TEACHING AND LEARNING AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY:

A STATEMENT OF BEST PRACTICES AND EXPECTATIONS

All members of the Washington University community share responsibility for creating an atmosphere conducive to learning. A collaborative learning environment involves the active participation of both instructors and students in the classroom and in activities outside the classroom. This environment requires:

• the best effort on the part of both faculty and students to enhance the learning experience for the benefit of all persons involved;

• the recognition that all present play important roles; all participants in the learning experience deserve respect for what they bring to it, and all should be sensitive to the importance of the others in this process;

• an atmosphere in the classroom of mutual respect for all persons regardless of political, ethnic, religious, gender, sexual orientation, and disability considerations.

Expectations and responsibilities of the faculty

The faculty member is involved in several major roles, including those of teacher, scholar-researcher, and citizen in the University. For the unimpeded performance of these functions, the faculty member is guaranteed academic freedom. At the same time, faculty members have clear responsibilities to the students and to the institution, particularly in her/his role as teacher. Instructors should provide the basic outlines for the learning experience and provide guidance as appropriate, generally in the form of a handout. Such guidance should normally involve:

• the presentation of a syllabus that clearly identifies the goals of the course and its prerequisites, a schedule of major assignments and examinations, explicit criteria for how student work will be evaluated, and a clear articulation of ground rules for classroom interaction (How much active participation is expected of the student? Is attendance required? If the course meets over the lunch hour, is it acceptable to eat during class?);

• reminding students of the University's standards for academic integrity;

• bringing new perspectives and insights to assigned readings and other text materials;

• regularly meeting class and punctuality in starting and dismissing class;

• prompt and responsible grading, with evaluative comments and opportunities for students to discuss their grades with the faculty person;

• adherence to the announced office hour schedule and offering as many avenues as possible for contact, including by telephone and email;

• the use of appropriate technology as relevant both in and outside the classroom to enhance communication between faculty and students (including webpages, microphones, and overhead projectors);

• close oversight of Teaching Assistants, especially to insure grading uniformity in large classes;

• facilitation of regular student evaluations of their teaching methods and materials, including mid-semester evaluations, as a means to create an atmosphere of shared responsibility within the classroom;

• when possible, avoiding prohibitive costs when ordering textbooks and other course materials;

• adhering to the published final examination schedule to avoid interfering with students' preparation for other classes.

Expectations and responsibilities of the students

Students must take responsibility for their own learning. Students also share with the instructor the responsibility for providing an environment conducive to learning. Students should personally:

• be actively engaged with the material and with the process of education;

• build their own knowledge and skills (faculty guide students to materials and methods, but the learning is up to the student);

• attend all classes, both lecture and discussion sessions, and participate in discussions;

• prepare for classes in accordance with the class syllabus;

• be punctual in completing assignments;

• behave in the classroom in a manner that demonstrates concern for other students;

• share responsibility for the flow of communication concerning a course (this may involve regularly checking the course webpage for changing assignments and relevant information and responding to email from instructors; using the email address assigned by the University is the easiest way to insure that instructors can reach all students in the class);

• be familiar with and adhere to matters of academic integrity as identified by their School within the University;

• participate in objective and constructive evaluations of the instructor and of the course (this helps to clarify problems and strengths that will help the instructor to improve the course in subsequent semesters).

Special student concerns

Students should take the initiative in discussing special arrangements with the instructor when for any reason they miss class. Students should also recognize that the collective needs of the faculty and other students in a course may outweigh individual preferences. Faculty should be sensitive to individual student needs for special arrangements:

• to accommodate disabilities, illnesses, or academic or professional opportunities that interfere with usual class attendance or performance;

• when students miss class because of religious holidays.

For its part, the University administration must:

• continue to provide facilities and to insure adequate classroom and laboratory space that is stocked with sufficient appropriate equipment;

• give priority to supporting both faculty and students in teaching and learning;

• be responsive when normal communications between faculty and students break down by providing fora for discussion and negotiations;

• facilitate communications among various constituents of the University;

• facilitative the flow of visitors to the classroom by notifying faculty of such matters in a timely fashion.

Where to get help

For instructors: The departmental chair, the Teaching Center, colleagues, and the relevant dean's office can offer very useful advice on teaching techniques, materials, and methods.

For students: The instructor, the TAs, and Special Educational Services can be counted on for guidance on how best to learn; the Writing Center can be a very helpful resource for all sorts of written assignments; for complaints, contact the relevant dean's office for further advice.