The Third Pillar: Teaching
Alongside service and research, higher education’s third pillar—teaching—is more important than ever. Students are more engaged, learn more, persist in their studies, and graduate in stronger numbers when we use evidence-based practices. Yet, too often, our professional preparation emphasizes content expertise and research methods, with little attention to pedagogy.
Together, we are closing this gap. Faculty enrolled in ACUE’s courses through institutional partnerships or open enrollment courses strengthen their ability to implement approaches that work. Faculty who earn an ACUE credential, issued with the American Council on Education, are distinguished for their commitment to instructional excellence.
Collaborate
In every institutional partnership or open enrollment course, faculty collaborate with peers and receive guidance from expert facilitators—often through an institution’s teaching center. Courses include numerous instructional resources, interviews with leading experts, and demonstration videos to see, and learn from, great teaching in action. This practical and relevant experience helps faculty learn more deeply about—and implement—approaches across all of the competencies in ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework.
Designed for Change
ACUE’s research-based learning design guides cohorts of faculty from foundational knowledge through higher order learning to the implementation of proven approaches, reflection on one’s practice, and refinement based on peer and expert feedback. ACUE’s foundational course in Effective Teaching Practices, on which all other courses are modeled, earned the nationally-recognized Quality Matters Certification, receiving an exemplary score across all criteria.
A Lifelong Pursuit
Teaching is both a science and an art. It takes a lifetime to master. As a member of ACUE’s Community of Professional Practice, you’ll enjoy ongoing support to refine your teaching, stay current on research, and advance the national conversation.
