Teaching

The University of Michigan is a world-class research university that truly values teaching excellence. The University’s students are among the very brightest in the nation and the world, and they deserve the very best learning experiences that the University can provide. U-M faculty work at the cutting edge of their disciplines, and they bring the excitement of their research discoveries and new creative work to their classrooms, labs, and studios. Our outstanding faculty have won numerous national awards for teaching, including the U.S. Professors of the Year competition in 2005 and 2009. The National Survey of Student Engagement has recognized U-M as a high-performing university whose practices provide a model for fostering deep and meaningful learning.

  • Some of U-M's outstanding teaching and learning experiences are highlighted in a series called Michigan's World Class, which tells the stories of how schools and colleges and, more importantly, the faculty in them, are challenging today's students in new ways.

In keeping with its commitment to a high-quality education, U-M provides the following professional development opportunities, grants, and other teaching-related resources:

Specialists on Teaching Excellence

Part of the Provost's office, the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) serves all 19 U-M schools and Colleges. CRLT promotes innovation and excellence in teaching and encourages the creation of learning environments in which diverse students can learn and excel. Services include grants for teaching and learning, customized workshops and consultations for departments, one-on-one consultations for individual faculty and graduate student instructors, fall and winter seminar series, a website of teaching strategies, advice for integrating instructional technology into the classroom, and support for University initiatives such as assessment of student learning and multidisciplinary teaching. CRLT North, staffed by experienced engineering educators, focuses on the needs of faculty and graduate student instructors in the College of Engineering.

The English Language Institute (ELI) supports students and instructors at U-M who are nonnative speakers of English. A variety of courses and workshops enable undergraduate students and scholars to enhance their English communication skills. ELI also serves graduate students whose undergraduate degrees are from institutions in which English is not the language of instruction and who are seeking appointments as Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) at U-M. These graduate students must attend a special training course developed and conducted jointly by the ELI and CRLT and then pass the oral English test administered by ELI.

Sweetland Writing Center (SWC) administers first-year and upper-level writing requirements in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) and offers writing services for students and instructors. Students benefit from consultations with Sweetland faculty, an undergraduate peer-tutoring program, and an online writing lab. Support for instructors includes individual consultations, visits to classrooms, customized workshops, and a Sweetland Fellows Seminar for faculty and graduate students who share a commitment to integrating writing into their courses.

Instructional Technology

Evaluating Teaching and Assessing Student Learning

Teaching for Inclusion

U-M Teaching Resources

Policies

University-Wide Teaching Awards

School/College/Department Teaching Awards

Resources

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