Excellence in Teaching

Schedule of events

The 2026–27 cohort began in October 2026 and will complete the program on September 10, 2027.

2026–27 Cohort Gatherings

• Fall Term cohort orientation/kickoff
• Winter term Zoom check-in
• Spring term Zoom check-in
• Summer term Zoom check-in

What does it take to earn the certificate?

To earn the Excellence in Teaching Certificate, participants complete a minimum of 48 hours of professional learning and create an ePortfolio documenting their learning and its impact on their teaching.

Professional Learning

The 48 hours are distributed across five areas:

• 12 hours: Curriculum Design, Alignment & Assessment
• 12 hours: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility
• 12 hours: Student Motivation and Resilience
• 8 hours: Teaching with Technology
• 4 hours: Active Learning

Additional requirements include:

• At least 36 hours must come from Chemeketa-based professional learning.
• Up to 12 hours may come from professional learning completed outside of Chemeketa.
• Most qualifying activities must have been completed within the past five years.
• Up to 6 hours may come from professional learning completed at any time.

ePortfolio

Participants create an ePortfolio that brings together selected artifacts and written reflections. The ePortfolio provides an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned, how their thinking has developed, and how professional learning has influenced their instructional practice.

Designed with faculty in mind

Choice

There is no single path to completing the certificate. Faculty choose professional learning opportunities that align with their interests, goals, and particular teaching contexts.

Flexibility

There is no single path to completing the certificate. Faculty choose professional learning opportunities that align with their interests, goals, and particular teaching contexts.

Support

Participants don’t navigate the process alone. The Center for Academic Innovation supports participants throughout the program. The cohort model also provides opportunities to connect, share ideas, and learn from faculty colleagues across disciplines. 

Recognition

The certificate is designed around professional learning that is already available to Chemeketa faculty. Rather than starting from scratch, the program gives you an opportunity to build on professional learning already completed and connect it to your ongoing teaching practice.

Achievability

The program is designed so that faculty can complete the requirements within one academic year—or sooner. The goal is to make earning the certificate a meaningful professional accomplishment without creating an unreasonable additional workload.

Faculty recognition

Earning the Excellence in Teaching Certificate is a significant professional accomplishment, and faculty who complete the program receive several forms of recognition:

• Recognition in the President’s Recognition Report to the Board of Education
• A digital badge that can be displayed on professional networking sites
• An honorarium of up to $2,500*

*The honorarium is reduced proportionately if a participant has already received funding for professional learning activities submitted for consideration. The honorarium will not be reduced below $500.

The Excellence in Teaching Certificate supports college-wide goals:

• Promote meaningful professional learning aligned with the Excellence in Teaching competencies.
• Build connections across disciplines by creating opportunities for faculty to learn and collaborate with colleagues.
• Recognize faculty commitment to ongoing professional learning and thoughtful teaching practice.