LINK: DRAFT Policy J-138: Integrated Evaluation of Teaching
Please follow this link to provide your feedback on the proposed joint policy no later than 11:59 p.m. on 4 April 2025.
Background
The UBC Vancouver Senate policy on Student Evaluation of Teaching (SEoT) was approved in 2007. The policy is concerned solely with the role of student feedback and does not encompass other elements of evaluating teaching that are currently in place at UBC (such as peer review of teaching, the role of a teaching dossier, etc.). It says little about how student feedback should be integrated with other forms of data before making judgments about the effectiveness of teaching. In addition, the Student Evaluation of Teaching Working Group’s recommendations to both Senates in May 2020 include the following recommendations that are relevant to the overall process of the evaluation of teaching:
- “Units should be supported to adopt a scholarly and Integrated approach to evaluation of teaching.”
- “The Vancouver Senate should review the policy on Student Evaluations of Teaching and consider a broader policy on the evaluation of teaching writ large. The Okanagan Senate should develop a similar policy for the Okanagan campus.”
When the SEoT Working Group presented their report to the Senates in May 2020, the accompanying cover memo stated:
“Because teaching is complex and contextually dependent, departments and units should be supported to adopt an integrative and scholarly approach to evaluation that synthesizes multiple data sources (e.g., students, peers, historical patterns, and self-reflection documentation) for a holistic picture, without over-reliance on any single data source.”
Integrated Evaluation of Teaching Policy Development
Work began in 2022 to draft a new, cross-campus, joint policy to stipulate that evaluation of teaching at UBC will include data from at least three sources: peer review, student feedback, and self-reflection. This work took place through a policy working group and policy review group that together had wide representation across both campuses, including faculty, students, Senators, Associate Deans, Heads, and representatives of several central units. The proposed policy is focused on the methods for the evaluation of teaching and is distinct from the Student Evaluation of Teaching (SEoT) policy.
Before the policy takes effect, there will be 12-month lead-in. This provides time for Faculties to develop their implementation processes in line with the principles. The project team will also work with the Senior Appointments Committee (SAC) to ensure their guidelines are up to date.
This policy is designed to ensure a broadly consistent use of an integrated approach to the evaluation of teaching, while also supporting flexibility where needed. A guiding document has been created to support Faculties in the development of their processes. This guiding document is not part of the Senate consultation process but a draft is available for comment at this link.
The consultation for Policy J-138: Integrated Evaluation of Teaching is open until 11:59 p.m. on 4 April 2025. Please respond with your feedback via this link.