Excellence in University Teaching Program
“It is better to travel 10,000 miles than read 10,000 books” . As this ancient Chinese proverb goes, so goes the experience of a group of visiting faculty from W&M’s sister university, the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC).
Launched in August 2018, this new faculty development program provides the opportunity for a cohort of faculty from UESTC faculty to engage in a semester-long, immersive experience that introduces them to new approaches to university teaching and exchange perspectives on their field with W&M faculty. The program is administered by the W&M’s Reves Center, in collaboration with the W&M School of Education, and UESTC’s Department of Human Resources.
The curriculum includes
- a series of pre-semester orientation workshops
- pre-, mid-, and final assessments
- a weekly seminar in university pedagogy, focusing on topics such as course design, inclusive teaching, student engagement and motivation, educational technology, and assessment.
- pairing with a W&M faculty colleague, typically from their discipline. During the course of the semester, the UESTC faculty observe their colleague’s course, experiencing firsthand how teaching of their discipline may be approached at a US university.
- a capstone project.
Additionally, through the W&M English Language Program, a special course is offered on academic discussion and presentation. To enhance their experience in the US, faculty are also invited to special cultural programs organized by the Reves Center and are welcome to attend open lectures and academic and social events at W&M.
