Course Analysis

Small Group Analysis

Purposes and Methods of Student Evaluation

Teaching Portfolios

Student Learning Portfolios

Consultations and Analysis

"To catch light and heat from each others thoughts" - Pater

The Faculty Center acts as a nexus for dialogues and resources about teaching & learning based upon the idea that when faculty openly discuss their knowledge and experiences of working with students, the learning atmosphere of the whole campus is deeply enhanced. Further, it is also believed that faculty can readily support and help one another, and themselves, in their lifelong development as teachers when there is regular reflection upon one's own teaching and when experiences of the teaching methods of other faculty are accepted as key parts of that development.

All consultations and services are voluntary, confidential and are conducted with high professional standards. To request any of the following services, please complete the faculty request form, or phone the Faculty Center at 227-7196, or stop by our offices in Hunter Library.

Faculty may request a collaborative discussion about and analysis of a particular course, from the purpose and development of the syllabus to course goals to assessing students' work. Instructional Developer, Dr. Robert Crow is available to assist faculty and graduate teaching assistants.

Faculty Center staff will come to a class at mid-semester by invitation of the teacher and take about 30 minutes of class time with the professor not in the classroom. Students work independently and are then divided into small groups to write and discuss what is helping learning and what could be changed or added to improve learning in the course. Students' written responses (all anonymous) are transcribed and a summary of the group discussion is written, forming a confidential report that is given only to the faculty member. Small Group Analysis is voluntary, formative and confidential. We focus on facilitating student feedback for faculty who wish to obtain information from students on their learning in the course and in time for faculty who may decide to make some changes that will improve learning during the remainder of the semester. This service may also be requested for online courses. To request an SGA, contact the Faculty Center at extension 7196 or email Robert Crow rcrow@email.wcu.edu to setup the day and time to be visited.

The Center staff can work with faculty in developing a course-long strategy for obtaining and evaluating student feedback that places the final, end of the course student evaluations in the context of the whole course. The Center itself has no role in the use of summative evaluations. All of our work with you is confidential. Our Instructional Developers can assist you.

As every discipline has its unique ways of being taught, so too is every teacher unique. The development of a Teaching Portfolio is an excellent way to reflect upon one's teaching theories and practices for formative and / or summative purposes. The Center will work with faculty to create portfolios that best express one's teaching vision, goals, content, methods, development over time and individual contributions to our community of learning and learners. Our Instructional Developers can assist you.

The quantity, quality and significance of the work of students in a course can be deeply assessed by incorporating Learning Portfolios into what is expected of students in a course. It not only stimulates the students towards deeper engagement with the course topic, but helps students learn about the very process of learning as they experience it. The Center can help faculty help students understand the worth of Learning Portfolios and how to compile them. Our Instructional Developers can assist you.