PeerObservationGuidelinesand

Recommendations
BasedonPeterSeldin'sChangingPracticesinEvaluatingTeaching&OhioStateUniversity
HandbookforInstructors

Definitions
Formativepeerobservationassistsintheimprovementofteaching.Summativepeerobservation
involvestheevaluationofteachingeffectivenessusedformerit,promotion,and/ortenuredecisions.
Bothformativeandsummativeobservationscanbebasedonthesameobservationinstruments.

Rationale/PurposeStatement

40%ofcollegesanduniversitiesnowusepeerclassroomobservation.

Observationsofferinsightregardingtheimprovementofteaching.

Highereducationsettingsarecurrentlymovingtowardmultipleobservationformats.

Strengths/AdvantagesofPeerObservation

Gainingnewideasandperspectivesaboutteachingfromcolleague(s);

Bothobserverandobservemayimproveteachingability;

Weaknesses/DisadvantagesofPeerObservation

Possiblebiasrelatingtotheobserver'sownbeliefsaboutteaching;

Withoutasystematicapproachincludingobservertraining,multiplevisits,anduseof
reliableobservationinstrumentspeerobservationisnotavalidmethodforsummative
evaluation.

Formoreontheproblemsinherentinpeerobservationandquestionstoaskwhen
contemplatingpeerobservation,seeRebeccaBrentandRichardFelder'sItTakesOneto
KnowOne.

PeerObservationTraining
Ifpeerobservationistobeusedforsummativepurposes,trainingpeerobserversisnecessary.Ithelps
themfocusonspecificcriteriaessentialtocompletingareliableandvalidobservation.Trainingcanbe
completedinameetingorviaatrainingvideotape.Atrainingmanualcanalsobehelpful.

PreObservationConferenceGuidelines
Thepurposeofthepreobservationconferenceistoreviewtheteacher'steachingplan,includingthe
lessongoal,objective,strategies/methodology,andassessment.Thefollowingisalistofquestionsthat
theobservermightasktheteacher:

Whatisthemaingoalofyourcourse?

Whatisthemaingoalofthecoursesessiontobeobserved?

Whatisyourspecificobjectiveforthecoursesessiontobeobserved?Inotherwords,whatdo
youexpectthelearnerstobeabletoknowanddobytheendofyoursession?

Whatstrategies/methodswillyouusetohelpthelearnerstoreachthisobjective?

Howwillyouassesswhetherthelearnersreachedthisobjective?Inotherwords,howwill
theyshowthattheyknowandcandowhatyouexpectedofthem?

Doyouhaveanyconcernsthatyouwouldliketheobservertoaddress?

SeealsotheUniversityofMinnesotaGRAD8102PreObservationform(pdf).Toviewthisdocument,
youmusthavetheAdobeAcrobatReaderinstalledonyourcomputer.

PeerObservationGuidelines

Theobservershouldarriveatleast10minutesbeforeclass."Walkingintoclasslateispoor
practiceandinconsiderate"(Seldin,1999,p.81).

Theobservercanbebrieflyintroducedtothestudents,withanequallybriefexplanationof
whytheobserverispresent.Thenmoveon!

Observersarenottoaskquestionsorparticipateinactivitiesduringclass;suchbehaviorcan
detractfromandinvalidatetheobservations.

Aneffectiveobservationrequiresanobservationinstrumentdesignedtoaccuratelyand
reliablyportraytheteacher'sbehavior.

ObservationInstruments
Planningandimplementingasystematicapproachtoobservationreducesbiasandunreliability.The
threemostcommoninstrumentsarechecklists,ratingscales,andopenendednarratives(written
analysis).Seldinrecommendsacombinationoftwoinstruments.Whenchoosingobservation
instruments,keepinmindthat

formsandchecklistshelpstandardizeobservations,makingtheobservationmorereliable;

viewingavideotapeofone'steachingandthencompletinganobservationinstrumentisa
feasibleoption;

theblanksheetobservationisnotreliableandthereforeisnotrecommendedforsummative
purposes.However,forformativepurposes,copiousnotesaboutwhatistakingplaceduring
theclasscanbethemostusefulpromptfordiscussion.

PostObservationConferenceGuidelines

Schedulethisconferencewithinaweekoftheobservation.

ReviewresultsfromthecompletedClassroomObservationInstrument(s).

Begintheconferencewithapositivecomment(i.e.,"Ireallyenjoyedyourclass...").

Providehonest,constructivefeedback.Forthecharacteristicsofusefulfeedback,seethe
GRAD8102GuidelinesforUsefulFeedback.

ObservableCharacteristicsofEffectiveTeachers

Beginsclasspromptlyandinawellorganizedway.

Treatsstudentswithrespectandcaring.

Providesthesignificance/importanceofinformationtobelearned.

Providesclearexplanations.

Holdsattentionandrespectofstudents,practiceseffectiveclassroommanagement.

Usesactive,handsonstudentlearning.

Varieshis/herinstructionaltechniques.

Providesclear,specificexpectationsforassignments.

Providesfrequentandimmediatefeedbacktostudentsontheirperformance.Praisesstudent
answersandusesprobingquestionstoclarify/elaborateanswers.

Providesmanyconcrete,reallife,practicalexamples.

Drawsinferencesfromexamples/modelsandusesanalogies.

Createsaclassenvironmentwhichiscomfortableforstudent...allowsstudentstospeakfreely.

Teachesatanappropriatelyfastpace,stoppingtocheckstudentunderstandingand
engagement.

Communicatesatthelevelofallstudentsinclass.

Hasasenseofhumor!

Usesnonverbalbehavior,suchasgestures,walkingaround,andeyecontacttoreinforce
his/hercomments.

Presentshim/herselfinclassas"realpeople."

Focusesontheclassobjectiveanddoesnotletclassgetsidetracked.

Usesfeedbackfromstudents(andothers)toassessandimproveteaching.

Reflectsonownteachingtoimproveit

http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/resources/peer/guidelines/