The Office for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning is dedicated to supporting you, your department, and your college in achieving your teaching and learning objectives, no matter your teaching method, experience level, or academic discipline.
Across our three teams (Academic Testing Center; Faculty Development; Student Learning Outcomes Assessment & Accreditation), the ATL offers extensive support in specialized knowledge areas we call “areas of expertise”.
Examples of Tailored Support
- Retain students with inclusive courses.
- Boost faculty vitality through targeted professional development.
- Turn assessment into publishable research that boosts student outcomes.
- Support part time faculty and include them in the life of your department.
- Assist departments and colleges with assessment guidance, resources, and data-informed improvement.
- Leverage new course modalities for student and faculty success.
- Enhance challenging courses: large lecture, general education and service courses to increase student motivation.
- Organize and facilitate strategic planning retreats.
- Partner with students on a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning project.
Success stories
Individual One Instructor | Group Small Group of Instructors or Department/College |
Fac Dev - Solve sticky problems related to teaching and learning. | Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures: ATL partnered with department faculty to create a customized faculty vitality workshop on burnout and intentional rest for their departmental retreat. |
Assessment - Help chairs define "metrics that matter" for student success and retention in your department. | Geosciences: ATL helped lead a strategic planning retreat, contributing to a more cohesive department vision and goals. |
ATC - Part-time faculty members can request one-on-one consultations outside of normal office hours to practice the steps necessary to use the ATC. During one such meeting, ATC staff provided guidance on testing center procedures and strategies for implementing testing accommodations. As a result, the instructor came to view the ATC as a supportive resource and campus partner. | College of Pharmacy: The ATC collaborates with the College of Pharmacy at both the departmental and instructor levels to promote effective use of testing center processes, streamline exam administration, and support compliance with accreditation standards. Through ongoing consulation and partnership, the ATC helps ensure accommodated exams are accessible, equitable, and aligned with program requirements. |
Criminology and Criminal Justice: The department chair consulted with ATL to analyze identified needs and together implemented a departmentally specific book club on Inclusive Teaching in response. These discussions resulted in instructor-led curricular changes and even to Scholarship of Teaching and Learning projects. | |
Biology: ATL is supporting the redevelopment of Anatomy and Physiology and helping set a plan, gather, and analyze evidence on the effectiveness of course changes. |
Consultation Form
Request a Consultation
Please complete this form to request a consultation with the Office of Advanced Teaching and Learning.
Areas of Expertise by Our Teams
Faculty Development
We help faculty create high quality learning experiences, reflect critically on teaching practice, and adapt evidence-based teaching strategies to enhance learning for all students. Our areas of expertise include:
- Inclusive and equitable teaching
- Evidence-based best practices in teaching and learning
- Faculty vitality and well-being (e.g., preventing/managing burnout, finding/reclaiming joy in teaching, balancing responsibilities, time management, navigating higher education)
- Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL) (e.g. IRB guidance and support, getting started with a SoTL project, analyzing data, preparing for publication, finding funding)
- Career planning for teaching excellence (e.g. teaching portfolio development, crafting teaching statements for promotion/tenure, interpreting IDEA scores, mid-semester feedback, teaching observations)
- Emergent issues in teaching & learning (e.g. generative AI, teaching during contentious times, alternative assessment)
Student Learning Outcomes Assessment & Accreditation
We promote student success, improved learning, and continuous program improvement through program-level outcomes assessment and curricular innovation. Our areas of expertise include:
- Learning outcomes assessment for curricular improvement and program revision
- New academic program/certificate development and assessment planning
- General education curriculum improvement
- Engaging stakeholders around strategic assessment planning
- Programming centered on assessment and evaluation best practices
Academic Testing Center
The URI Academic Testing Center proctors assessments for students whose faculty request support with ADAAA/504 exam accommodations and University approved excused absences. Under the umbrella of the ATL, the Academic Testing Center also partners with faculty to support and sustain inclusive teaching and learning practices in their courses by offering a dedicated facility that administers student examinations. Our areas of expertise include:
- University-supported proctoring that promotes honesty, integrity, and equity by adhering to the best practices and standards of the National Collegiate Testing Association (NCTA)
- Accessible, inclusive, and culturally responsive testing sessions that meet the needs of students, faculty, academic departments, and colleges (implementation of ADA/504/508 exams accommodations, proctoring practices that support sense of belonging for all students, and collaborative programming with the campus)
- Administration of 3rd party assessments including the American Councils Language Assessment Support System (ACLASS) online language placement exams for the Chinese Flagship Program, Prior learning assessments such the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP).