We consult with individual faculty desiring feedback about their teaching. To arrange a confidential consultation, begin by completing CTAL’s consultation request form. The form will ask you to identify a few dates for potential consultations. Areas in which instructors have requested assistance include, but are not limited to:

• Designing and revising courses
• Exploring alternative teaching strategies
• Creating original instructional materials
• Mid-semester student feedback review
• Interpreting student ratings constructively and documenting effective teaching
• Developing a teaching portfolio
• Documenting teaching effectiveness in tenure and promotion documents
• Student survey consultation

To arrange a teaching observation, begin by completing CTAL’s consultation request form. The form will ask you to identify a few dates for potential observations. We recommend contacting us before the priority deadline as observations are scheduled based on the availability of consultants at the time that you request.

One of the most powerful instructional improvement tools available to faculty is a classroom visit by a knowledgeable consultant. For maximum impact, these activities involve:

• Pre-observation conference to discuss the instructor’s goals and identify the specific types of feedback the instructor desires.
• Teaching observation on the date designated by the instructor.
•  Post-observation feedback session to describe what was observed and explore instructional enrichment strategies.

Keep in Mind

• CTAL teaching observations are formative and non-evaluative. What is observed is strongly shaped by the pre-observation conference. During the observation, an observer attends your class (or a portion of one) and takes detailed notes about the specific pedagogical choices you make and the effects those choices are having by identifying patterns, observing student-to-student and faculty-to-student interactions, and documenting the time and duration of various class activities.
• Any materials generated in the course of observations and consultations are confidential and shared only with the individual instructor.
• We do not report on or share materials generated in a consultation, observation, focus group, or other confidential services with anyone except for the instructor who requested it.
  • Individuals who wish to include reports or feedback generated from this service in annual reports, tenure / promotion dossiers, or the like, may use the copy provided to them. However, we strongly encourage individuals to incorporate reflections on the observation process  as part of their teaching narrative and associated materials. For specific advice on how to best produce such documentation, please refer to CTAL’s resources on “Documenting your Teaching.”
  • We do not report or share any details with anyone else (including a department chair or dean), including whether or not the person sought services in the first place.

The Center for Teaching & Assessment of Learning (CTAL) offers a comprehensive online library of resources designed to support all educators at the University of Delaware. These online just-in-time resources are authored by CTAL professionals and tailored to UD’s specific teaching environment and are available whenever you need them. Browse our extensive collection to find practical guidance on everything from designing a course to engaging your students and assessing their learning.