faculty peer evaluation, in which perspectives of teacher, learner, and observer are considered. Argues that three basic principles (intention/interpretation, advisement/appraisement, acceptability/accessibility) must necessarily and minimally guide peer evaluation. Presents a four-part, multidimensional peer…