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Preparation for Peer Observation of Teaching

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For more information ...

Bond UniversityQuality, Teaching, and LearningFoundations of Learning and Teaching (FULT)

61 7 5595 5691

othompso@bond.edu.au

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Peer Observation Partnerships – How do they work?PlanMeet and DiscussTeachIndividual ReflectionMeet and DiscussWritten FeedbackChange Roles

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What kind of Partnership?

Two peopleGroupCoordinatorExperienced

colleagueFilm

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Who to choose…

Identify colleagues who are willing to be involved and whom you trust to be a ‘critical friend’

(Handal, 1992)

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What do you want to achieve?General feedback Investigate a ‘problem’Share ideasDiscover what others are

doingEvaluate effectivenessArticulate philosophyDevelop a teaching portfolioCreate an open, collegial

approach in your departmentTest a teaching resource or

method

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The Observation•Observee•Observer•Students

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Post-Observation Discussions• Be prepared• Reflect first• Listen and ask• Give feedback• Be specific• Examples• Avoid judging• Positive Conclusion• Follow up

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Critical Reflection

•What kind of person are you?

•Revisit your teaching philosophy

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Critical Reflection

The Kolb Process•Concrete observation•Problem definition•Means-end analysis•Implications•Active experimentation

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How will you know the Peer Observation Partnership was effective …Positive outcomes relate to personal

skills and attributes, and the ability to give and receive critical feedback ~ critique.

Means for ongoingProfessional Development.

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Stocking your libraryBell, M. (2005). Peer observation partnerships in higher education. Higher

Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA).Bernstein, D., Burnett, A. N., Goodburn, A. & Savory, P. (2006). Making

teaching and learning visible: Course portfolios and the peer review of teaching. Massachusetts: Anker Publishing Company, Inc.

Blackwell, R. (1996). Peer observation of teaching & staff development. Higher education quarterly, 50, 156-171.

Donnelly, R. (2007). Perceived impact of peer observation of teaching in higher education. International journal of higher education, 19, 117-129.

Handal, G. (1999). Consulting using critical friends. New directions for teaching and learning, 79, Fall, 59-70.

McMahon, T., Barrett, T. & O’Neill, G. (2007). Using observation of teaching to improve quality: Finding your way through the muddle of competing conceptions, confusion of practice and mutually exclusive intentions. Teaching in higher education, 12, 499-511.