Center for Teaching and Learning

Mission and Vision

At Slippery Rock University, we respect the intellectual and professional nature of teaching that is related to and supported by research, and we see teaching as a reflection of the way faculty define their disciplines. The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) serves as a resource designed specifically for faculty to foster the enhancement of teaching excellence in all forms. The CTL achieves this by providing instructional design support, educational technology support, faculty professional development on 21st-century teaching strategies, and faculty-led communities of reflective practice

Belief Statements:

• A high-quality Faculty is vital to the success of our students and University.
• Delivering expert resources and services on the theory, practice, and scholarship of teaching and learning is essential for attracting, developing, and retaining a highly qualified Faculty.

Mission:

The mission of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Slippery Rock University is to serve as a resource for faculty that fosters a culture of excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and scholarship. The Center for Teaching and Learning strives to achieve this mission by:

Providing professional development opportunities on the theory, practice, and scholarship of teaching and learning.

• Establishing strong, faculty-driven communities of reflective practice.
• Providing expert instructional design and course development services.
• Collaborating with partners to develop and support evidence-based learning environments on campus and online.
• Applying existing and innovative educational technologies to solve instructional problems.
• Growing faculty participation in the scholarship of teaching and learning.
• Sharing University teaching and learning accomplishments with internal and external partners.

Vision:

The Center for Teaching and Learning at Slippery Rock University will be recognized nationally as a leader in providing faculty resources on the design, development, and delivery of high-impact learning experiences. Because high-impact learning experiences are fundamental to the success of our students, the Center for Teaching and Learning must:

• Facilitate a uniform process of course and program development that is informed by the principles of instructional design, national standards for quality, and evidence-based best-practices.
• Collaborate with faculty members, academic departments, and co-curricular departments to create learning experiences that educate the whole student.
• Partner with faculty on the application of academic innovation that produces scholarship that advances the research on teaching and learning within the disciplines.
• Empower faculty to make evidence-based decisions about teaching and learning.

Philosophy of Service:

The Center for Teaching and Learning respects the interests, experiences, and abilities of each faculty member and views teaching as a reflection of the way faculty define their disciplines.

• The CTL ensures constructive and confidential collaboration with all faculty members.
• The CTL understands that there are many ways to teach well and strives to shape its services to accommodate the needs of the discipline, individual teaching styles, and all modes of learning.
• The CTL uses a teacher-scholar model, understanding that creative and scholarly activity helps faculty grow in their teaching and help advance the research in the field.