Faculty Peer Observation: Providing and Benefiting from Useful Feedback

FACULTY PEER OBSERVATION:PROVIDING AND BENEFITINGFROM USEFUL FEEDBACK

Lisa Perfetti

Associate Dean for Faculty Development

Whitman College

perfetlr@whitman.edu

Focus of this workshop

•Seeking feedback from a peer for the purposes ofimproving one’s teaching

•Conditions for making observation process effective

•Answering questions on your mind

Benefits of EffectiveFaculty Peer Observation

•Builds in time to reflect on our most important questionsabout our effectiveness as teachers

•Fosters community among colleagues

•Provides more opportunity for “evidenced-based” teaching

•Benefits both observer and observed

•N. V. N. Chism (2007), Peer Review of Teaching: A Sourcebook, 2nd ed.

•A. Boye & M. Meixner (2011), “Growing a new generation: Promoting self-reflection through peer observation.” To Improve the Academy, Vol. 29, pp.18-31.

When observations aren’t so effective...

•Think back to a time you were observed and the feedbackwas not so effective. Without giving too much detail,share with a colleague near you what it was about theobservation or the feedback afterwards that was nothelpful.

Some features of observations that don’tprovide helpful feedback

•not announced ahead of time

•no pre-observation conversation about course or classgoals

•faculty observer is looking for the wrong things during theclass

•faculty observer uses opportunity to focus on his/her ownperceived teaching strengths

•vague feedback

•feedback that is tangential or unrelated to course goals

Class Observations in Context

•A 50- or 75-minute class offers only a small snapshot intowhat students are learning. Other relevant materials forpeer review of teaching are:

•course syllabus (course design is key!)

•assignments and exams

•samples of student work with instructor feedback

•student evaluations of teaching

What a Class Observation Shows

Observing a class is especially helpful for showing theinstructor’s:

•active engagement of students with the material

•equitable inclusion of students

•use of class time to deliver goals for that day

•use of classroom space, technology, or other logisticaldimensions that support learning

•use of activities that are appropriate to the students’preparedness while providing challenge

Conditions for Effective Peer Observation

1.Self-awareness that informs reason for seeking peer’sinput

2.Pre-observation conversation

3.Following best practices for observation during the class

4.Post-observation discussion

5.Choice of peer for the process

1) What do you want to learn from yourfaculty colleague?

•advice on students who aren’t participating?

•problem-solving around an assignment that doesn’t seemto be working?

•advice on whether your lectures are clear and pitched atthe right level?

•how to get students to take your feedback on their writingseriously so that they can improve?

•Important: are you really prepared to hear the feedback?Seeking an observation to affirm your strengths as ateacher is probably not a good idea.

2) Pre-observation Conversation

•Provides an overview of the course goals

•Provides context: How has the course been going so far?Is there something different about this particular iterationof the course?

•Identifies main student learning outcomes for the session:“By the end of the 50 minutes, students shouldunderstand/know/be able to....”

•Previews the pedagogical approach you will use for thosegoals and why

3) Best practices for observing peers

Which of the following do you think would be considered a“best practice” for observing peers:

•faculty member introduces peer observer to class

•observer participates in activities such as small groupdiscussion

•observer sits in the front row to be closer to facultymember being observed

•observer takes lots of notes even if it means little eyecontact with faculty member

3) Best practices for observing peers

•Faculty member could introduce peer observer to class,particularly if it is a small class. Announcing that a visitor willcome is a good idea.

•Observer should sit away from the students to ensure theirperspective as an observer.

•Observer should not participate in activities since this woulddetract from the ability to see what all students in the class aredoing.

•Observer should watch the students, not just the instructor.

•Observer should take lots of notes: a quick smile ofencouragement is o.k. but you are there as a dispassionatesource of evidence for the faculty member.

Some possible rubrics for the observer

Take a look at these two observation rubrics.

•Which would you feel most comfortable using as anobserver? Why?

•Which would likely be most valuable for you in beingobserved? Why?

•Regardless of what kind of rubric you use, make sure tolet your observer know the top three things you wantfeedback on.

Post-observation discussion

Conversation should focus on the main things the facultymember wanted feedback on.

•Begin by asking instructor to report what went well, anydisappointments.

•Refer often to notes to share what actually happened inthe class.

•Allow opportunity for instructor to arrive at some of theirown solutions.

•Offer feedback that is concrete, relevant, and feasible

•Make sure to include feedback on effective practices.

When we might be uncomfortable givingnegative (but valuable) feedback

•It is the third week of the semester and Josie has invited you to her50-minute Introduction to Gender Studies class for feedback on howshe leads discussion. You arrive on time, sit at the back of the class,and note that there are 16 students (4 men and 12 women). Duringthe first 20 minutes, Josie lectures. She then asks an open-endedquestion and asks for volunteers to offer insights. After each student’scomment, she provides her own “gloss” for a minute or two then callson the next student. Six students raise their hands (all of themwomen) and 4 of them answer twice. The rest listen attentively. Inyour post-observation conversation, Josie thanks you for coming, andafter you say “So how do you think it went?” Josie says “I thought itwent really well. I got through all the material I wanted to and therewas still time for the discussion and students had great things to say!”

•What do you say next? (How does this depend on what else youobserved as well as what she indicated in her pre-observationconversation with you?)

5) Choosing your observer

Choose someone who:

•you like and trust

• is more or less equal to you in academic rank

•doesn’t have the responsibility to evaluate your teaching

•is able to be candid and honest without being judgmental

•has respect for your discipline and the kind of teachingyou do, but perhaps is not in your department

•will also open their classroom to you

Some timing considerations

•The first two and the last two weeks are probably not idealtimes for class observations.

•Observing at least two class sessions gives moreaccurate information

•Perhaps time peer observation to follow up on informalfeedback from students on the course (i.e. a poll ofstudents about a 1/3 into the course can indicate areasyou want colleague feedback on).

•To “kick it up a notch,” attach peer observation to a facultylearning community or reading group around a particularpedagogy (e.g., leading discussion, teaching informationliteracy, doing collaborative learning activities, enhancingstudents’ intercultural skills).

Wrap-up

•Questions?

•Concerns?

•Now I welcome your feedback. Please fill out the quick 5-question survey that Randi will send you in a couple ofdays.