Do you want to harness the power of peer observation to enhance your teaching?

In this post, we explore how to attain access to valuable learning conversations about teaching with peers, and the depth of reflection that comes from engaging in peer observations.

Having a colleague take a student’s perspective of your teaching provides you with opportunities to have learning conversations about teaching (Hubball & Clarke, 2011). These can be extremely helpful in generating new ideas. More importantly, you have the flexibility and independence to engage in peer review of teaching when you deem appropriate (Kell & Annetts, 2009). However, I advise that you invite a peer to review and observe your teaching each time you teach.

The five steps for peer observations

Step 1: Planning

Check with your department or organization to see if there are any standard practices that need to be adhered to when engaging in peer review and observation of teaching. It is standard that you ask someone at the same rank and never ask a student. This means that faculty cannot ask graduate students and graduate students cannot ask undergraduate students. Most observations take place around mid-point of the course. But you can invite a peer at any time. Maybe you are interested in feedback about how you teach your first class and establish the course culture? Or how you end a course? Any time is suitable, depending on what you are hoping to learn from the peer review process.

Step 2: Pre-observation meeting

Whether in person, online, or on the phone, always have a conversation with your peer reviewer prior to the observation. Talk about your goal for the observation, your approach to teaching (your teaching philosophy), and what you would like the observer to pay attention to. Also, find out what aspects of teaching are important to them, so that you both understand the perspectives and biases being brought to the review. Direct your observer to where they should sit or if online, ask them to have their screen off and sound on mute. Together, decide if you will introduce them, and if you want to record your teaching. Remind the observer to not participate in class so that they can concentrate on taking notes of what they observe. Send your observer your syllabus, lesson plan, access to the learning management system, and any other materials they need to effectively review and observe your teaching.

Step 3: Conducting the review and observation

If there is a form that you want the observer to use, please provide that for them. There are many different forms available, or your department or organization may have one, or you can construct your own. These forms simply provide some guidelines for your observer to make sure they are capturing all aspects of your teaching. If your class is quite large, you do not have to introduce the observer but in smaller classes (below 50), I highly recommend it. The observer typically attends the whole class but if the class is beyond 90 minutes, you may both agree on a time frame that is sufficient. During that time, the observer takes notes, fills out the form (if provided), and records your teaching (if you requested).

Step 4: Post-observation meeting

Plan to meet your observer a few days after the observation. You do not want to meet right after the observation because both of you need time to reflect on the teaching session. When you meet, the observer will begin by asking you how you thought your teaching went, which will prompt discussion. Ask the observer to give you no more than three constructive ideas to enhance your teaching, making sure they address the goals and aspects of your teaching that you asked them to focus on.

Step 5: Written document

Lastly, the observer will provide you with a letter outlining their review and teaching observation. The focus should remain on teaching and not the content of the lesson. Ask your observer to provide you with the letter within one to two weeks, so that you have it in a timely manner to include in your teaching dossier/portfolio.

References

Bell, A. & Thomson, K. (2016). Supporting peer observation of teaching: collegiality, conversation and autonomy. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 55(3), 276-284.

Cosh, J. (1998). Peer observation in higher education: A reflective approach. Innovations in Education and Training International, 35(2), 171-176.

Fletcher, J. (2018). Peer observation of teaching: a practical tool in higher education. Journal of Faculty Development, 32(1), 1-14.

Gosling, D. (2009). A new approach to peer review of teaching. In Gosling, D., & O’Connor, K.M. (eds.), Beyond the Peer Observation of Teaching (7–15). London, UK: SEDA Publications.

Hubball, H., & Clarke A. (2011). Scholarly approaches to peer-review of teaching: Emergent frameworks and outcomes in a research-intensive university. Transformative Dialogues: Teaching and Learning Journal, 4(3), 1–32.

Kell, C., & Annetts, S. (2009). Peer review of teaching embedded practice or policy-holding complacency? Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 46, 61–70.