Learning Activity Observation
Instructions for Faculty Member Being Observed:
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Think about what you want to demonstrate during the observation. Given your course design and
methods, where and when can you best be observed?
Think about what you want to gain from the observation. What kind of feedback would be helpful
to you?
Give the observers information and preparatory material, including specific learning goals, that
will help them understand what the teaching activity is intended to accomplish.
Instructions for Observers:
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Talk to the faculty member who you are going to observe in order to coordinate your observation
and gather relevant information or materials.
After reading the materials the faculty member has provided, identify what you’ll be looking for
and how you’ll recognize it when you see it.
During the observation, consider the following evaluation criteria:
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Clarity and organization of the learning activity
Kind and level of student and faculty engagement
Kind and level of intellectual challenge
Opportunities for discussion and questions
Evidence of student learning (knowledge and/or skills)
Connection to the college-wide and/or program learning goals for this course
Positive and respectful learning environment emphasizing inclusive pedagogy
Integration of high-impact practices and learning designs*
Other aspects of the activity that contribute to student learning and engagement
Remember that the purpose of this observation is to document and evaluate a specific learning activity,
not to assess or comment on the faculty member’s overall profile as an educational professional.
*High-impact practices and learning designs include, but are not limited to, first-year seminars and
experiences, common intellectual experiences, learning communities, writing-intensive courses,
collaborative assignments, undergraduate research, diversity and global learning, service and communitybased learning, capstone courses and projects, interdisciplinary approaches, integration of professional
education and liberal arts, development and use of online learning and participatory media, etc.
rev. 10/25/13
Learning Activity Observation Form
Instructor Name:
Course Name/No./Section/Semester/Year:
Date/Time/Place of Observation:
Length of Observation:
Name of the Observer:
Description of Learning Activity (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How):
Strengths and Benefits of Learning Activity:
Suggestions for Improvement:
Other Insights or Questions: