Two Lessons from the Assessment Movement by Pat Hutchings Are students learning what we think we’re teaching? Are they learning the concepts and abilities that matter most? These are the questions that assessment seeks to answer, and they are central to the BVA’s emphasis on advancing the use of “evidence-based” practices in the classroom. As even a quick tour through the literature on assessment makes clear, using evidence about student learning to make (and then re-assess) improvements … [Read more...]

by Pat Hutchings and Mary Huber Why does it take so long for teaching practices to change in college and university classrooms? Many faculty today are intrigued by new teaching approaches that have been shown to improve the quality and quantity of student learning. And many are experimenting with these approaches, finding ways to engage students more actively--for instance by organizing them to work in groups to solve complex problems, or asking them to apply and demonstrate their learning … [Read more...]

Three universities in the Bay View Alliance are part of a $2.8 million federal grant intended to help STEM departments provide a richer evaluation of faculty teaching and, ultimately, expand the use of practices that have shown to improve student learning. The grant, from the National Science Foundation, is part of a five-year project that includes the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, the University of Colorado, Boulder, the University of Kansas (all members of the BVA), and Michigan … [Read more...]