Inviting Peers to Observe Your Teaching

Hello Reader,

If you are teaching this semester, either as the instructor, guest lecturer, or as a teaching assistant, you want to consider asking a peer to observe your teaching. Below, you will find a five-step peer observation process to enhance your teaching, 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.

Based on research, here is the recommended five-step process for peer observations.

Step 1: Planning

It is standard that you ask someone at the same level as you (same rank or if a graduate student, you would ask another graduate student). This means that faculty cannot ask graduate students and graduate students cannot ask undergraduate students. You can ask someone of a higher rank but if you are new to inviting peers to observe your teaching, it is best to invite someone at your level. Most observations take place around mid-point of the course but you can invite a peer at any time. However, 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 for a teaching observation, depending on what you are hoping to learn from the peer review process. Teaching observations can take place in-person or online, synchronously or asynchronously.

Step 2: Pre-observation meeting

Once you have made arrangements, have a conversation with your peer reviewer prior to the observation. This is an essential step. 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, 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 the observation, 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. Based on your discussion and letter from your peer, reflect on what you do well and what you can do to enhance your teaching.

Lastly...

Consider offering to observe your peers as well! It is a great learning experience, prompts learning conversations about teaching, and often you will take something away that your colleague does in their teaching that you can use in yours. If you would like more information about teaching observations or examples of letters, do not hesitate to reach out to me at info@iteachhe.com.

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.

To your teaching success!

Dr. Cynthia Korpan. Director, ITeach: Certification in Higher Ed Inc.