We at the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) promote excellence in teaching by getting to know our faculty and graduate students, learning from them, fostering leadership, and bringing people together from across the University. We provide consultations, workshops, and print and web resources on teaching and academic success. We focus on implementing evidence-based, high-impact educational practices with Duquesne's amazing community of teachers and learners. 

We guide Duquesne faculty and graduate students to:

  • Implement sound instructional strategies focused on student learning by embracing evidence-based pedagogical ideas and a spirit of innovation. 
  • Create well-designed courses and curriculum that incorporate strong learning-assessment strategies resulting in deep learning. 
  • Succeed as teacher-scholars engaged in pedagogical development and academic research in whatever stage they are in (tenure-track, tenured, non-tenure track, adjunct, teaching assistants).
  • Approach personhood holistically with a view to understanding their students and themselves as people balancing personal and academic demands. 
  • Feel like they belong and contribute to a community that values teaching excellence, collaboration and diversity.

Teaching Resources on DORI

Events

We plan events and create resources that contribute to the professional and holistic development of faculty and graduate students at Duquesne.

All Duquesne faculty, staff, and graduate students are welcome to attend CTE's workshops. You can learn more about our workshops by following the link below.

 

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The Center for Teaching Excellence offers programs to welcome and orient all who are new to the teaching community at Duquesne, as well as colleagues who are making the transition to a new role (e.g., moving from adjunct or TA to full-time faculty).

 

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Every year, CTE celebrates the achievements of our excellent faculty and graduate student instructors at Duquesne University. These events allow us an opportunity to formally celebrate and honor the achievements of our faculty and graduate student award recipients (listed below for the most recent academix year) as well as the amazing support of our peer leaders on campus and the hard work of those who have completed their Certificate of University Teaching. 

Creative Teaching Award Recipients:

  • Dr. Ralph Klotzbaugh (School of Nursing) for “Addressing the Need for Clinical Knowledge Related to LGBTQ+ Patient Care, Needs, and Competencies among Nursing Students in a Required Cultural Health Course.”
  • Wesley M. Oliver, J.S.D. (Thomas R. Kline School of Law) and Morgan Gray, J.D. (Thomas R. Kline School of Law) for “The Development and First Offering of Coding For Lawyers Course.”

Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Teaching

  • Jaclyn Berg (Philosophy)
  • Kyle Emerson (Biological Sciences)
  • Victoria Hrach (Biological Sciences)

Spirit of CTE Honorees

  • Dr. PJ Dillon (Palumbo-Donahue School of Business)
  • Dr. James Purdy (University Writing Center/McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts)
  • Dr. Rana Zakerzadeh (John G. Rangos Sr. School of Health Sciences)
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The Teacher-Scholar Model

We provide resources to help faculty succeed as teacher-scholars engaged in pedagogical development and academic research in whatever stage they are in (tenure-track, tenured, non-tenure track, adjunct, teaching assistants).

The Flourishing Academic is a Duquesne University multi-voice blog devoted to exploring the question, “How can we as teacher-scholars thrive in academia?”  We feature posts on teaching, learning, and academic career success by Duquesne faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, and the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) staff, in addition to occasional guest writers from outside of the University. We hope you visit us often, comment actively, and teach enthusiastically!

 

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Each year, CTE forms a committee to review the teaching portfolios of our many talented graduate student instructors and teaching assistants. You can learn more about the award and the application process by following the link below.

 

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The purpose of the Creative Teaching Awards is to recognize faculty members who have implemented innovative ways of teaching and have assessed the impact of the innovation on student learning. The innovation may have been used at other institutions or in other fields, but must be newly adapted to your field at Duquesne. You can learn more about this award, previous recipients, and the application process by following the link below.

 

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Instructional Strategies and Course Design

We collaborate with instructors to implement sound instructional strategies focused on student learning by embracing evidence-based pedagogical ideas and a spirit of innovation.

Whether through consultations with CTE, preparing midsemester informal course evaluations, reflecting on Student Perception of Teaching end of semester evaluations, or conducting Peer Evaluations of Teaching, CTE is here to offer assistance and support however we can.

 

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CTE offers a professional development certification process for graduate instructors and teaching assistants. This process helps build up the foundation of your teaching competencies as well as understand how to then present your teaching background as an asset on the academic job market.

 

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Holistic Development

We approach personhood holistically with a view to understanding faculty and students as people balancing personal and academic demands.

CTE Values the diversity that Duquesne's instructors and teaching assistants bring to their teaching, research, and participation in the constitution of the university's identity. Additionally, CTE strives to make instructors and teaching assistants feel included on campus as well as provide them with the means to shape their own classrooms and departments into inclusive and equitable spaces.

 

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Whether you're a mid-career tenure track faculty or a first year graduate student, CTE does its best to provide support and cultivate resources that help everyone pursue their professional goals.

 

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Contact us!

Feel free to reach out to us individually through our contact information here or generally via cte@duq.edu.

Steven Hansen, Ph.D.

Director, Faculty Development and Teaching Excellence

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Erin Rentschler, Ph.D.

Associate Director for Faculty Development

Headshot of Erin Rentschler.

Jeff Lambert, Ph.D.

Assistant Director for Educational Development

Headshot of Jeff Lambert.

Bethany Kaser

Instructional Consultant for Teaching Assistants

Center for Teaching Excellence Events

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Contemplative Pedagogy: Bringing a Meditative Sensibility into Teaching and Learning

Facilitator: Will W. Adams (Department of Psychology)Date: Thursday, Sep. 21, 12:10-1:20...

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  • Union 613
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"Teaching Matters" Graduate 2-Session Book Study

Facilitator: Bethany Kaser (CTE)Date and Time: Thursday, September 28th, 9:30-10:45 a.m.Location:...

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  • Virtual
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Information Literacy in the Age of Generative AI

As students and faculty begin to utilize Generative AI more and more, it is useful to...

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  • Virtual
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Strategies for Successful Collaborative Writing

Collaborative and multi-authored writing account for a significant component of scholarly...

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  • Fisher Hall
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Complex Mechanics

This workshop will be a guided run through of Joe Bisz's Complex Mechanics for...

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  • CTE Conference Room
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