The Teaching Academy will seek to encourage excellence in teaching and to maintain and further the diversity of teaching excellence across the university. Dialogue could focus on discussion of the mission of the university in relation to teaching. Central to this dialogue is an exploration of what counts as good teaching and how it is rewarded. Ways to reward departments that give special attention to teaching improvement could be explored. Teachers often feel uncomfortable with the way in which they are evaluated by students.
Some students are concerned the evaluation tools used by teachers are inadequate.
Issues of how to measure both teaching and learning are complex. All members of the faculty and instructional academic staff are eligible to be Fellows in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Teaching Academy. The selection of Fellows will reflect the scope of campus perspectives and a variety of teaching approaches. The title of Fellow is held indefinitely. Fellows will be selected for membership in the Academy for three-year staggered terms that may be renewed for a second term.