Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching changes its name, mission
The Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching is changing its name to the Center for Instructional Development and Educational Research. This name change reflects a change in the focus and responsibilities of the center.
“The mission of [the Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching] reflects a redirection toward a more active role in fostering, recognizing, researching and advocating campus-wide pedagogical excellence and change, including elevating the level of discourse regarding pedagogy," said Center for Instructional Development and Educational Research Director Peter E. Doolittle.
"Changing the name of the Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching is what the center needs to accurately reflect the changes we will be making in the coming academic year," said Daniel Wubah, vice president and dean of undergraduate education. "The center will continue to uphold its standards in teaching excellence, but will be shifting its focus toward more research and development opportunities. This name change will better communicate our new focus and responsibilities to the public."
The Center for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching was created in 1993 with the purpose of fostering the design, development, and implementation of excellence in higher education instruction.
The newly redesigned Center for Instructional Development and Educational Research comes with a new mission: to foster the design, development, and implementation of disciplinary and interdisciplinary learner-centered instruction; promote and recognize excellence in higher education instruction; support and conduct cutting-edge research on the scholarship of teaching and learning; and collaboratively advocate for a campus climate that values educating the whole student through effective, innovative, and transformative instruction.
The center reinforces the importance of teaching excellence at Virginia Tech and provides focus, visibility, recognition, and active support for the teaching mission. It also provides rich opportunities for faculty and graduate students to learn about teaching, engage in reflective dialogue about teaching and learning, access resources to enhance courses and programs, and conduct research into the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Written by Krystyne Hayes. Hayes, of Front Royal, Va., is a senior majoring in communication in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.
