A Shared Goal: Dramatically Expand Effective College Instruction

ACUE has teamed up with one of the country’s most prominent leaders in higher education to pursue a common goal: advance effective instruction at every college and university across the country.

The American Council on Education (ACE) and ACUE have entered a landmark collaboration to co-endorse ACUE’s Certificate in Effective College Instruction, which faculty earn after completing the Course in Effective Teaching Practices. The announcement on Tuesday comes days before the start of ACE2016, ACE’s 98th Annual Meeting in San Francisco, where the issue of instructional practice will be a main theme at the four-day conference.

ACUE is also excited to welcome several new colleges and universities to its growing list of partner campuses, ranging from a nationally-recognized Historically Black College and University (Florida A&M University) to a small, private liberal arts college (Wesleyan University). The diversity reflects the widespread sentiment throughout the higher education community that effective instruction should be top priority in student success strategies.

For more information on this unique collaboration, as well as full list of ACUE’s pilot partners, check out the following press release:

ACE and ACUE Announce Landmark Collaboration to Advance Student Success Through Effective College Instruction

Washington, DC (March 8, 2016)—The American Council on Education (ACE) and the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) today announced a significant collaboration to enhance student success through effective college instruction.

ACUE, a new company founded in 2014, has launched a national effort to advance effective college instruction through state-of-the-art online professional development programs. ACE is collaborating with ACUE in a joint venture as part of its nearly century-old mission to prepare campus leaders, support the work of colleges and universities and assist institutions in strengthening student learning, persistence and completion.

Over the past year, ACUE has developed a scalable faculty development and certificate program for college instructors. This research-based program complements related student success initiatives and significantly extends the reach of faculty development efforts.

ACE, which has long made college credit recommendations for workplace and military courses, is applying its rigorous quality assessment expertise to optimize the soundness and research basis of ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework© and Course in Effective Teaching Practices. The Framework represents a first-of-its-kind statement of professional practice and courseware specifically designed for higher education educators.

ACUE’s program is enhanced by a new application of the work ACE has done for decades using subject matter expert teams to evaluate learning that takes place outside a formal classroom for credit recommendation—since 1954 for military experiences and occupations and since 1974 for workplace courses. Those recommendations have been used successfully by students to earn credit at many institutions; and many of those students have done well academically at the more than 2,000 institutions that make it a practice to consider ACE credit recommendations.

“This important collaboration advances ACE’s historic commitment to expanding access to postsecondary education and helping our institutions build the capacity to ensure that those students can succeed,” said ACE President Molly Corbett Broad. “We are proud to join with ACUE in this initiative to provide critical tools and resources to instructors and institutions. We encourage our members to consider offering these pedagogy modules for their faculty as they examine potential institutional commitments to optimize student learning.”

“In the last four decades, the faculty workforce has shifted dramatically. Today, a large majority of instructors in higher education are not on the tenure track,” said Matt Goldstein, Chancellor Emeritus of the City University of New York and Chairman of the ACUE Board of Advisors. “Their primary job responsibility on campus is to teach, and many developed their substantive expertise outside the academy. ACUE was founded to provide these educators with the practical, collegial support they need—and want—to be effective in the classroom. ACUE is honored to partner with ACE and our work together can speed the adoption of research-based instructional techniques at campuses nationwide.”

In addition to Goldstein and Broad, ACUE’s Board of Advisors includes a number of current and former presidents and other higher education leaders. A diverse group of colleges and universities has joined ACUE in the national effort.

“A singular focus on our campus is the success of our students, and effective instruction is a key component of our student success agenda,” said Genyne Boston, Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, one of ACUE’s founding pilot partners. “ACUE’s program allows us to make very strategic and deliberate pedagogical enhancements that support student achievement.”

There will be an in-depth discussion about ACUE’s work and this new collaboration at ACE2016, ACE’s 98th Annual Meeting, which begins Saturday in San Francisco. The Sunday, 3:30 pm (PST) session, Student Success through Faculty Development: Is A Scalable Solution On the Horizon?, will be moderated by ACE and feature a dialogue with ACUE leaders, subject matter experts, and university partners about ACUE’s program, its impact, and its potential to help meet the challenge of a better prepared faculty.

About the Program

ACUE’s Course in Effective Teaching Practices was developed in close consultation with hundreds of college educators and successfully piloted last semester at 11 institutions nationwide. The Course uniquely features the nation’s leading experts in college instruction and showcases authentic footage of exemplary instruction by award-winning professors. Faculty who satisfy Course requirements earn Certificates in Effective College Instruction endorsed by ACUE and ACE. The Course and related offerings are available on a fee-for-service basis.

The Course is aligned to ACUE’s Effective Practice Framework. ACE is reviewing this Framework, which is a leading statement of the teaching skills and knowledge that every college educator should possess.

The Framework was developed in consultation with dozens of subject matter experts, the leaders of prominent teaching and learning centers, and faculty at pilot campuses.

About ACE

Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for all the nation’s higher education institutions, representing more than 1,600 college and university presidents and related associations. It provides leadership on key higher education issues and influences public policy through advocacy. For more information, please visit www.acenet.edu or follow ACE on Twitter @ACEducation.

About ACUE

ACUE partners with colleges and universities to advance effective instruction and promote student success. Founded in 2014 by leaders in higher education, ACUE offers: a state-of-the- art Course in Effective Teaching Practices, which covers essential skills and knowledge that all college educators should posses; a Certificate in Effective College Instruction, which distinguishes faculty who satisfy Course requirements and are prepared to teach research-based practices; and an online Community of Professional Practice, to support ongoing faculty development. For more information, visit acue.org or follow ACUE on Twitter @ACUE_HQ.