Center for Educational Excellence and Innovation
Established in 2021, the Center for Educational Excellence and Innovation is dedicated to advancing educational excellence in all areas of campus life, spotlighting and inspiring innovations in teaching and learning at all levels and in all academic disciplines, and nurturing a campus community that celebrates our mission and values.
The Center strives for excellence in:
- Welcoming cross-disciplinary conversations about teaching and learning
- Nurturing deep reflection, innovation, and connection
- Fostering student learning and effective teaching through creative, innovative, and research-driven approaches, assessments, and technologies
- Advancing and translating the scholarship of teaching and learning
- Building cross-disciplinary communities and mentoring networks for scholarly exchange around learning, teaching, and professional growth
- Cultivating an appreciation for life-long learning at all career stages
- Helping build communities of faculty and staff that honor the values of a liberal arts education
To realize this mission, the Center unites faculty and staff and builds partnerships on and off campus to develop and offer a variety of innovative programs and opportunities.
Workshops and Events
Do you want to learn a little bit about something new? We offer workshops on a variety of topics from career planning to pedagogical and practical tips that empower faculty and staff to strive for excellence and innovation. These free workshops are open to any faculty and staff person in a full or part time position. While many of these workshops can be taken in a series, each is unique and stands alone so faculty and staff are warmly welcome to attend any of these one time workshops without any prerequisite or expectation that they need to attend a future talk or event. Note that *some workshops may require advance registration when there are space limits or supplies involved.
See Current Workshops and Events
Individual Feedback and Resources
Do you want a fresh perspective on your teaching as it unfolds? Invite Emily Dotson or her Student Mentors in to observe your class and/or talk to or survey your students and receive feedback on your course at any point in the semester. I am also happy to obtain anonymous feedback for you from successful students at the College about your syllabus, assignments, or activities.
Would you like to discuss or read more about your pedagogical philosophy, solve a teaching challenge, or brainstorm ways to engage your students more deeply? You can meet with Emily Dotson to confidentially to talk about a broad variety of teaching topics or academic concerns.
Find Teaching Handouts and Other Resources
Would you like to discuss a Human Resource Issue? You can meet with Stephanie Perry to confidentially talk about a broad variety of staff topics or concerns.
See more information about UVA Wise Human Resources
Fall 2020-Spring 2021 Faculty Learning Communities (FLC)
Do you want a deep dive into an area of academic interest or concern? Email Emily Dotson ead2y@uvawise.edu to find out how you can join a small community of fellow faculty in a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) that meets multiple times throughout the academic year to make real changes in your pedagogy and practices. Faculty sign up at the start of an academic year with the expectation that they will attend multiple workshops and produce deliverable products that can be shared with the College in pursuit of a better understanding of a specific topic. The FLC provides an opportunity to work longer and in greater depth on a project and to work in collaboration with other faculty who share your concerns.
Learn About Current (FLC) Faculty Learning Communities
Contact Faculty Director, Emily Dotson ead2y@uvawise.edu or Staff Director, Stephanie Perry sdh9y@uvawise.edu for more information.