Quality Handbook
AQH- A13 Peer Observation of Teaching
Version 4.0 October 2015
PEER OBSERVATION OF TEACHING
What is peer observation and why is it important?
Healthy academic communities are always concerned to improve the students’ experience of
Learning and Teaching. Peer observation of teaching is an important part of the University’s
approach to developing Learning and Teaching and to extending the repertoire of associated skills
and strategies. It is a purely developmental process designed to support both the observer and the
colleague observed in considering, supporting and promoting good practice. This is not part of
appraisal or performance management.
All teaching staff benefit from seeing how others teach and from receiving feedback on their own
teaching. This exchange of ideas and insights about teaching should be a normal part of team,
Departmental and Faculty business. This is already the case for many colleagues. The policy and
process summarised in this paper represent a bare minimum of structure and requirement. It is
expected that teams and programme groups will build on this minimal guidance to develop local
approaches which best address local needs. Some groups may have innovative ideas about using
peer approaches in laboratory, studio or workshop based activity for example whilst others may
wish to exploit the potential of peer work to innovate in placement contexts. Peer observation can
also comment usefully on the teaching and learning materials relevant to the session(s) being
observed.
Where peer observation is a regular aspect of learning and teaching development, broader
collegiate dialogues about curriculum, assessment and enhancement are better informed and have
the potential to be yet more innovative and responsive.
We should expect to see such debates at the heart of our academic business. Peer observation
helps to bring teaching to the forefront of our academic agenda.
Should the outcomes of the process go any further?
The discussion arising from peer observation may prompt colleagues to explore an issue more
widely, for example with the programme team or with Academic Development, but this is not a
requirement. In any such discussion it is not necessary to tell anyone that an issue has arisen from
peer observation unless you wish to do so. However if colleagues wish, they may decide routinely
to share the good practice which they have identified within the team: that is a matter for the team
members.
How should it take place?
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1. Staff should be ‘paired’ on the basis that they can learn from and share with each other.
That means that they should both feel comfortable with their ‘partner’. However it is often
productive to consider pairing people with colleagues with whom they do not normally
interact (eg not someone with whom they team teach) so that you get a different
perspective from one which you would get in the normal course of events. Good practice
includes pairing more and less experienced staff, pairing someone who would like to
develop a teaching method (eg use of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)) with
someone who has particular experience in that area and so on. It can even be useful to pair
someone with a colleague from a different subject area because this can focus the
discussion on the teaching process rather than the content. It is also important to change
pairs from time to time so that you get a range of perspectives both as observer and as
observee.
2. Faculties should agree how to manage the ‘pairing’ – whether at faculty or departmental or
team level.
3. Observations should be annual at least if they are to be truly developmental. If the
colleagues wish they may undertake more observations (eg to cover a lecture and the
follow-up seminar or to work on a development arising from the first observation). The
colleagues concerned should agree the session to be observed. Before the observation
they should find time to prepare each other. This could include explaining what the module
is about and how the session concerned fits into the module. It should include providing the
observer with access to relevant learning resources including the module handbook or
equivalent, relevant parts of the reading list and anything specific to the teaching session
being observed. You may wish to identify any particular issues pertaining to that particular
teaching group for example.
4. During the session the observer may wish to use the guidance material provided but this is
not a requirement and if used it remains confidential to the people concerned. You may
wish to use the guidance material as a prompt to your own thoughts but not ‘fill it in’. if you
want any support or further guidance this can be provided by Academic Development.
5. After the session the two colleagues should discuss how it went, what good practice was
observed and what could be developed further.
6. The arrangement may be reciprocal so that the observer in one session becomes the
observee in another.
What should be recorded?
Unless the participants choose otherwise there is no need to record what was discussed. The
benefit is in the process of talking through the session. However as peer observation is an
important part of developing learning and teaching the Faculty should keep a record of the
observation cycle and ensure that all relevant colleagues are involved. Each Faculty should decide
who will maintain the record and who will monitor the observation cycle.
What about part-time staff, Academic Tutors (ATs) and postgraduates doing teaching?
As their teaching affects the student experience and everyone can benefit from discussing their
teaching, this process should apply to everyone who teaches. It excludes ‘guest lecturers’ and
equivalent.
Staff who are part-time should be involved in the process pro rata to their contracted hours, so that
someone who is on one-third time will be observed (and observe) every three years, someone who
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is half time every 2 years and so on. However everyone should be observed at least every three
years (so someone on a one-tenth contract will be observed, and observe, every three years).
They may however opt to be observed (and observe) more frequently.
Postgraduate research students should be observed every year for the first three years as part of
their overall skills development.
Colleagues who are being observed as part of other professional development (eg those new to
the profession and taking the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching) do not need to be
observed in addition to that, provided that that process is at least as frequent as the one described
here.
Attachment: peer observation guidance material
VERSION HISTORY
Version
Occasion of
Change
Original placed in
Academic Quality
Handbook
Annual review of
quality handbook
Change
author
A. Roberts
Date of
modification
March 2012
Modifications made
A Carlton
August 2013
Clarification of acronyms
3.0
Review
S Sutcliffe
4.0
QMSC
S BoothMalone
November
2014
October 2015
Name change for Head of
Academic Development
Learning materials changed to
learning resources
1.0
2.0
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Peer Observation of Teaching – guidance material
It is not a requirement that this form be used. It is however available if those involved find it useful. There
are some general guidance notes at the end of the form.
This form may be used in whole or in part at the discretion of the observer and observee to support peer
observation. If used it may be kept by the observee as a record of the discussion or it may be used to
facilitate discussion and then destroyed. Alternatively it may be used by the observer as a prompt to
thoughts which will inform the discussion afterwards but not be formally filled in. In that case it should be
destroyed after the discussion. It should not be kept by the observer or passed on to anyone else.
If you choose to use the form in full, Part 1 should be completed by the teacher whose session is being
observed before the start of the session. The observer should complete Part 2, and Part 3 should be
completed by the teacher and the observer together following the session.
Part 1
Teacher observed:
Observer:
Faculty & department / subject area / team:
Faculty & department / subject area / team:
Session observed (title, module, programme[s], level):
Session type (lecture, seminar etc.)
Date of session:
Number of students
registered:
Session outline – learning outcomes and/or main aims and activities including a note of the
relevant learning resources:
Specific development requests from teacher to be observed (if any):
Any additional comments from teacher to be observed (if any):
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Part 2
Observer’s comments on (as applicable):
Session organisation and planning:
Session content and relation to learning outcomes:
Teaching methods:
Interactions with students:
Suggestions for development including responses to any specific development requests:
Good practice which the observer intends to adopt him/herself or which merit wider
dissemination – eg across the programme team:
Any other comments:
Part 3
Further thoughts and suggestions resulting from the post-session discussion
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Guidance notes
During the observation
Observers should arrive with the lecturer and choose a position which allows them to watch
unobtrusively. Observers should not participate in the session.
After the observation
Feedback should be framed constructively and be based on specific points which were observed. It
is important to tell the observee what went well, including things which were handled well despite a
difficult situation, and to note their strengths. Suggestions for development or improvement should
be made sensitively; any differences in the interpretation of an aspect of the session should be
explored. Try to give constructive and practical suggestions rather than focussing on ‘what went
wrong’. Try to look at issues which the observee is able to change, for example, where the
physical environment in which the session took place has caused difficulties, discuss ways of
managing these even if the solution is not perfect.
Further help
If you would like help or advice about peer observation or to pick up any issues raised in the
discussion please contact Sarah Graham, the Head of Academic Development in Academic
Services, and any examples of good practice which you think deserves a wider audience. You do
not need to mention (unless you wish to do so) that any issues you raise have arisen from peer
observation.
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