Peer observations and peer mentoring
"Peer review of teaching in universities involves academic colleagues giving and receiving feedback on their teaching practices and its effectiveness in promoting student learning … [it] can recognise and accommodate diversity in approaches to teaching, curricula and disciplinary contexts ...[and] can cover the full range of teaching activities and environments including assessment, the development of teaching and learning resources, curriculum design, online teaching, clinical and other field-based teaching. This further complements systematically collected evaluation from students, which tends to focus on their experience in the classroom."
(Harris et al, 2008, p.5 Links to an external site.)
Peer observations
Reflecting on your own teaching requires you to think back on the lesson, assessing its strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for development. It is best to record your reflections on the lesson as soon as possible. This will also help you track your students’ progress. You may ask a collegue to observe your teaching (peer observation) to keep track of your progress as a developing reflective practitioner, for example, when teaching a new course or trying a different mode of delivery. This will provide valuable feedback on the strengths of your practice or some possible ideas for development.
Reflective questions to consider:
• What went well in this lesson? Why?
• What problems did I experience? Why?
• How engaged and active were the students?
• How much learning took place? How do I know?
• What could I have done differently?
• What did I learn from this experience that will help me in future lessons?
Peer observations have a specific focus, for example the quality of student-led activities or the scaffolding of key concepts. This focus is typically negotiated upfront between the oberver/observed or mentee/mentor and could be carried out over a block of lessons to show progression (see list of pre-observation questions Download pre-observation questions for the observed/mentee to consider). Being able to demonstrate change in ones' own teaching practice through reflection and revision towards student progress is one of the criteria for promotion in L&T pathways.
Table. Selected FoS practice notes and resources for teaching observations
| Resource | Description |
| So you want a peer observation? Download So you want a peer observation? | STATS - Departmental meeting presentation |
| Notes for observers Download Notes for observers | STATS - Things to think about before the first meeting |
| Lecture reflection template Download Lecture reflection template | STATS - Template with guiding questions (pre-observation) |
| PROMT Download PROMT | MATHS - Guidance on Peer Review and Observation of Mathematics Teaching |
| The peer review process Download The peer review process | CLeaR - Structure of informal teaching observations and possible time commitment |
| Teaching and learning circles Download Teaching and learning circles | Ako Aotearoa - Resource pack for the enhancement of L&T culture and practice |
Peer mentoring
You may be asked to mentor a colleague new to tertiary teaching through peer observations and ongoing feedback. Besides informal mentoring partnerships initiated between individuals, organisations may endorse formal mentoring which is undertaken through structured programmes. The UoA provides comprehensive guidelines about mentoring and coaching Download mentoring and coaching, including templates regarding mentor/mentee expectations, progress plan, diary sheet etc. and further references.