The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC)

The Teaching and Learning Center is focused on enhancing student learning through supporting excellent teaching at Bluffton University. The TLC offers a variety of services, which can be tailored to meet professors’ needs. Much of the interaction with faculty will occur in individual conversations, though the TLC will also establish selected workshops and presentations as seems helpful. 

Instructors are invited to contact directly staff members of the TLC:
  • Teaching and Learning Center director: Lamar Nisly (nislyl@bluffton.edu)
    Lamar works with instructors to strengthen classroom instruction, develop effective approaches to teach writing, and cultivate student advising relationships.
  • Learning Technology Coordinator: Sarah Cecire (cecires@bluffton.edu)
    Sarah helps instructors consider how they can most effectively incorporate Moodle or other learning technology into their courses.
  • Student Learning Assessment Coordinator: Ross Kauffman (kauffmanrm@bluffton.edu)
    Ross assists instructors and departments to develop, use, and interpret assessment related to student learning.
Teaching and Learning lunch discussions, hosted by the Faculty Development Committee, provide an informal venue for information and discussion on a range of topics. If you have an idea for a lunch discussion, contact Steve Harnish (harnishs@bluffton.edu).

Specific services of the TLC:

Faculty Peer Coaches: Instructors can request to have a peer coach observe a class session and provide feedback. These evaluations are solely for professors’ growth and would not be related to the official evaluations for promotion and tenure. If you would like to request a peer coach visit or to volunteer to serve as a peer coach, please contact Lamar Nisly.

Experts on Campus: Through particular study or extensive experience, members of the Bluffton community have expertise in specific areas. Please contact them for ideas and conversation about these topics. We also want to continue to add to this list, so contact Lamar Nisly with your area of expertise.