Please feel free to forward this note. (Embedded image moved to file: pic31322.jpg) The Senate of York University Committee on Teaching and Learning Forum on Student Evaluation of Teaching Friday, April 4, 2008 10:00 a.m. ? 12 noon Senate Chamber, N940 Ross The Senate Committee on Teaching and Learning is extending an invitation to members of Senate, faculty and undergraduate and graduate students to participate in a Forum on the Student Evaluation of Teaching. The Forum will help to enhance future evaluation of teaching at York by identifying: 1. Student, faculty and academic administrator perceptions of current teaching evaluation practices at York; 2. Aspects of current processes that need to be improved; 3. New opportunities and strategies to increase the usefulness of teaching evaluations from the perspectives of students, faculty and academic administrators. Please RSVP by Wednesday, April 1: http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/senate/committees/scotl/Forum2008/SCOTLRsvp.htm Agenda 1. Welcome and Introduction: Gary Spraakman, Chair, SCOTL 2. Insights into student and faculty perceptions of current teaching evaluation practices 3. Panelist perspectives: a) Art Hilliker, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science & Engineering; President, YUFA b) Kristian Rajroop, student representative on SCOTL c) Jerry Ginsburg, Department of History, Faculty of Arts d) Norma Sue Fisher-Stitt, Associate Vice-President, Academic Learning Initiatives e) Ros Woodhouse, Academic Director, Centre for the Support of Teaching 4. Open Discussion 5. Summary and Next Steps: Gary Spraakman Background Information The Senate Committee on Teaching and Learning plays a leadership role in advancing practices and policies to strengthen the learning and teaching environment at York. Over time, it has provided guidelines on good practice for documenting and evaluating teaching. Recently, SCOTL has focused its attention on increasing the usefulness of teaching evaluations and has made recommendations to provide faculty with salient and practical information on their courses and teaching. At the same time, the University has enabled teaching evaluations to be conducted online, with the goals of increasing the timeliness and security of information. These issues were considered at a SCOTL-facilitated discussion at the December 13, 2007, meeting of Senate. The background report for that discussion can be found at: http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/senate/committees/scotl/reports/2007-08/Scotl071213.pdf At Senate, SCOTL Chair, Professors Spraakman and Woodhouse opened the session by identifying the value of evaluations in the context of UAP objectives, pedagogical concerns and trends in postsecondary policy. Valid instruments can complement other pedagogical strategies and create a positive, interactive experience for students. The ensuing discussion highlighted the need for critical perspectives on conventional approaches, and the importance of innovation and transparency for fostering meaningful dialogue about teaching and students academic experience. The Forum provides an opportunity for all members of the York teaching and learning community to participate in a more extensive discussion of our goals and approaches to evaluating teaching, and to influence our future work in this area.