Peer Assessment Draft ANNUAL REPORT GUIDELINES Department of English and Foreign Languages 1 Peer Assessment Draft 2 Annual Report Guidelines Department of English and Foreign Languages Fayetteville State University This document describes the annual report guidelines for the Department of English and Foreign Languages at Fayetteville State University. These guidelines are based on the premise that the Department is dedicated to: 1. Providing excellent instruction and degree programs at all levels. 2. Achieving recognition in scholarly and creative activities. 3. Demonstrating leadership in professional service to the University, to our discipline, and to society. Promotion and tenure decisions will be based on how well candidates meet these expectations and the needs of the University. Peer Assessment Mission Statement The mission of the Department is to Goals 1. Demonstrate an understanding of various literary movements and periods as well as various theoretical approaches to literature, or to demonstrate an understanding of various issues in composition theory. 2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the impact of traditional and contemporary literature, or to demonstrate a critical understanding of the impact of traditional and contemporary theories of grammar, linguistics, and composition. 3. To employ a work ethic embracing intelligent reading with a focus on cultural competencies. 4. Apply fundamental research techniques, along with a working knowledge of computers and a command of written and oral communication, to the investigation of literary, linguistic, and composition issues. Peer assessments are a useful tool to help faculty members work toward reappointment, tenure, and promotion. Peer evaluation in the Department of English and Foreign Languages seeks to ensure that the mission and goals of the Department are foremost in Peer Assessment Draft 3 all aspects of Department faculty work, and should offer useful insights into each faculty member’s strengths as well as weaknesses. Teaching Evidence of significant efforts to improve one’s teaching effectiveness and evidence that the faculty member has addressed any potential indicated by the evaluations will be gathered by the individual faculty member. For example, student evaluations should be included in order to demonstrate efforts toward improving teaching effectiveness. Documentation of teaching in lower division as well as in upper division and graduate courses may be offered as well. Evidence of revised courses and contributions to departmental curriculum development and revision may also be provided. Copies of all assignments and of the graded performance of two students on those assignments, one above average, one average or below, will be required in every faculty member’s portfolio, and grade distributions in all courses taught will be required as well. Operational Definitions To achieve Meets Expectation faculty should succeed in the following categories: Instructional Design or Development Delivery of Course Content Assessment of Student Performance Faculty Development or Collaboration To Meet Expectations in Instructional Design/Development faculty should have evidence of teaching effectiveness. Evidence sources include the following: o course syllabi o online course sites o supplemental materials (e.g., collaborative assignments, student assessments, grading rubrics, directed projects, test review activities, graded tests and papers) It is expected that a review of the above sources will offer evidence of the following (as appropriate to each course): o coverage of the course-relevant components of literature, and of components in relation to the larger literary context o provision of the opportunity to examine critically key course-relevant issues, and to offer creative responses to identified issues o coverage of key theoretical areas of course-relevant discourse o commitment to the eradication of academic dishonesty o coverage of main historical aspects of the course subject o cultivation of written and oral communication and research methods Peer Assessment Draft 4 o development of a level of student performance consistent with a highquality undergraduate education at a four-year university To Meet Expectations in Delivery of Course Content faculty should be assessed on their classroom instruction techniques to be measured by a fellow faculty member, and through review of student evaluations To Meet Expectations in Faculty Development/Collaboration faculty should play an active role in departmental discussions and participate in activities regarding program development as measured by attendance at faculty meetings, and by incorporation of assessment techniques into all courses continue faculty development to enhance teaching skills as measured by participation in faculty development workshops through the TLC, or provide a presentation or consultation on new methods of delivery, assessment or evaluation To Exceed Expectations, faculty should have evidence of consistently exhibiting an active role in the above categories. Instructional Design as measured by regular maintenance and updating of syllabi with new reference information and use of state-of-the-art instructional techniques such as embedded assessments for learning outcomes. Delivery of Course Content as measured by incorporation of or experimentation in new and interesting ways of delivering content including the use of Smart Thinking or Criterion, the development of new courses, service learning and learning community courses. Faculty Development/Design as measured by participation in additional TLC workshops, providing faculty with i on TLC workshops, service learning, learning community, and online learning course development. Research on teaching and learning as measured by active participation in grant writing and evaluation to support teaching and learning. Need Improvement is warranted when: faculty do not have evidence of meeting the guidelines of the criteria for “Meets Expectations” Measurement Instructional Design Check One □ Exceeds Expectations □ Meets Expectations □ Needs Improvement Peer Assessment Draft Justification: Delivery of Course Content Check One □ Exceeds Expectations □ Meets Expectations Justification: Faculty Development/Design Check One □ Exceeds Expectations □ Meets Expectations □ Needs Improvement □ Needs Improvement Justification will be included when faculty member either exceeds expectations or needs improvement. Language for justifications can be taken from departmental rubrics. Research and Scholarly Activities Faculty members are expected to engage in active research, which includes the creation, evaluation, dissemination and application of knowledge. Research productivity is typically measured by the publication of articles in peer-reviewed journals, peer-reviewed conference proceedings, and original books, authorship/coauthorship of research grants for internal or external academic research or service grants with opportunities for evaluation research, research awards and honors. Faculty members are expected to engage in scholarly activities typically measured by the publication of articles in non-peer-review journals, book reviews, editorial comments, edited books, book chapters, invited lectures, conference participation such as symposiums, and paper or poster presentations on a local, regional, national, or international level. Operational Definitions 5 Peer Assessment Draft 6 To achieve Meets Expectation faculty should succeed in the following categories: Research Activity Scholarly Activity To Meet Expectations in Research and Scholarly Activities faculty should have evidence of productivity as measured by a focused research agenda with measureable progress toward that end maintain a level of performance consistent with peer institutions and departmental and university policies regarding faculty productivity Research Activity To achieve Meets Expectation faculty should have evidence of recognition among one’s peers in the field(s) inside and/or outside the university of continued research activities of high quality. These activities are defined by the following activities: manuscript submission for review in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal publication of article in peer-reviewed scholarly journal publication in a peer-reviewed conference proceeding ongoing development of an original book publication of an original book sole or primary authorship of a research grant co-authorship of a research grant conducting a research project research award honors To meet expectations faculty are expected to exceed in one of these areas each year. To Exceed Expectations, faculty should have evidence of a consistent record of research activities that reveal significant achievement defined as two or more of the above mentioned activities. Need Improvement is warranted when the faculty fails to have evidence of being productive in their scholarly activity. Scholarly Activity To achieve Meets Expectation faculty should have evidence of recognition among one’s peers in the field(s) inside and/or outside the university of continued scholarly activities of high quality. These activities are defined by the following activities: publication of articles in non-peer-review journals Peer Assessment Draft 7 publication of a book review or editorial comments ongoing development of and edited book publication of an edited book publication of a book chapter invited lectures, conference participation, such as symposiums, paper and poster presentations, on the local, regional, national, or international level sole or primary author of a service grant with opportunities for evaluation research To meet expectations faculty are expected to exceed in one of these areas each year. To Exceed Expectations, faculty should have evidence of a consistent record of scholarly activities that reveal significant achievement defined as two or more of the above mentioned activities. Need Improvement is warranted when the faculty fails to have evidence of being productive in their scholarly activities. Research Activity Check One □ Exceeds Expectations Justification: Scholarly Activity Check One □ Exceeds Expectations □ Meets Expectations □ Needs Improvement □ Meets Expectations □ Needs Improvement Justification: Service By way of service, faculty may perform service at several levels, including the department, college, university and community, and in many different ways. There is no requirement that faculty have to serve at every level. Operational Definitions To achieve Meets Expectation faculty should succeed in the following categories: contributions to student activities and programs contributions to committees, departmental, college or school, and university contributions to university administration through programs which serve, or cause positive recognition by, university clientele To Meet Expectations in Contributions to Student Activities and Programs faculty should do at least two of the following: Peer Assessment Draft maintain office hours to assist students with advisement questions provide leadership to student organizations promote awareness of ways in which students can gain additional research experience through summer research programs provide support for students wishing to apply for scholarships, research programs by assisting them with the application process and by offering letters of support To Meet Expectations in Contributions to university committees, departmental, school/college, and university faculty should do at least three of the following with excellent attendance and participation: serve as a member of departmental committees serve as a member of a college or school committee service as a member of an autonomous university committee serve as a member of an other university committee serve as a member of a special projects committee serve as a member of the Faculty Senate serve as a member of a Faculty Senate standing committee service as a member of an ad hoc committee To Meet Expectations in Contributions to university administration faculty may do one of the following: serve as department program coordinator service as Chair of a program direct special projects or perform special services within the department, college, school or university To Meet Expectations through programs which serve, or cause positive recognition by, university clientele, faculty should do one of the following: 8 conduct workshops or special projects at any level participate in community related activities (school and/or community organizations) serve on community councils, boards, commissions etc serve on Faculty Assembly serve as alternate to Faculty Assembly speak to community groups assist community groups in designing programs assist community groups with grant writing Peer Assessment Draft 9 To Exceed Expectations in Contributions to Student Activities and Programs faculty should provide extensive leadership on a consistent basis in any of the following activities: create new student organizations or projects promote awareness of ways in which students can gain additional research experience through summer research programs provide support for students wishing to apply for scholarships, research programs by assisting them with the application process and by offering letters of support To Exceed Expectations in Contributions to university committees, departmental, school/college, and university faculty should provide extensive leadership by serving as chair of committees, undertaking extensive work for the department including writing self studies, developing evaluations, providing coordination/leadership for program functions such as program coordinator. To Exceed Expectations faculty should provide extensive leadership on a consistent basis in any of the above mentioned activities as well as participating on state boards, councils, commissions and organizations, providing expertise, consultation, or testimony to local and state governing bodies. Needs Improvement is warranted when faculty does not meet criteria in any of the above mentioned categories. Contributions to Student Activities and Programs Check One □ Exceeds Expectations □ Meets Expectations □ Needs Improvement Contributions to university committees, departmental, college or school, and university will then be recorded using the following table with justification to follow. Check One □ Exceeds Expectations □ Meets Expectations □ Needs Improvement Justification: Contributions to university administration Check One □ Exceeds Expectations □ Meets Expectations Justification: □ Needs Improvement Peer Assessment Draft 10 Programs which serve and/or cause positive recognition by university clientele Check One □ Exceeds Expectations □ Meets Expectations □ Needs Improvement Justification: These guidelines for the Department of English and Foreign Languages have been approved by: ___________________________ Date: ____________ Edward McShane, Chair Department of English and Foreign Languages ___________________________ David Barlow, Dean College of Arts and Sciences Date: ____________ ___________________________ Date: ____________ Peer Assessment Draft 11 John Mattox, Chair Faculty Senate ___________________________ Jon Young, Interim Provost Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Date: ____________ ___________________________ James Anderson, Chancellor Fayetteville State University Date: ____________