Teaching Consultations and Observations

Classroom observations are a common component of teaching consultations. It provides educators with targeted, collaborative, evidence-based, and student-centered feedback to support teaching improvement and student success. Allow 2-3 weeks to complete the observation protocol, which include:

• a pre-observation to set goals (~30-minute meeting)
• a classroom observation (50- or 80-minute observation, based on course length), including student feedback
• a verbal debrief and a written report of post-observation findings, including evidence-based teaching recommendations (~60-minute meeting)

Note: Educators may request a consultation without a class observation. We will try to fulfill consultations requested inside of two weeks; otherwise, we will can offer a teaching consultation without class observation.

Request a teaching observation or a consultation.

Gather student feedback early and throughout the life of the course. Early student feedback allows educators to assess student learning and make manageable changes to the course. Give Engaged Teaching team 10 minutes of a class session to collect early anonymous student feedback. Request a consultation for student feedback. Learn how educators can conduct and respond to student feedback.

Writing consultations give educators strategies to effectively integrate writing pedagogy into the course. Consultation topics can include:

• Constructing writing assignments that promote deep and meaningful learning
• Developing writing practices that effectively respond to student writing
• Working with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) student writers to equitably design assignments, provide feedback, and improve grading practices
• Promoting student voices in writing assignments and to make visible diverse student perspectives
• Designing writing rubrics that effectively grade and assess student writing

Request a writing consultation.

Departments or small groups of educators who have teaching questions or a topic they would like to explore together, can request a group consultation. For more information or to schedule, please email engagedteaching@ucsd.edu

We support educators who apply for the Course Development and Instructional Improvement Program facilitated by the Dean of Undergraduate Education. Engaged Teaching Hub offers guidance on pedagogy that supports students’ learning: describing student-centered learning outcomes that support the goals of the course, designing assessments aligned with student-centered learning outcomes, addressing equity in student learning, and refining and enhancing educators’ ideas in the CDIIP proposal. Engaged Teaching Hub offers the following timeline to help educators successfully submit a CDIIP proposal.

• Email engagedteaching@ucsd.edu to schedule a 45-60-minute consultation with an education specialist in Winter quarter, with a confirmed consultation at least 2 weeks before the application deadline.
• In your email, please include a draft of the CDIIP proposal, or a summary or bullet points of the course (re)design you have in mind, and a list of areas you would like to talk about to help the education specialist review in advance of the consultation.
• Educators may benefit from meeting with several hubs and other campus partners to address the full scope of the CDIIP application (e.g., digital and assessment support). In your email, please include if you need to meet with other hubs and campus partners to help you to facilitate these connections.
• We continue to support educators until the CDIIP report is due the following year (e.g., Course Design Series; consulting on course (re)design; collecting student feedback and identifying assessment instruments; and conducting classroom observations).

Schedule a consultation by emailing engagedteaching@ucsd.edu

Note: We will try our best to consult with educators whose request is submitted within 2 weeks of the application deadline. Otherwise, written feedback on the proposal will be provided.