Appraising your teaching:peer and direct observation

Jackie Gresham and Clare MilsomAcademic Enhancement Unit

Overall Aims of the SessionTo explore the role of observation in the development of professional practice

Outcomes By the end of the session course members should be able to: 1. appraise the role of observation in the evaluation of teaching

effectiveness2. identify some of the advantages of observation3. recognise potential issues relating to observation and minimise

difficulties4. discuss different aspects of observation e.g. staff development,

quality management and how to balance these5. give and receive feedback on a teaching session

Schedule

0930 – 0945: Setting the context [CM] 0945 – 1015: Programme requirements of observation [CM] 1030 – 1115: Experiences, challenges and aspects of observation [JG]1115 – 1145: Giving and receiving feedback [JG]1145 – 1200: Creating a critical discourse [CM]

Board of Study 31st October 1200 to 1300Annual Monitoring Report

Little light lunch.

Course reps please?

Non –instruction biases in student evaluations of teaching

Course Tutor

Student

Plus: Power relationship : revenge, protection, suppression

Effective teaching observation

“We close the classroom door and experience pedagogical solitude whereas in our life as scholars we are members of active communities…(where we) exchange our findings, and methods and our excuses”. (Shulman, 1993:6)

‘those who will be evaluated should feel that they have more to gain than loose formative benefits more likely to be realised in a constructive and collegial climate’ (Ackerman et al. 2009)

‘The camaraderie and collegiality developed through shared experiences is not to be underestimated in what can at times be an individual and somewhat isolating teaching journey’ (Atkinson and Bolt 2010)

‘...we need to provide the climate and opportunity to talk about teaching’ (Donnelly 2007, 127)

“the power of peer observation resides in its developmental and collegial orientation and its exposure of colleagues to affirmation, constructive criticism, and the experience of how others teach differently” (Marshall 2004, 187)

“The benefits of sharing practice and engaging in critical discourse with peers had a dramatic effect on perceptions of ‘lecturing’ within our institution – to the real benefit of the learners placed in our care. A principled and values-based approach to ‘professional conversation’ pays real dividends driving up standards within a community of practice.”Symon Quy, NTF, Central School of Speech and Drama

Models of Peer Observation of Teaching (from Gosling 2002)

Characteristic Evaluation Developmental Peer review

Who? Senior staff Expert teachers Colleagues

Purpose Performance, QA, PDPR, assessment

Competency, teaching improvement

Critical discourse and self reflection, collegiality

Outcome Pass/fail Pass / fail action Analysis, experience

Status Authority Expert diagnosis Shared perception

Relationship Power Expertise Mutuality

Conditions for success Management process Effective central unit Teaching is valued and

discussed

Programme requirementsModule Observation Evidence7001/2PCLTHE Experienced WBS

colleague: as observerp.13

Brief personal notes: Structure of the sessionT & L methodsStudent participation What you have learned

Peer: as observerp.14

Pre-observation meeting notesCompleted forms 1a, 1b, 1c [Bb 7001PCLTHE]

Peer: being observed p.15

Pre-observation meeting notesCompleted forms 1a, 1b, 1c [Bb 7001PCLTHE]

7003PCLTHE Criteria-based: being observedby a Trained Faculty Observerp.10-12

Form 1aCompleted teaching observation criteria [Bb 7003PCLTHE] Critical evaluation, 1000 wordsAction plan

7003PCLTHE: Observation of Practice in the Higher Education

Stage 1: Agree observation date(s)

Stage 2: Being observed Stage 3: Formal feedback

Stage 4: Critical evaluation and action plan

Criteria fully metCriteria not fully met: there are three observation opportunities

You must be observed by a trained faculty observer – list on Bb 7003PCLTHE

Teaching Observation Criteria

Scales (notes attached)Preparation: DDA/SENDA Support for disabled studentsStructure and organisationContentInteractionDelivery and processPace and timingLevelLearning resourcesAudibilityEnthusiasm and interest

Quick activity

Read through the teaching observation criteria

If you have any queries ask colleagues on your table.If no one can answer – ask another tableIf no one can send to TEXTWALL

10 minutes total Today we will be using ‘Textwall’

To send a message

Start a text with ljcbm

And send to 07537 402 400

This will cost you the same as any UK text

15 mins break

You have recently been observed by a colleague. All went well and you received some constructive feedback. You have since sat in on one of his lectures and are due to meet him tomorrow to discuss the session. Your colleague has mentioned in passing that he was very pleased with the session, which concerns you as you are struggling to find positive things to say when you meet. In particular, you noticed that the students were clearly bored and disengaged, sending text messages, yawning etc. One student was asleep. There were a great many Powerpoint slides, mostly text, which your colleague read from. His delivery was monotonous and you thought he covered a great deal of ground without checking understanding.

How will you deal with the feedback?

You recently sat in on a colleague’s seminar. The students were lively and engaged but undisciplined, and your colleague struggled to keep the session on track. She had told you what the planned outcomes were beforehand but she could not achieve them because the students took control and led the seminar into other areas. A lot of the planned work could therefore not be completed but she remarked to you at the end of the session that she would ‘pick it up next time’. Your colleague has very decided views on the role of staff as facilitators of learning, but you think she simply let them do what they wanted.

What do you think is the best way to approach the feedback with her?

You have recently been observed by a very experienced colleague in your Faculty. To your dismay, although he was very nice to you in the feedback meeting, you realised that he thought the seminar he observed was weak, although you thought it went reasonably well. He seemed to you to have a couple of ‘hobbyhorses’ which he kept coming back to in the feedback, one being the round-up at the end of the seminar which he thought was ‘woolly’ and the other being your tendency to say ‘OK’ too often. Neither of these seems to you to be significant issues although you understand why he thought the last part of the seminar was unsatisfactory. You’d asked him prior to the observation to look at how you engaged the quieter students in the group, but when you asked him about that he quickly brought the discussion back to the ‘OK’ issue. You’re worried that this may affect the way your teaching is perceived.

What should you do about it?

Your School has decided to focus on lecturing in observations this year. You would really prefer to have another aspect of your teaching observed – small group teaching for example. You aren’t worried about your lectures – quite the contrary – but you think that from a developmental perspective you would benefit far more from being able to choose what is observed.

How should you approach this with your proposed observer?

You opted to bring a camera into your classroom and record your lesson and then to discuss the recording with your observer. This was agreed between you without any problem but now you have viewed the recording you really don’t want the observer to see it; you think there are too many things you are unhappy with and would do better another time. Your observer is pushing you to go ahead as planned, saying that the whole point of the observation is to give you the chance to reflect on your practice and learn from any ‘mistakes’. You don’t agree; you’ve learnt from it already and don’t need a discussion about things that you will probably feel embarrassed about.

How should you deal with this?

Observation for developmental purposes‘Observation of teaching aims to develop and enhance effective practice and to provide a springboard for further development through shared reflection and in some cases through action research.’ (p.226)

‘.. it is an opportunity to validate what is working well, to exchange practical ideas, to solve problems and to explore and align practice with a developing understanding of theory, as well as to learn from the practice of others. It is an opportunity to gain confidence and competence.’ (p.227)

Fullerton, H. (2003) Observation of teaching. In Fry, H. et al. Handbook for learning and teaching in higher education. 2nd edition. London, Kogan Page.

Observation for quality review and enhancement purposes

Common reasons given for using observation for these purposes:

It enables an overview of teaching in the HEI to be obtained It enables good practice to be identified with a view to dissemination It enables good teaching to be recognised and (possibly) rewarded It enables weak teaching to be identified and staff to be supported to

improve It provides triangulation with other evaluative procedures, e.g.

student satisfaction surveys, module and programme appraisals It demonstrates to students that the quality of the teaching they

receive is monitored/ considered important It provides evidence to external agencies e.g. QAA that teaching is

‘quality assured’ It forms part of an HEI’s approach to performance management of

academic staff

Models of Peer Observation of Teaching (from Gosling 2002)

Characteristic Evaluation Developmental Peer review

Who? Senior staff Expert teachers Colleagues

Purpose Performance, QA, PDPR, assessment

Competency, teaching improvement

Critical discourse and self reflection, collegiality

Outcome Pass/fail Pass / fail action Analysis, experience

Status Authority Expert diagnosis Shared perception

Relationship Power Expertise Mutuality

Conditions for success Management process Effective central unit Teaching is valued and

discussed

Programme requirementsModule Observation

1. What is needed to create a critical discourse that arises from peer observation

2. What is needed to create a critical discourse that arises from criteria-based observation

Highlight the differences

7001/2PCLTHE Experienced WBS colleague: as observer

Peer: as observer

Peer: being observed

7003PCLTHE Criteria-based: being observed

LJMU Learning and Teaching Framework 2011-12: observation of teaching (developmental)

Critical discourse: needs

Personal points: have you given yourself sufficient time to prepare? are you personally comfortable with the actual content of the session? are you personally comfortable with the environment in which this session istaking place? if you have already been through this process, or had a coaching session,have you decided on a key area of improvement you‟ll be taking steps tochange this session, and decided how you‟ll proceed?

Seeking feedback – the one minute method…

The most important thing I have learnt from the workshop is ….yellow

This would have been a better workshop if…..pink

The most useful part of today has been…..green

References:

Ackerman D., Gross B., Vigneron F. (2009) Peer Observation Reports and Student Evaluations of Teaching: Who Are the Experts? The Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 55(1), 18-39.

Atkinson D.J., Bolt S. (2010) Using Teaching Observations to Reflect Upon and Improve Teaching Practice in Higher Education, Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning , 10(3), 1-19.

Byrne J., Brown H. and Challen D. (2010) Peer development as an alternative to peer observation: a tool to enhance professional development. International Journal for Academic Development, 15, (3), 215-228.

Donnelly, R. (2007) Perceived Impact of Peer Observation of Teaching in Higher Education International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education 19(2), 117-129

Marshall, B. (2004). Learning from the Academy: From peer observation of teaching to peer enhancementof learning and teaching. The Journal of Adult Theological Education, 1(2), 185-204.

Shortland S. (2010) Feedback within peer observation: continuing professional development and unexpected consequences. Innovations in Education and Teaching International , 47 (3), 295-304.