Southern Methodist University > Office of the Provost > Center for Teaching Excellence

CTE programs, services, and web resources offer research-based ideas for course design, teaching techniques and assessment tools for all university educators.
Guide junior faculty to success. CTE’s Peer Feedback Program offers one-on-one observation and support, while other programs provide guidance for mentoring within departments.
CTE offers programs specifically designed for new faculty, beginning with the Teaching Effectiveness Symposium and continuing with the New Faculty Teaching Excellence.
Thomas Carr, professor of Mathematics, is one of four recently honored with the Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor Award.
Join a Faculty Learning Community – a small group of faculty members from across the university who meet together to study, contemplate, and implement innovative teaching methods in a particular context, all in an atmosphere that encourages deep thought and mutual trust.
Experience the energy generated by active student engagement. CTE’s Teaching Resources website provides ideas.

Think Ahead to Fall

Teaching Effectiveness Symposium

Thursday, August 22, 2013
8:00 - 2:00
Hughes-Trigg Lower Level

Mentor new colleagues and get a helping of high and low tech teaching ideas at this annual event. This fall's symposium will feature nine breakout sessions, with tracks focused on new faculty, technology, and, well, all of us. Learn more and register.

New Faculty Learning Community: Intrinsic Motivation and Play for Learning

Call for Applications! Participate in a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) to investigate how intrinsic motivation (especially as experienced through games) can encourage students to demand more of themselves. $500 honorarium. Learn more and apply.

This year's FLC members loved the experience. As one said:

Of course I get some good ideas for my courses from the FLC, but I think the most valuable thing I gain from the FLC experience is meeting with other faculty on campus and learning from them how they handle different classroom situations, address new challenges, and their experiences with different learning/teaching techniques. It really is enjoyable to discuss teaching (using technology or otherwise) with a group of faculty who are passionate and engaged.

Learn more here.

Request a Peer Feedback Match

Full-time faculty members can apply for CTE's Peer Feedback Program -- confidential consultation, observation, feedback, and suggestions to help you grow as a teacher.

What's New

Altshuler Teaching Award Winners Announced

Since 2001, the Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor Award annually recognizes four SMU faculty members for their notable commitment to and achievements in fostering student learning. Four professors have just been chosen to join their ranks: Tom Carr (Mathematics), Robert Krout (Music Therapy), Sheri Kunovich (Sociology), and Luis Maldonado (World Languages & Literatures/Spanish). They will join their predecessors in helping CTE promote excellent teaching at SMU as part of the Academy of Distinguished Teachers. Congratulations, one and all!

Summer Learning

With spring semester almost behind us, summer presents a world of possibilities. Many faculty members will take advantage of concentrated time for research and writing. And summer also gives us the leisure to think about our teaching. Want some hands-on help with course design without having to leave Dallas? Think about some online options, like Dee Fink's "Design Your Courses for Greater Student Engagement and Better Student Learning." Or see what all the fuss about MOOCs is about: find an interesting topic and explore it for yourself.

From the CTE Blog

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Center for Teaching Excellence

Getting Started Teaching at SMU

Peer Feedback Program

Get Feedback on Your Teaching

Want to improve your teaching? Sign up for CTE's Peer Feedback Program -- confidential consultation, observation, feedback, and suggestions on course design and teaching methods.