Learning Episode And Reflective Narrative (LEARN) (1,500-2,500 words) allows for the documentation of excellence in teaching and learning through an abbreviated “feedback loop,” describing and reflecting upon a single instructional experience. The components of a feedback loop should include:
- Brief description of learning episode/teaching situation: In what context did the teaching situation occur? Present content, level, and other information that provides a context for understanding your efforts.
- Recognition of a need for change: How and why did you decide that there is a need for change? Examples may include direct assessment of student learning (observations in class or students’ difficulty with an assignment), observations or suggestions from a peer review undertaken to improve student learning, and/or students’ comments on the Student Evaluation of Teaching forms (SETs).
- Description of the approach taken to improve: What approach has been taken to address the need for change and why? Describe rationale for approach as well as approach taken. Approach taken to improve learning should have a link to the philosophy statement and include effective and engaging practices.
- Assessment of approach taken to improve: What data were collected – direct evidence of student learning (such as assignments, observations in class), SETs, grades, student comments, results of peer review – to determine the effectiveness of the modification?
- Relying on SET data: in most cases, data from SETs will not provide a strong indication of student learning. It is strongly encouraged to use direct evidence of learning in conjunction with SET data if learning gains are the relevant issue.
- Relying on grades: grades can be curved, determined through forced ranking, and manipulated through other mechanisms. Grade determinations must be placed in context to demonstrate learning and used in conjunction with other data like direct evidence of learning.
- Student comments on SETs: Reflect on qualitative and/or quantitative comments from students. What did you learn and what did you do to act upon them?
- Reflect on Assessment Data: What did the assessment data reveal to you about the success or failure of your efforts to improve student learning? What steps did you take as a result of these assessment data?
- You may include an example of a student assignment in this section to illustrate your feedback loop.
- Quantitative and Qualitative evaluation of student learning data should be incorporated into the feedback loop so they are presented in the context of reflection on student learning. Direct assessment of student learning will be given more credence than indirect measures.