University of Michigan. Center for Research on Learning and Teaching

Center devoted to assisting faculty in the task of providing effective instruction, including evaluation and research.

Center devoted to assisting faculty and graduate teaching assistants in the task of providing effective instruction, including evaluation and research.

Center devoted to assisting faculty in the task of providing effective instruction.

One of the first of its kind in the country, the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) at the University of Michigan was established in 1962 by the Board of Regents after a faculty committee recommended:

1) That the University of Michigan create a Center on University Teaching with the broad aim of providing maximum assistance to the faculty of the University in the task of providing effective instruction of the highest quality; and 2) That it be of prime importance that the Center be created at the outset as an institution devoted to the encouragement of educational excellence. (Box 3, Folder: History #2, "Regents Proceedings")

CRLT staff members spend much of their time providing services to the university community. Among the most important programs and services of the Center are Instructor Designed Questionnaires (IDQ), which facilitate student ratings of courses; Evaluations and Examinations, a scoring service for both the IDQs and objective examinations such as foreign language tests, entrance examinations, and machine-gradable examinations from various university courses; instructional workshops and colloquia on matters of interest to teachers; teaching assistant training workshops; the Faculty Development Fund (FDF), a supplement to the base budget of the Center which awards grants to selected faculty in order to encourage new directions in teaching; computer consulting, particularly with regard to the use of computers in the classroom; and program evaluation and consulting. As of 1997, the Center had developed the leading program in the country for training foreign teaching assistants.

Although primarily concerned with service, the Center's staff have undertaken many research projects. Among the more important have been student development studies of the Inteflex, Pilot, and Residential College programs; studies of computer usage in the Chemistry and English departments; meta-analyses of the effectiveness of computers in teaching, of the factors affecting student evaluations of faculty, and of the use of personalized system instruction; and research on strategies and motivational factors which affect teaching and learning.

Administratively, the Center has always reported to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Its staff members are primarily comprised of professors from units within the university with joint appointments in the Center and their home unit, and research scientists hired to oversee research projects and various services provided by the Center. Initially the Center was advised by the University of Michigan Faculty Senate Subcomittee on the Improvement of Instruction. Later, an advisory committee was established of faculty interested in the work of CRLT. One of the tasks to which the Advisory Committee devotes a good deal of time is approving requests from the FDF. Policy matters are primarily decided by the Center director and an elected executive committee of CRLT staff members.

Due to worsening economic conditions and as part of the move to a "smaller but better" university in the early 1980s, CRLT was one of several units subject to review and budget reduction. Its budget was reduced by 30% in 1981 and a year later the Center participated in a university-wide budget cut of 5%. The Evaluations and Examinations office was closed and its director released, although CRLT continues to provide scoring services. Yearly Provost Office budget allocations are supplemented by various grants, requests and donations.

CRLT is a central administrative unit reporting to the provost and serving all 19 schools and colleges of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor Campus. It is also available to service the Dearborn and Flint Campuses.

As a department CRLT recognizes that undergraduates, graduates, instructors, faculty, administration and professional staff represent differing interests, interests which coexist to define the culture of the University of Michigan. The stated goal is to foster an environment of cooperation between these various subcultures and between the various disciplines to contribute to the excellence of the university.

The Center's URL is http://www.umich.edu/~crltmich/.