Faculty Focus

Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) are one of the most widely used tools for assessing teaching effectiveness and play a significant role in decisions related to promotion, tenure, contract renewal, and merit-based pay. Despite their widespread use, a growing body of research suggests that SETs often measure students’ perceptions and emotional responses rather than the quality of course design or instruction

Some students hesitate before they put their thoughts into words. Not because they have nothing to say, but because they’re afraid what they think won’t be “right.”  In my introductory music course, students write about unfamiliar pieces on day one, and for many, that unfamiliarity creates a kind of self-silencing. They listen, form impressions, even have language for what they hear—but they hesitate to put it on the page.  What holds them back isn’t&nbsp

Some students hesitate before they put their thoughts into words. Not because they have nothing to say, but because they’re afraid what they think won’t be “right.”  In my introductory music course, students write about unfamiliar pieces on day one, and for many, that unfamiliarity creates a kind of self-silencing. They listen, form impressions, even have language for what they hear—but they hesitate to put it on the page.  What holds them back isn’t&nbsp

Student evaluations of teaching remain one of the most widely used tools for assessing instructional effectiveness in higher education. In many institutions, standardized student evaluation forms are administered at the end of a course, and the resulting scores play a significant role in faculty promotion, tenure decisions, and annual merit reviews. While student feedback can provide valuable insights into learners’ experiences, relying primarily on student-rated teaching scores presen

Student evaluations of teaching remain one of the most widely used tools for assessing instructional effectiveness in higher education. In many institutions, standardized student evaluation forms are administered at the end of a course, and the resulting scores play a significant role in faculty promotion, tenure decisions, and annual merit reviews. While student feedback can provide valuable insights into learners’ experiences, relying primarily on student-rated teaching scores presen

When ChatGPT first arrived, many faculty reacted with horror. If an algorithm could write a plausible essay in seconds, what would become of higher education and philosophy, those disciplines that, at their best, are built around slow thought and crafted prose? But over the past two years, I’ve arrived at a different conclusion: the problem is not that AI can write for our students better than most of them could have on their own, but that it forces us to clarify what learning is actua

When ChatGPT first arrived, many faculty reacted with horror. If an algorithm could write a plausible essay in seconds, what would become of higher education and philosophy, those disciplines that, at their best, are built around slow thought and crafted prose? But over the past two years, I’ve arrived at a different conclusion: the problem is not that AI can write for our students better than most of them could have on their own, but that it forces us to clarify what learning is actua

Most people working with university students have encountered it: a student who understands the course material but performs poorly on a multiple-choice exam. If prompted, the student might explain how much they studied yet cannot understand why their hours of studying did not change their usual low grade. In many of these cases, the issue is not content knowledge but unfamiliarity with how to approach multiple-choice exa

Most people working with university students have encountered it: a student who understands the course material but performs poorly on a multiple-choice exam. If prompted, the student might explain how much they studied yet cannot understand why their hours of studying did not change their usual low grade. In many of these cases, the issue is not content knowledge but unfamiliarity with how to approach multiple-choice exa

Challenges to the utility of Humanities education have become louder and more frequent. The declining number of Humanities majors and the increasing number of applied or professional majors, only reinforces what some critics consider the “useless Humanities degree”, disciplines with little to recommend it in terms of workforce-ready skills. Career services on college campuses have expertise to help students into their post-graduate lives, but faculty also have a crucial opportunity in their cour

Challenges to the utility of Humanities education have become louder and more frequent. The declining number of Humanities majors and the increasing number of applied or professional majors, only reinforces what some critics consider the “useless Humanities degree”, disciplines with little to recommend it in terms of workforce-ready skills. Career services on college campuses have expertise to help students into their post-graduate lives, but faculty also have a crucial opportunity in their cour

Walk into any faculty meeting or office today and the conversation inevitably turns toward artificial intelligence (AI). Some instructors are experimenting enthusiastically, while others are cautious and perhaps even resistant. Most, however, are simply trying to figure out how to respond to this potential paradigm shift without losing what makes their teaching meaningful.  In the early iterations of AI use in teaching, a familiar pattern has emerged. F

Walk into any faculty meeting or office today and the conversation inevitably turns toward artificial intelligence (AI). Some instructors are experimenting enthusiastically, while others are cautious and perhaps even resistant. Most, however, are simply trying to figure out how to respond to this potential paradigm shift without losing what makes their teaching meaningful.  In the early iterations of AI use in teaching, a familiar pattern has emerged. F

Frustrated with reading countless AI-generated take-home essays and long ago disillusioned with scantrons, I plunged into oral exams this finals season. The classes were lower-division history courses: one comprised mostly of history majors, the other mostly students fulfilling a GE. Using Google Calendar, students picked half-hour time slots beginning the day after the last class and ending the day before my grade submission deadline. The 20 in-person slots quickly filled. These in-person slots

Faculty across disciplines continue to experiment with new pedagogical strategies to address student engagement—flipped classrooms, active learning, flexible assessments, and modality choice. Yet many still report the same outcome: participation without ownership. Students complete tasks, but the learning often remains external—something done to them rather than something they claim.  This suggests that the challenge may not lie in pedagogy itself,

Faculty across disciplines continue to experiment with new pedagogical strategies to address student engagement—flipped classrooms, active learning, flexible assessments, and modality choice. Yet many still report the same outcome: participation without ownership. Students complete tasks, but the learning often remains external—something done to them rather than something they claim.  This suggests that the challenge may not lie in pedagogy itself,

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize the workforce, and higher education must adapt accordingly to prepare students for an entirely new professional landscape. Corporate leaders are not shying away from the reality of this transformation. Many have begun to articulate the profound changes ahead, from evolving job functions to the automation of routine and repetitive tasks.  At the heart of this transformation lies a strategic dilemma: AI will displace routine labor whi

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize the workforce, and higher education must adapt accordingly to prepare students for an entirely new professional landscape. Corporate leaders are not shying away from the reality of this transformation. Many have begun to articulate the profound changes ahead, from evolving job functions to the automation of routine and repetitive tasks.  At the heart of this transformation lies a strategic dilemma: AI will displace routine labor whi

According to Mather and Scheepers (2025), providing students with feedback is one of the most important aspects for teaching and learning. However, it is not uncommon for students to avoid engaging with feedback, even when instructors invest significant time in providing detailed comments. Written/typed feedback is often overlooked, underused, or misinterpreted. If feedback is essential to learning, why do so many students fail to engage wit

According to Mather and Scheepers (2025), providing students with feedback is one of the most important aspects for teaching and learning. However, it is not uncommon for students to avoid engaging with feedback, even when instructors invest significant time in providing detailed comments. Written/typed feedback is often overlooked, underused, or misinterpreted. If feedback is essential to learning, why do so many students fail to engage wit