2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper presents an Evidence-Based Practice on the development of principles of teaching and learning for a new department. The formation of a new engineering department, whether it be from scratch, merger, or reorganization, comes with significant challenges. Departments must prioritize the development of future engineering professionals. Effective student development starts with ensuring all faculty demonstrate excellence as teachers and scholars. When hiring new faculty members, it is standard to require them to write a personal teaching philosophy. However, many terminal degree programs do not require graduates to receive formal instruction on teaching and learning. Further, institutions may lack the resources or scheduling flexibility to prepare new faculty for their first semester teaching. Individual educators hold ultimate responsibility for adopting effective techniques to enhance their students’ experience and learning. This manuscript outlines the formal process taken by a new department to draft guidance for faculty members in the form of department “Principles of Teaching and Learning.” These principles were aspirational for faculty to achieve and were nested in the mission and vision for both the department and the institution. The goal of the guidance was not to provide a rigid model that faculty were forced to follow, but rather to outline characteristics that the department valued. This allowed each faculty member freedom in their approach to educating students but improved the sense of community among the faculty. The authors reviewed the extensive literature available on techniques for teaching and learning and highlighted those essential to the department’s identity. Further, faculty members were surveyed on important aspects of teaching in their former programs and departments. Drafts of the principles of teaching and learning were provided to faculty members for review and comments. This paper documents previous research on effective teaching and learning, the difference between teaching and learning models and principles, and the process taken to draft principles for a department that supports the faculty, the institution, and most importantly, the students.