Evaluating Teaching through Peer Classroom Observation

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Evaluating Teaching through Peer Classroom
Observation

• Spring Faculty Meeting
• Timothy Schibik
• 3 January 2006

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Point to Peer Review

• Peer classroom observation (a.k.a. peer review of
  teaching) puts an end to pedagogical solitude and
  thus attempts to treat teaching as community
  property.
• Shulman (1993)

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Desired Outcome of Peer Review

• The most important bottom-line benefit to peer
  review of teaching should be the improvement of
  student learning.

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Basis of Peer Review

• The department is a key unit for undertaking the
  peer review of teaching be it for personnel
  decision making or more formative collaboration
  and exchange. Peer review activities need to be
  matched to the departmental program, goals for
  student learning, and culture.
• AAHE From Idea to Prototype The Peer Review
  of Teaching, 1995.

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Summative vs. Formative

• Summative evaluation is a judgment about teaching
  that is used to make a decisiona decision about
  promotion, tenure, or, even, teaching awards. A
  summative evaluation of teaching attempts to
  summarize the complex phenomena of teaching.
• Weimer (1987)

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Summative vs. Formative

• Formative feedback is information gathered for
  the purpose of improving and developing teaching.
  This information is meant to inform change.
• Rando and Lenze (1994)

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Guiding Principles

• Conduct classroom visits as part of a
  consultation process which involves both a
  pre-visit meeting and a post-visit debriefing.
• Conduct repeated visits, over the course of the
  semester, rather than a single parachute drop.

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Guiding Principles

• Combine classroom observation with other
  strategies that enrich the picture student
  interviews, classroom materials reviews,
  examination of student works/products.
• Use a team or a partner approach.
• Be aware that learning can occur for the observer
  as well as the observed.

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Guiding Principles

• Let students know what is happening and why.
• Think of classroom observation as an occasion for
  discussion of departmental expectations.
• Keep track of how peer classroom observation is
  working. Learn from the process in order to
  improve.

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The Who in Peer Review

• Who are the appropriate peers in reviewing
  teaching?
• Lee Shulman says it for most of us when he
  stated we should make the review and examination
  of teaching part of the disciplinary communitys
  responsibility
• Shulman (1993).

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Process of Peer Review(5 steps)

• Pre-Observation Meeting of Instructor and
  Observer.
• The Classroom Observations
• Brief Immediate Communication Session
• Post-Observation Meeting to Provide Feedback
• Final Written Record of Observation

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Pre-Observation Meeting

• Discussion of specific observation dates and
  times (if announced) or a range of possible dates
  and times (if unannounced).
• Overview of instructors
• course goals,
• specific class session goals (if announced),
• and instructional methods used to achieve goals.

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Pre-Observation Meeting

• Review of information on the background of
  students in the class (level, prerequisites etc.)
• Discussion of instructor assessment methods.
• Review of relevant documents for the session
  (syllabi, handouts, power point slides etc.)
• Discussion of the criteria for evaluation and any
  forms to be utilized.

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Pre-Observation Meeting

• Identification of any specific areas of concern
  for the instructor (if formative).
• Set meeting time for both the brief immediate
  communication session and the post-observation
  feedback meeting.
• Review of ground rules of the visit. ?

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Typical Visit Ground Rules

• Observer will arrive early and place him or
  herself unobtrusively in the room and will not
  become involved in the session.
• Unless the class is very large, the observers
  presence should be explained to the group.
• The observer will take notes related to agreed
  criteria.

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The Classroom ObservationsBasic Starting Points

• All observations should first and foremost be
  based on department-level discussions of what
  constitutes good teaching in the respective
  discipline.
• Departmentally developed forms constitute the
  best method for obtaining useful and reliable
  information.

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The Classroom ObservationsWhat Should the
Observer Look For?

• The Class Environment Student/Instructor
  Rapport
• Body language, informal interaction before and
  after class with students, willingness of
  students to ask questions.
• Indicators of Student Engagement
• Attendance, participation, notetaking,
  inappropriate activities (sleeping, texting, etc.)

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The Classroom ObservationsWhat Should the
Observer Look For?

• The Instructors Ability to Convey the Course
  Content
• Explanations, examples, stories, demonstrations,
  use of media, problems and answers to questions
• The Range of Instructional Methods and How They
  Support Student Understanding

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Brief Immediate Communication Session

• Ask instructor if this was a typical class
• Ask if any additional clarification would be
  helpful in interpreting what was observed
• Obtain the materials referred to in class
• Thank the instructor (take care not to offer
  premature feedback)

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Post-Observation Meeting Normally held within
one week of the final observation session.

• Provide a preliminary copy of the written report.
• Ask the instructor for their assessment of the
  class.
• Provide constructive honest feedback in a
  sensitive manner.

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Suggestions for Giving Feedback

• Observer should start with the positive points.
• Focus on behaviors that can be changed.
• Make factual objective comments when dealing with
  the negative (e.g. when you did ____, I could not
  ____)

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Suggestions for Giving Feedback

• Make positive suggestions for improvement be
  constructive (e.g. if you would spend less time
  with your back to the class writing on the board,
  it would be easier for students to relate to
  you).
• Avoid making value judgements (e.g. you were
  boring at the beginning)

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Suggestions for Giving Feedback

• Use questions to guide the discussion and
  encourage instructor reflection.
• What were you trying to achieve with this
  example?
• How did you feel this portion of the lecture
  worked?

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Final Written Report

• Remember the difference between summative and
  formative (there may actually be two written
  reports if both aspects are present).
• The report must be written as honestly as
  possible leaving no ambiguity.

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Process of Peer Review(5 steps)

• Pre-Observation Meeting of Instructor and
  Observer.
• The Classroom Observations
• Brief Immediate Communication Session
• Post-Observation Meeting to Provide Feedback
• Final Written Record of Observation

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Points to Remember

• Differentiate summative from formative evaluation
• Keep the goal of improving student learning in
  mind.
• Be impartial and fair. Do not play the thats
  not the way I would do it game.
• Remember the ANXIETY!

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