The Ten Observable Dimensions of High Quality Teaching
(Table adapted from the PRO-Teaching Project)
Dimension 1: Learning aims and objectives
Questions to
consider
Does the teacher
clearly convey the
learning aims and
objectives?
Alternative questions:
Does the teacher
clearly define explicit,
realistic and
challenging yet
achievable aims and
learning objectives?
Examples of evidence
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Do the students
appear to
understand the
learning aims and
objectives?
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Lists learning objectives as planned transformations of
student understanding, ability, performance,
achievement.
List is detailed rather than general
List is challenging but achievable within the time and
learning environment
Learning aims include achievable standards and
expectations of excellence
Learning aims and standards are supported by
exemplars of outcomes and assessment requirements
Learning objectives are linked to assessment items,
professional standards, etc.
Learning objectives are contextualized within
curriculum structure for the year, semester, week, etc.
Learning objectives are made clear by using multiple
communication channels (verbal, slideshow, web page,
LMS, etc)
Learning objectives are clarified through formative
assessment activities
Learning objectives are clarified by summarizing the
objectives at the end of the lesson
Learning objectives are NOT a list of topics to be
covered
Understanding leads to engagement with learning
activities in a purposeful way
Understanding in a lecture may be exemplified by
attentiveness, note taking behaviours, problem solving,
pairing-and-sharing, etc.
Understanding in a lesson with an applied focus is
exemplified by being able to be immediately productive
Understanding of learning aims and objectives is
ultimately demonstrated by student progress towards
reaching objectives correctly
Understanding of aims may be demonstrated by
outcomes of or approaching the stated standard of
excellence
Lack of understanding is characterized by apparent
confusion, lack of engagement in a timely or purposeful
way
Lack of understanding is characterized by the number
and nature of questions asked of the teacher
1
Dimension 2: Content and knowledge
Questions to
consider
Does the teacher
demonstrate an
advanced level of
content knowledge?
Examples of evidence
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Alternative question:
Does the teacher
demonstrate advanced
content knowledge to
create clear
explanations and
address student
questions?
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Do students respond
positively to or seek
examples from
teacher’s content
knowledge?
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Teacher is able to explain their cognitive model of
understanding in a structured and connected manner
Teacher is able to relate and explain their knowledge in
a way that assists student understanding
Teacher is able to adapt their strategies and
explanations to suit the context and student needs
Teacher’s explanations are detailed and comprehensive
Teacher is able to form accurate and appropriate
answers to student questions
Teacher is able to demonstrate their knowledge by
putting it into practice (demonstration)
Teacher is able to demonstrate knowledge by using a
range of appropriate metaphors and examples to assist
student understanding
Teacher is able to demonstrate their knowledge by
relating it to other areas of knowledge in the universe
of discourse
Teacher is able to relate implications of knowledge to
effects on community, profession, research, etc.
Teacher is able to demonstrate scholarly approach by
citing appropriate literature
Teacher is constantly unavailable because they are
doing keynote speeches and attending research
seminars
Students ask questions of the teacher in the lesson to
clarify their understanding
Students ask questions of the teacher in breaks and
between sessions
Student understanding is enhanced by the breadth and
depth of teacher’s content knowledge
Student understanding is enhanced by the quality of
the teacher’s explanations
Students refer to the teacher as the primary source of
knowledge before books and other resources
2
Dimension 3: Teaching style and technique
Questions to
consider
Does the teacher use
effective
pedagogical
techniques for the
teaching and
learning activity?
Examples of evidence
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Alternative question:
Does the teacher
demonstrate a
teaching style
supported by
appropriate strategies
for creating interest
and effectively
engaging students in
learning activities?
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Do students respond
positively to or
engage effectively
with pedagogical
techniques
employed?
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Gets students to reflect and analyse their
understanding
Gets student to relate their understanding to their
existing knowledge
Gets students to apply their understanding to new
domains
Uses methods such as questioning, review,
summarization
Uses effective organizational techniques, sequencing,
grouping, repeating, deciding, to order and structure
activities and materials
Uses communicative devices, such as metaphor, storytelling, scenario, to enhance the understanding of new
material
Explanation (effective, clear, comprehensive,
supported)
o Uses slideshow, images, movies, websites, etc
o Uses object of learning
o Uses demonstration
o Refers to scholarly sources
Experiential learning
o Do students participate in learning activities?
o Do students engage with authentic learning
experiences and assessments?
o Do students to experience the object of
learning?
o Do students to experience the process of
learning?
Problem based learning
o Students are shown the process of problem
solving
o Students engage with original information
sources
o Students share approaches and understanding
to solutions with others
Collaborative learning
o Students engage in activities in groups and pairs
o Students engage with peer teaching or peer
tutoring
Provides regular informal formative feedback to
develop correct understanding
Students attend classes
Students prepare for activities
Students attend to information and explanations
Students refer to notes relating to explanations
Students engage in practical activities
Students exhibit extended time on tasks
Students exhibit interest in the learning activities
Students extend activities to experiment with new
knowledge
Students engage with the teaching staff
Students actively engage with collaborative learning
3
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Students actively engage with experiential learning
Students actively engage with problem-based learning
Students respond to formative assessment procedures
to test and develop their understanding
Students ask questions that may be:
o Procedural. e.g. How do I do this?
o Cognitive e.g. Do I understand correctly?
o Meta-cognitive e.g. How do I come to
understand correctly?
4
Dimension 4: Personal characteristics and student learning
Questions to
consider
Does the teacher
demonstrate
personal
characteristics that
engage, stimulate,
encourage, inspire,
etc?
Alternatives questions:
A - Does the teacher
exhibit personal
characteristics that
engage, stimulate,
encourage and inspire
students to learn?
B - Does the teacher
appear to be dynamic,
pragmatic, amicable,
and highly
intellectually
competent?
C - Does the teacher
demonstrate concern
for individual students
and their learning
needs?
D - Does the teacher
exhibit a generosity of
person, benevolence
toward students,
humility in their role,
interest in teaching,
and availability to
students to render
assistance?
Do students respond
to teacher’s
approach by being
engaged, stimulated,
or enthused, etc?
Examples of evidence
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Teacher exhibits respect for students
Teacher exhibits concern for student learning
Teacher exhibits generosity of person by offering
opportunities to assist students with learning difficulties
Teacher displays a benevolent attitude towards
students and accommodates their successes, failures
and learning needs
Teacher demonstrates humility in their role
Teacher shows an interest in their teaching role
Teacher engages enthusiastically and passionately with
teaching
Teacher adopts a collegial role in order to develop a
rapport with students
Acts as a facilitator to assist and guide student learning
Teacher uses charisma to engage students with
learning
Teacher is pragmatic in their approach to teaching
Teacher is dynamic in their teaching practice
Teacher is amicable and friendly towards students
Teacher appears highly intellectually competent
Teacher does not display arrogance by maintaining an
intellectually elevated position
Teacher does not ignore student needs
Teacher does not treat student questions dismissively
or contemptuously
Students are confident to engage with the teacher for
their learning needs
Students develop a friendly rapport with the teacher
Students engage enthusiastically with questions, tasks,
quizzes, etc.
Students seek to please the teacher through their
achievements
Students appear to be interested in the activities and
discoveries of knowledge suggested by the teacher
Students seek to emulate the teacher’s apparent
interest in their topic area
Students trust the teacher to develop activities that will
assist their learning
5
Dimension 5: Formative assessment
Questions to
consider
Does the teacher
implement effective
formative
assessment
techniques or
procedures?
Alternatives questions:
Does the teacher
engage with activities
in class that test
student understanding
and adapt or adopt
teaching strategies to
further develop that
understanding?
Do students appear
to be learning
through formative
assessment
techniques used by
this teacher?
Examples of evidence
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Teacher regularly undertakes to determine student
understanding and to provide information or activities
to reform that understanding as necessary.
o Determines present understanding (assessment)
o Challenges the veracity of incorrect
understanding
o Helps students develop a new understanding
o Tests new understanding (assessment of
development).
Uses regular Q&A in discussions
Administers minute tests
Administers concept tests
Shows and explains clicker/quiz results
Administers verbal multiple choice quizzes
Student responses and apparent understanding move
towards completeness and correctness in formative
assessment exercises.
6
Dimension 6: Deep learning outcomes
Questions to consider
Does the teacher
focus on encouraging
deep learning
outcomes?
Examples of evidence
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Alternative questions:
A - Does the teacher
encourage students to
reflect and share what
they already know about
the topic, discuss how it
relates to other things
that they know, and
hypothesise about its
implications for
particular problems and
cases?
B - Does the teacher
engage students in
activities that provide
authentic learning
experiences, with high
levels of active student
participation, with
learning outcomes that
are relevant, that
involves significant
interaction with the
academic, sustains
student interest, and
allows students to
collaborate to generate
outcomes?
Do students engage
with activities that
promote deep
learning outcomes?
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Teacher encourages student reflection on
understanding
Teacher encourages student reflection upon how they
most effectively learn (meta-cognitive development)
Teacher encourages discussion and sharing to develop
understanding amongst peers
Teacher encourages students to explore the
relationships between new knowledge and related
concepts that have been covered
Teacher encourages students to use new knowledge
to develop hypotheses and arguments about
previously unexplored concepts, problems, cases, etc.
Teacher provides learning experiences that are
authentic to practice in the profession, workplace,
community
Teacher provides learning experiences that are
relevant to assessment, degree completion, other
activities, professional requirements, etc
Teacher provides learning experiences that allow
students to take an active role in learning
Teacher provides learning experiences that allow
significant interaction with academics
Teacher provides learning experiences that allow
significant interaction with peers
Teacher provides learning experiences that allow
significant interaction with industry leaders and
professional experts
Teacher designs activities that maintain student
interest
Students undertake reflective practice to investigate
what and how they know
Students undertake reflective practice to investigate
how they learn most effectively
Students engage in exploring relationships between
concepts, and between concept areas
Students engage in the development of arguments
and ideas for the application of new knowledge to
other domains
Students productively interact with teacher (lecturer,
tutor, clinical facilitator etc)
Students productively collaborate to develop
understanding
Students adopt active learning strategies
Students exhibit a high level of interest in the learning
experience
7
Dimension 7: Curriculum design
Questions to
consider
Does the teacher
demonstrate
effective curriculum
design that is
structured and
coherent?
Alternative questions:
Does the teacher
organize learning
activities and
assessments in a
structured and
coherent manner that
assists students to
achieve the stated
learning objectives?
Do students appear
to perceive
curriculum structure
and use it to develop
understanding?
Examples of evidence
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Teacher shows structured curriculum design at the
course level
Teacher shows curriculum design that complements
other courses in the program of study
Teacher shows structured and coherent approach to
curriculum within the lesson
Teacher has a lesson plan
Teacher sequences activities so that incremental
development towards key or difficult learning objectives
is supported (scaffolding)
Learning activities are designed to meet learning
objectives which are assessed through associated
formative and summative assessment (constructively
aligned)
Students are able to succeed at (proceed through)
incremental steps in the learning process
Students are able to demonstrate understanding gained
through formative assessment or learning task outputs
8
Dimension 8: Learning environment
Questions to
consider
Examples of evidence
Does the teacher
demonstrate
effective use of the
learning
environment?
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Alternative questions:
Does the teacher use
techniques and
strategies that adjust
to any limitations of
the learning
environment?
Does the teacher make
effective use of the
available features of
the environment to
enhance their teaching
and the student
learning experience?
Do students appear
able to make
effective use of the
learning
environment?
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Teacher ensures that environmental factors affecting
student comfort and ability to learn effectively are
appropriately set (temperature, lighting levels, noise
levels, etc.)
Teacher ensures that equipment and features in the
learning environment are used effectively
Teacher designs activities that are appropriate for the
learning environment
Teacher seeks feedback from students about their
perceptions of the learning environment
Teacher adjusts strategies to suit limitations and
affordances of the environment
Students appear to be comfortable in the learning
environment
Students are able to effectively complete the learning
activities within the learning environment
Students are able to take effective advantage from
technologies and environment design to assist learning
Students provide positive feedback to the teacher
about the quality of the learning environment for their
learning needs
9
Dimension 9: Teaching aids and resources
Questions to
consider
Does the teacher
demonstrate
effective use of
teaching aids and
resources?
Alternative questions:
A - Does the teacher
make use of
appropriate teaching
materials and aids?
B - Does the teacher
make appropriate use
of teaching materials
and aids?
C - Does the teacher
use appropriate
teaching materials and
aids and make use of
them in an appropriate
manner that assists
students to reach the
learning objectives?
Do students appear
to engage with
teaching aids and
resources in ways
that enhance
learning?
Examples of evidence
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Teacher makes effective use of tools and properties to
assist presentation and explanation (see dimension 3)
Teacher makes effective use of properties for
demonstration and for experiential learning activities
Teacher uses resources and aids in such a way that
students can actively engage in the learning process
Teacher makes effective use of whiteboard by ensuring
text is large enough and of sufficient contrast to be
read by students at the back of the class
Teacher uses teaching materials and aids in an
appropriate manner for the learning activities in that
learning environment
Teacher uses teaching materials and aids to their full
designed potential to assist student learning
Teachers uses appropriate learning aids and resources
for the learning activities
Students are able to make effective use of teaching
materials and aids
Students are able to engage actively with the teaching
materials and aids
Student interaction with teacher, learning aids and
resources is appropriate for the given learning
objectives
10
Dimension 10: Scholarly approach to learning and teaching
Questions to consider
Does the teacher
reveal a scholarly
approach to teaching
and seek to improve
teaching
performance?
Examples of evidence
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Do students engage in
activities to provide
data for course,
teaching, or
assessment
improvement?
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Teacher reflects upon the quality of the lesson and
teaching in a way that will lead to improvement (postobserved lesson)
Teacher adjusts approach to teaching based on
reflection of previous lesson (pre-observed lesson)
Teacher cites (engages with) literature that informs
teaching practice and curriculum design
Teacher engages in peer observation and evaluation
of teaching in a way that will lead to improvement
Teacher engages in a continuous development pattern
(PIRI) to improve practice
Teacher engages with peers to develop aspects of
teaching other than classroom practice (e.g.
curriculum design, assessment design, evaluation of
learning and teaching practices)
Teacher engages with professional development
activities that enhance knowledge of teaching and
student learning
Students engage in discussions, feedback, surveys,
focus groups in a manner that will assist the teacher
to improve teaching practice and performance
11