Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
Welcome to the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, & Assessment!
The Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, & Assessment (CETLA) was founded by Dr. Teresa Redd in 2003. Today CETLA is led by Dr. Morris Thomas. CETLA exists to promote a culture of excellence in teaching and learning at Howard University. CETLA also encourages continuous improvement by employing best practices in assessment. CETLA's overarching goal is to establish itself as a global exemplar in fostering dynamic learning environments and experiences.
Mission
Develop faculty who produce distinguished and compassionate leaders that serves the nation and global community.
To fulfill our mission, we provide training in instructional technology, distance learning, assessment practices, and instructional strategies. CETLA aims to foster a culture that promotes excellence in teaching, learning and assessment, especially as it pertains to students of color in the United States and throughout the world.
Vision
To support Howard University in attracting and sustaining faculty who are equipped with best and promising practices in teaching, learning and assessment, creating exceptional learning environments and experiences.
Howard University Responds to Students' Demand for Digital Learning Modality
Howard University continues to demonstrate leadership in higher education innovation by expanding its digital learning infrastructure, responding to what research confirms is the fastest-growing sector in education. According to recent data published by Devlin Peck (2025), online learning has grown 900% since its creation in 2000, making it the fastest-growing market in the education industry.
Access the articleHOWARD UNIVERSITY'S PROJECT MANAGEMENT ESSENTIALS RANKS AS TOP UNIVERSITY COURSE AMONG 100 MOST POPULAR ONLINE COURSES OF 2024
Howard University's "Project Management Essentials" course has emerged as the highest-ranking university course in Class Central's annual Top 100 Most Popular Online Courses ranking. The course placed 15th overall and stands as the #1 university-created course in a field dominated by corporate offerings from tech giants like Google, IBM, and Microsoft.
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They Don’t Really Care About Us? Ensuring a Better Connection Between Research, Policy, and Practice to Ensure Success for Black Men in Higher Education
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The US Department of State selects Howard University's Dr. Morris Thomas to host an International Delegation for Digital Learning Excellence Engagement
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Dr. Morris Thomas Receives Quality Matters Directors’ Award for Exceptional Service
Howard University and Quality Matters (QM) are proud to announce that Morris Thomas, Ph.D., has been awarded the Directors’ Award for Exceptional Service.
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The WHOLE Experience: Reflecting on The State of Higher Education Leadership
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A Missing Piece [Peace]: Teaching & Learning in the Digital Age
I was at a conference, and the attendees were workshopping solutions for increasing digital learning capacity at their respective institutions. The conference attendees were a mix of students, faculty, donors, education administrators, and edtech professionals. Groups were assigned an activity to discuss possible solutions for increasing capacity for educational technology and digital learning.
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Impact of Digital Learning Tools in Education Sector
Dr. Morris Thomas is responsible for providing visionary, strategic, and operational leadership for the Office of Digital and Online Learning and the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CETLA) at Howard University.
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Morris Thomas Appointed Chair of the Quality Matters Academic Advisory Council
Howard University is delighted to announce the appointment of Morris Thomas, PhD, as the new chair of the Quality Matters Academic Advisory Council (QMAAC).
Access the articleAI's Impact on Teaching
Artificial intelligence is only beginning to emerge in higher ed. Its unique ability to process large data sets, speed up responses, make predictions, and learn has the power to transform higher ed.
Access the websiteStrategies for Change Management: How Howard University Led a Successful LMS Migration
In this webinar, you’ll learn the approach Howard University is taking to successfully migrate to a new LMS platform.
Access the websiteHow Digital Learning Saved the Classroom
Virtual tools saved higher education during the pandemic and will take physical spaces on campus to new dimensions.
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Lumen Learning Partners with Howard University to Improve Educational Outcomes for Students of Color
Collaboration aims to identify best practices and create courseware with nation's leading historically Black research university to support students' academic excellence and eliminate race and income as predictors of student success
Access the articleCETLA Founder Teresa Redd’s Commitment to Cultivating a Culture of Learning
Teresa Redd, Ph.D., and her pioneering work with CETLA helped Howard exhibit excellence in teaching while introducing innovate ways for the University community to learn
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