To learn more about our team, please visit the Meet Our Team page.
Our Mission
The Center for Teaching and Scholarly Excellence (CTSE) inspires and empowers the Suffolk teaching and learning community by fostering a culture of learner-centered, critically reflective teaching that leverages evidence-based practices and innovative academic technologies. We support and connect educators, departments, and schools, in the development of engaging, inclusive learning experiences for all students.
Our Vision
We aspire to cultivate a supportive community where educators continuously evolve to build inclusive and dynamic educational experiences that help all students to succeed.
What We Do
We promote a culture of excellence in teaching and learning.
We work with all educators to improve the student learning experience.
We support the innovative use of academic technologies.
We foster a positive and collaborative team culture.
We reflect on our practice with the goal of continuous improvement.
The CTSE offers a wide variety of ongoing programming and services for the campus community in four key areas:
- Consultations and resources development,
- Programming around teaching, learning, and technology,
- University-wide events, and
- Projects and collaborations.
Consultations and Resource Development
Consultations & Formative Feedback on Teaching
Teaching Consultations: The CTSE offers one-to-one or small group confidential consultations around common teaching issues (e.g., syllabus design, assignment design, student course feedback). Consultations are offered in-person or online in Zoom.
Please email the CTSE to request a teaching consultation.
Learning Innovation with Technology (LIT) Consultations: The LIT team provides one-to-one or small group consultations around university-supported academic technologies, including Canvas, Suffolk’s learning management system.
Please email the Service Desk or submit a ticket to request a LIT consultation.
Question about Canvas? All Canvas users at Suffolk have access to 24/7 Canvas support. When you have a question about Canvas, the CTSE team recommends that you contact Canvas support first to get the fastest response.
- Chat with a Canvas representative (24/7!)
- View a wide range of approachable videos tutorials
- View Canvas’s searchable FAQ library
Often partnered with consultations, the CTSE provides support for educators to obtain feedback on their teaching. This includes:
- Teaching Observations: A CTSE team member visits your in-person or online class session to observe classroom dynamics.
- Midsemester Feedback Surveys: Work with us to develop a survey for your students and debrief the results to determine what changes might be possible now or in the future.
- Small Group Instructional Diagnosis: A CTSE team member visits your class to solicit feedback from the students, similar to a focus group.
- Peer Observation Resources: The CTSE provides resources and programming for faculty members to work with one another to obtain feedback on their teaching.
Resources
The CTSE Spark: Our bi-weekly teaching and learning newsletter for the Suffolk community. If you aren’t already receiving this newsletter, please email us to be added to our email list.
Lending Library: A collection of over 400 books and publications available to the Suffolk teaching and learning community.
Knowledge Base Articles: A multimedia collection of support around tools that facilitate the integration of technology in teaching.
Teaching Tips (coming soon): An online collection of CTSE-authored practical teaching resources organized around specific topics in teaching and learning.
SoTL Blog (coming soon): Designed to inspire inquiry in teaching and learning, this web resource features selected research in the field of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
Programming
The CTSE offers semesterly programming opportunities around teaching, learning, and technology in several formats.
Learn and Apply: Teaching Transformation Programming
- Workshops: Interactive sessions designed to provide educators with ideas to apply to their own teaching context
- Workshop Series: A themed set of workshops designed for engagement over time.
- Institutes: Multi-day sessions centered on course and assignment design, active learning pedagogies, and technology-enhanced learning.
Discuss and Exchange: Dialogue and Collaborative-based Programming
- Teaching & Learning Exchanges: Discussion-based sessions co-facilitated with faculty partners.
- CTSE Communities of Practice (formerly FPLCs): cross-disciplinary groups of faculty, staff, and administrators who meet throughout the academic year to engage around a theme with the goals of networking and exchanging knowledge and experience.
- Reading Groups: Multi-session gatherings focused on dialogue and reflection around contemporary pedagogical publications.
- Cohort Groups (coming soon)
- Writing Groups (coming soon)
Program opportunities are offered online or on-campus, depending on the nature of the program. Visit our Events page to learn more about the current semester’s offerings.
Custom Programming
Please contact us for more details on how we can develop programming for a specific group targeted to your needs and interests.
University-wide Events
New Faculty Orientation
The goal of NFO is to introduce new full-time faculty members to the University and to build a supportive community throughout their first semester at Suffolk. For the 2024-25 academic year, new faculty will come together at the end of August for a full-day and then meet once per month during the Fall semester.
The date for 2024 New Faculty Orientation is August 26, 2024. More details will be provided soon.
Symposium on Innovation in Teaching and Learning
This annual on-campus event provides an opportunity for colleagues across the University to come together to celebrate Suffolk’s vibrant teaching community. The Symposium is designed to showcase Suffolk faculty, bring in outside speakers on topics of interest to our community, and to encourage ongoing reflection on teaching and learning.
This year’s Symposium will be held on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. Please visit our Symposium page to learn more about the event!
Projects and Partnerships
The CTSE collaborates regularly with committees, offices, and departments on campus on university-wide projects and initiatives. Some examples of our current and recent projects include the following:
- University-wide implementation of the Canvas learning management system
- Workday Student integration
- Experiential Learning Committee (Provost's Office)
- Creativity & Innovation Committee
- Academic Leaders (Provost’s Office)
Please contact our Director, Rachel Plews, if you are interested in working with the CTSE team on a new or existing project.
Contact Us
Office
73 Tremont Street, 12th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Please note that the CTSE team works on a hybrid schedule.
For general information, requests, or questions, please contact us by email.