Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, Volume 24, Number 4

How do students' and instructors' views of what constitutes effective teaching compare? Are they on the same page, or do they differ in their views of what methods work and/or how to assess outcomes? Much of the existing literature suggests that there are some significant differences in the expectations students and instructors bring to the classroom, yet there are areas of convergence as well. In truth, both students and instructors may be somewhat surprised to learn what the other truly values in the teaching-learning endeavor. The articles in this issue offer evidence-based practices for examining students' and instructors' perceptions of effective teaching and learning--both practices and outcomes. Taken together, these studies suggest answers to the question "Where can common ground be found, and how can these findings be put to use in forging greater teaching and learning synergies within and beyond the classroom?"