HERDSA 2010 program: Workshop eight
Using peer observation of teaching for peer review
Maureen Bell
University of Wollongong, Australia
Peer observation of teaching involves academic colleagues in peer review through giving and receiving feedback on teaching practice. Peer observation has the potential to provide valuable insights into teaching practice, and peer observation partnerships offer a structured and collegial peer review process for mutual support within the immediacy of the teaching environment. Various universities have now adopted observation of teaching for peer review, within foundations of university teaching courses and other academic development programs, while others refer to peer review of teaching in human resources policies. Recently reports on implementation of systematic programs at institutional, faculty or departmental levels have emerged in the literature. The workshop supports potential reviewers and reviewees in developing teaching practice through undertaking all phases of peer observation of teaching through an experiential learning process, and in using the HERDSA guide "Peer Observation Partnerships in Higher Education" (Bell, 2005) as a resource for peer observation. The presenter aims to share 14 years of experience in developing and presenting peer observation workshops and materials with participants and to facilitate the sharing of participants' experiences and concerns. The workshop will support participants in further developing their understanding of the principles and practices of peer observation of teaching for both development and appraisal purposes, and in refining skills for observing teaching and giving and receiving verbal and written feedback.