About KU CTE

The primary purpose of the Center for Teaching Excellence is to build community among faculty members and to help instructors make student learning visible. We facilitate meetings with small groups of faculty to find time-efficient and effective ways to improve student learning, assist faculty with representing the intellectual work they perform as teachers, and meet individually with faculty and instructional staff who want to discuss any facet of teaching and student learning.

CTE also helps faculty develop teaching portfolios and course transformation posters, which are published on the CTE website. We also host workshops, conferences, and discussion forums on teaching and learning in higher education. In addition to portfolios and posters, we publish newsletters, research reports, and other works on the scholarship of teaching.

Our organization was established at the University of Kansas in 1997 and currently comprises faculty members, graduate students, and post-doctoral educators who work in a variety of disciplines while maintaining an emphasis on teaching and student learning. CTE is advised by a board of faculty members (Teaching Excellence Advisory Members, or TEAM), a group of campus-wide department liaisons called Ambassadors, and several Faculty Fellows who assist with a variety of projects related to teaching.

One of our main goals at CTE is to foster intellectual exchange and create community around teaching and learning at KU. Regardless of discipline, we want to help instructors find new ways to innovate and experiment in their classes, and to make their work visible to colleagues. Our portfolio gallery contains excellent examples of the innovative pedagogical work undertaken by KU faculty members.

We are dedicated to building a community where instructors can share their pedagogical concerns, successes, and research. CTE prides itself on providing guidance and mentorship to instructors at all stages of their careers. We host numerous workshops and events for faculty members and GTAs. If you need assistance with matters related to teaching and learning, or just want to brainstorm ideas for improving your courses or curricula, CTE can help.

One of our main goals at CTE is to foster intellectual exchange and create community around teaching and learning at KU. Regardless of discipline, we want to help instructors find new ways to innovate and experiment in their classes, and to make their work visible to colleagues. Our portfolio gallery contains excellent examples of the innovative pedagogical work undertaken by KU faculty members.

We are dedicated to building a community where instructors can share their pedagogical concerns, successes, and research. CTE prides itself on providing guidance and mentorship to instructors at all stages of their careers. We host numerous workshops and events for faculty members and GTAs. If you need assistance with matters related to teaching and learning, or just want to brainstorm ideas for improving your courses or curricula, CTE can help.

How We Can Help

This website contains numerous resources for instructors in all disciplines. This includes resources on such topics as:

• Designing or redesigning a course
• Creating an inclusive climate
• Teaching online or in a hybrid format
• Developing a teaching statement
• Assessing student learning
• Preparing for the first day of class
• Using class time well
• Motivating students
• Using technology in classes
• Helping students improve their writing and critical thinking skills
• Developing an effective grading strategy
• Succeeding as a GTA
• Representing your teaching

We also maintain a list of other teaching centers all across the globe.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for on the website, feel free to contact us.