History of TILT’s Teaching Effectiveness Framework
The Teaching Effectiveness Framework (TEF) was conceptualized in 2017 and developed in 2018 at TILT, the Institute for Learning and Teaching at CSU. It consists of seven domains of teaching effectiveness complete with curated evidence-based teaching practices for each domain, a self-reflection rubric to demonstrate growth, and additional resources. The TEF is designed to be suitable for any department – regardless of discipline, class size, course structure, or department size.
The Teaching Effectiveness Framework Toolkit was created to operationalize the changes made to the CSU Faculty Manual between 2018 and 2023 on the development and evaluation of teaching effectiveness. The CSU Faculty Manual states:
departmental codes must, within the context of their disciplines, (1) define effective teaching and (2) describe the process and criteria for evaluating teaching effectiveness. Department codes shall make it clear what is needed for a faculty member to meet teaching expectations and what is needed to exceed expectations. Evaluation of teaching should be designed to highlight strengths, identify deficiencies, and improve overall teaching and learning.
The goal of the TEF and recommended process for annual review of teaching is to support faculty and departmental leaders in upholding the CSU Faculty Manual and supporting teaching and learning. Using the TEF and the recommended 4-step goal setting process streamlines the evaluation process to minimize workload for both faculty and evaluators and serve as a long-term investment in teaching quality and student success.
The TEF has gained significant recognition outside of CSU:
- As of 2025, the TEF has been the focus of consultations between TILT and other centers for teaching and learning at 14 institutions – 12 in the United States, 1 in Egypt, and 1 in Saudi Arabia.
- The TEF has been formally presented to faculty and leadership across multiple university systems, including the University System of Georgia and the University of Houston system.
- The TEF underwent peer review and earned excellent ratings by the Accelerating Systemic Change Network (ASCN) in 2023.
- The TEF has been featured at major teaching and learning conferences, including multiple presentations at the Teaching Professor Conference (2021-2024), Leadership in Higher Education Conference (2019-2025), and POD Network (2024).