[WFA] WFA- Friday workshop on Alternative SET and Learning Objectives!

[Jennifer Hughes]

Dear WFA* constituents and allies,

We are writing to announce a WFA workshop on writing effective Learning Objectives for syllabi taught by faculty from our Academy of Distinguished Teachers.  We realize the timing is challenging, given the first week of teaching.  Below, we explain why we feel it is necessary and urgent.

The workshop will take place on zoom on Friday, January 7th from 9-10:30am (no registration required).
Join Zoom Meeting https://ucr.zoom.us/j/99982423457?pwd=Y2ltRGhjY1pNWHgwQ0M0aEdmVlVMQT09<https://www.google.com/url?q=https://ucr.zoom.us/j/99982423457?pwd%3DY2ltRGhjY1pNWHgwQ0M0aEdmVlVMQT09&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1641693377359122&usg=AOvVaw1VtyOCiscH5dDQX7hgDMYQ> Meeting ID: 999 8242 3457 Passcode: 555642 One tap mobile +16699006833,,99982423457# US (San Jose) +13462487799,,99982423457# US (Houston)

Last year's WFA survey identified bias in Student Evaluation of Teaching as an area of ongoing concern. This past spring, our campus SET Task Force concluded that our existing SET survey is prone to bias (disadvantaging women faculty and faculty of color). Our campus is in the process of establishing a committee to implement recommendations for comprehensive revision of our survey. It is not yet clear how long this process will take.

Student evaluation of clearly articulated learning objectives is understood to be a method that is less prone to bias (that is, asking the students to evaluate the success with which the class has met learning objectives as stated in the syllabus). We are hopeful that the creation of strong learning objectives for individual courses can serve as building blocks for more objective SET questions.

Some of our faculty constituents have expressed interest in submitting alternative SET as evidence of teaching excellence for purposes of merit and promotion in the interim period (while our own SET survey, determined to be flawed, is in revision). We will send out additional information regarding alternative SET after the workshop.

Please note that our workshop is open to ALL interested faculty on campus. Please feel free to share the link.

If you are unable to attend Friday's workshop on writing learning objectives, there is a shorter, general campus workshop being offered on January 27th:  https://ucr.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJErc-yurTIjGtyj8CCsxNSlTmuDeJA1y6XO

In any case, we hope to see you this Friday!

Best,
Katherine + Jennifer

*In spite of its name, the WFA continues to strive to be a more inclusive organization with respect to gender diversity among our faculty.

Jennifer Scheper Hughes
Professor
Department of History
University of California, Riverside
https://nyupress.org/9781479802555/the-church-of-the-dead/

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