Purpose

The outcomes of the scheme should include:

• recognition of aspects of teaching that are working well;
• identification by individual staff of their development needs;
• dissemination of good practice amongst colleagues by sharing thoughts on  teaching practice and supporting each other’s development of teaching skills.

Relationship with other review procedures

Peer observation of teaching is independent of other procedures and not linked to promotion and appraisal procedures.

Staff who wish to include the results of the observation in a portfolio to demonstrate excellence in teaching, may do so.

Scope

Each faculty should produce its own code of practice and procedures for the operation of its scheme to enhance the quality of teaching and learning of students using the process of peer-supported observation of individual teaching. Alternatively they can use the present document (and the forms produced by the Staff Development Centre) as a reference code.

The scheme should operate for all staff, other than those on probation for whom arrangements for the monitoring and assessment of teaching are already in place.

The focus of the scheme should be a self-assessment aided by a ‘critical colleague’.

Each member of staff should be asked to provide a self-assessment of one selected teaching session either chosen by an individual staff member or agreed collectively at a departmental meeting.  The session chosen should  provide an opportunity to consider  and reflect on a mutually agreed area of practice .  A peer will make observation of the teaching session.  Generic criteria for the self-assessment of teaching skills and peer observation should be agreed by the Faculty to try to give consistency overall. A list of areas for consideration is provided on the reverse side of Form 2. Good practice guidelines for distance tutors are also available from the Staff Development Centre. A briefing session should be scheduled before the observation session to discuss arrangements, areas and methods of observation, and to set aside time for de-briefing.

Feedback should be given by the ‘critical colleague’ to individual staff on the self-assessment and observation of the teaching session.

A report on the process (similar in content to Form 3) for each individual observation should be sent to the Head of Department.

It is recommended that any general lessons and pointers from the process should be shared and discussed at a meeting of departmental staff. Discussions / seminars on practice can be informed by data collected via the Chair of the Teaching and Learning Committee, using the reverse side of Form 2 (Action Plan) or Form 3.

Timing

Observation of teaching should be viewed as an on-going process rather than a one-off event. The frequency of operation of the scheme should be decided by the Faculty, or Department, in order to achieve the purposes of the scheme.  It is expected that peer-supported observation would take place at intervals no longer than four years and no less than one year.

All departments should have operated the scheme by July 2003.

Observation

Allocation of an observer to a member of staff should be by mutual agreement. It is advisable however to avoid ‘cosy’ arrangements that might become detrimental to the developmental purpose of this scheme. Greater benefits will be derived from having different pairing arrangements every year.

Students should be informed of the reason for another member of staff attending the class.

The observer should use the agreed observation and report form(s).

The observer should meet with the teacher as soon as possible to reflect on the session, certainly no later than 48 hours after the session has been observed

Observation is a learning experience for observers as well as the observed.  Consequently, there is benefit in involving most, if not all staff, in this process over a period of time.

Training

Training is seen as essential.  Without agreed and explicit criteria for judgement, the scheme lacks professionalism and is in danger of not achieving its objective of enhancing the quality of teaching and learning.

Staff acting as observers should have training in using the criteria for the evaluation of teaching. 

In support, the Staff Development Centre offers  training  'Getting the most out of Peer Observation of Teaching'.   

All staff should be familiar with the format of the scheme, evaluation forms to be used and the criteria to be used in compiling and evaluating the assessment.

Observation Forms

Please download and use the following forms for teaching observations:

• Observation Briefing Form
• Observaton Form
• Observation Record Form

Monitoring of the Scheme

A short report on the completion of each department’s operation of the scheme should be sent to the Teaching & Learning Committee.

Contact Person for Information

If you require any advice or assistance, please contact Derek Cox, Staff Development Centre on email: dlc14@le.ac.uk or tel: 252-5056.