Peer Review of Learning and Teaching
A guide for participants
Introduction and Philosophy
The Peer Review of Learning and
Teaching (PRLT) is a familiar aspect
of good practice in higher education.
In the case of multi-discipline,
research-led universities such as
Cardiff, there is a need for policy to
embrace a diversity of activities, to
recognise existing practice and also
foster the good health of teaching.
PRLT is a pan-University activity for
all staff whose role directly impacts on
the student learning experience. It is
an opportunity for staff to take part in
an annual, scholarly, peer-assisted
reflection on the breadth of their
teaching/learning support practice.
PRLT differs fundamentally from the
narrow, judgemental exercise
associated with the QAA in being both
a matter of professional development
and by its commitment to the
enhancement of the student
experience. It also differs by not being
restricted to classroom observation.
The central tenets of PRLT are
reflection, development and
enhancement. It is envisaged that,
through peer-assisted reflective
practice, participants will develop
within their roles and accumulate the
evidence required to support
enhancement and other activities.
PRLT is aligned with initiatives that
support existing and anticipated
requirements for the Continuing
Professional Development (CPD) of
teachers/learning support staff in
Higher Education.
The new policy for Cardiff is flexible
and light touch in approach, but also
specific in its requirements for both
Schools and individual staff. The
former must provide confirmation to
the University that the policy is in
operation. The latter must inform
their School of the date and nature of
their PRLT activity. Fuller details are
given below in the Frequently Asked
Questions opposite.
Approached in this open, positive
manner, PRLT has been shown to
bring benefits to both teachers and
students, to support the learning
process and to encourage the
development of new models of
assessment and teaching. The new
policy is aimed at these ideals.
Appendix 1 defines the key words:
Peers, Reflective Practice, Review,
Scholarship of learning and teaching
and Teaching as used in the context
of the Policy Framework.
The Policy Framework and support
resources are available at:
Professor Nigel Palastanga
PVC Learning and Teaching
Cardiff University
February 2006
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Cardiff University adopted
this approach to PRLT?
development are valued across the
Institution.
The external context.
Consultation process:
Learning and Teaching within higher
education institutions (HEIs) is
receiving intensive scrutiny both
nationally and internationally. Two
related issues are emerging: a major
policy shift towards improving student
learning and increasing emphasis
being placed upon institutions’
provision of continuing professional
development (CPD) opportunities for
all staff involved in the student
learning experience.
The Cardiff approach to PRLT draws
extensively on staff and student
responses to an Institution-wide
consultation process, and is informed
by current literature and practice
across other, comparable HEIs.
The White Paper ‘The Future of
Higher Education’ (2003) proposed
that a national standards framework
be developed for all who teach and
support learning in HEIs as a means
of demonstrating the professionalism
that staff bring to support the student
learning experience. In addition, very
many staff within Cardiff University
have externally imposed requirements
to demonstrate personal, ongoing
professional development.
The internal context:
Cardiff University is structured around
distinct communities of practice
(Schools/Directorates). Each has its
own priorities, language and culture
with respect to learning and teaching.
Personal reflective and peer-assisted
reflective practices to inform personal
The consultation process identified a
need for the development of a
flexible, enabling policy framework for
PRLT that transferred responsibility
for specific design and
implementation to local sites.
Specifically the consultation process
suggested that the Policy Framework
should:
 be simple,
 embrace the whole teaching role,
 be empowering and inclusive,
 promote fair access to
development resources for all staff.
How does PRLT work in practice?
The University’s approach to PRLT
offers participants the opportunity to
pause and reflect on their
teaching/learning support practice.
PRLT is intended to promote dialogue
focussed on professionalism in
teaching (as underpinned by the
value statements in Box 1) across the
breath of teaching/learning support
roles, and is based upon peerassisted, scholarly reflective practice.
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Box 1:
In accordance with the University
Mission, the PRLT process is
underpinned by the following values.
 An understanding of how people learn
 A concern for student development
 A commitment to scholarship,
professionalism and ethical practice
 A commitment to working with and
learning from colleagues
 Working effectively with diversity and
promoting inclusively
 A commitment to continuing reflection on
professional practice.
The Institution recommends the
following as the minimum expected
frequency of participation in a formal
PRLT cycle:
 All Cardiff University staff whose
activities directly impact on the
student learning experience will be
involved in the PRLT cycle.
 All staff with significant learning
and teaching duties will complete
an identifiable PRLT cycle once
per academic year.
 Staff whose main employer is not
the University, but who have some
teaching related responsibilities,
should take part in a PRLT cycle at
least biennially, as agreed across
the School/Directorate.
What are the key components?
There are a variety of models of
PRLT across the UK and within the
University. The web-based resources
to support the Policy Framework
[http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/11681] offer
a range of examples and links to
relevant resources that outline
successful, rigorous and embedded
models. While PRLT acknowledges
the wealth of existing approaches
within Cardiff University, it is
important that base-line standards are
achieved. As such, all approaches
should demonstrate the following
features:
 Confidentially resting with
participants.
 An initial peer discussion to set the
context, purpose and scope of
PRLT.
 Peer-assisted reflective practice
that is informed by evidence
collected by the peer partners. The
PRLT dialogue should not be
based upon subjective opinions.
 Peer-assisted reflective practice
that is supported by related
discipline-specific or generic
literature and evidence collected
during the review cycle.
 A non-judgemental dialogue where
staff feel safe to reflect on their
established practice and
underpinning values.
 Confidential reflections exploring
the benefits of engaging with
PRLT, the selected theme and
possible implications for personal
practice.
 A system for staff to disseminate
examples of practice or seek
advice for specific development.
 A system that closes the loop and
helps staff see the benefits of the
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PRLT activity and dissemination
e.g. through Appraisal.
Are there specific things we should
be ‘Reviewing’?
No. PRLT encourages
Schools/Directorates and participants
to look broadly at the
teaching/learning support role. In
Figure 1, the umbrella fabric
represents the student/staff learning
experience and the spokes the
elements that make-up that practice.
Figure 1: A holistic approach to PRLT.
 Fieldwork learning
 Module review
 Teaching/learning material
development
 Assessment review
 Feedback on course work
 Face-to face teaching sessions
 Clinical teaching
 On-line discussions
How does PRLT link with my
existing practice?
PRLT should be viewed as a positive
opportunity to ‘take-time out’ and
reflect on and evidence
professionalism in teaching/learning
support and not as an activity ‘boltedonto’ daily practice. PRLT does not
detract from the many informal
opportunities for dialogue with which
staff currently engage.
How do I facilitate the reflective
practice of others?
While Schools/Directorates will have
their specific contexts of practice, the
following examples are provided to
suggest the potential breadth of PRLT
foci.
 Engagement with the Assessment
Strategy/Learning and Teaching
Strategy
 Implementation of a more
accessible curriculum
 Engagement with Personal
Development Planning (PDP)
 Meetings with tutees/clients
 Post-graduate supervision
 Curriculum development
Reflective practice is often viewed as
a cyclical, spiral process (see Figure
2 and web-based links) where
individuals use evidence from multiple
sources to review a practice so that
they more forward with a confirmed
and/or reframed approach. While
web-based proforma are available as
triggers for discussion, participants
should negotiate the form and scope
of their data collection to suit their
specific needs. There is no intention
for PRLT to be judgmental or cloning
in nature. In this context the term
‘review’ simply means: an opportunity
to look at again.
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Figure 2: A model of Reflective
Practice.
Professional
Practice
Act
Plan
Act
What will be done with the
information/paperwork individual
staff generate? Is there a hidden
agenda?
Observe
Reflect
Plan
No. PRLT is a staff-orientated
process for the mutual benefit of staff,
students and the Institution. PRLT
aims to ensure safe teaching/learning
support practice and to promote
excellence in learning and teaching.
Observe
Reflect
Staff are encouraged to utilise the eportfolio tool within the Blackboard
Content System to build evidence of
their attainments and reflections.
Further information about this can be
obtained from the Information
Services Learning and Teaching
team.
What happens if uncover
potentially discriminatory
practice?
Staff are advised to follow the
relevant University guidance when
concerned that the PRLT process
may be uncovering practises that are
contrary to legislation or their Duty of
Care to prevent foreseeable harm to
colleagues and students.
It is important that staff overtly
discuss issues of confidentiality
with their peer partner/group
before undertaking any formal
review activity.
Schools/Directorates require evidence
(in the form of a frequency/topic
record) that PRLT has been
completed, but the records of the
specific dialogue remain confidential
to the peer pair/group. Staff will be
asked to consider how PRLT (in their
role as both reviewer and the
reviewed member of staff) has
influenced their learning and teaching
practice during the Annual Appraisal
process, but will not be asked to
produce specific records or
transcripts.
Participants may choose to include
sections of PRLT records or
transcripts within the teaching
portfolio they offer for
promotion/regrading purposes. These
submissions will be viewed by HoS
and School Promotion Panels, or
similar.
Will there be support to help staff
get going?
Many of the attributes and skills to
undertake and facilitate PRLT are
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inherent in any teaching/learning
support role. It is acknowledged
however, that participants may value
specific support in key areas such as:
 undertaking reflective practice,
 facilitating scholarly, reflective
practice in others,
 topics arising from consideration
of the Underpinning Values,
 issues surrounding confidentially,
 issues related to responsibilities
under Duty of Care and
associated legislation and
regulation etc.
While the Human Resources
Directorate and Registry will meet
generic and local development needs,
staff within Schools/Directorates may
wish to explore existing or new
processes to support staff in-house.
The web-based resources to support
the Policy Framework
[http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/11681] offer
a range of examples of PRLT in
practice and links to relevant
resources.
How will Schools/Directorates help
us participate in PRLT?
Schools/Directorates will need to
ensure that they are able to meet the
minimum expectations set out in the
Policy Framework. Good practice
may include:
 Choosing an annual theme for
whole School/Directorate
review.
 Adopting a PRLT format to meet
their needs (e.g. peer pairs,
triads, small groups).
 Discussing the options for local
peer pairing or small group
formation. Issues may include
the benefits and/or perceived
barriers to pairings across staff
seniority levels, within or across
disciplines etc.
 Discussing the perceived
conflicts between a formative,
mutually beneficial reflective
process and the need for
confidentiality in instances of
perceived risk to staff or
students.
 Discussing the staff
development needed to help
implement PRLT effectively.
Participants will want to have
confidence in the value of the
process and the ability of their
peer partner to do a good job.
 Schools/Directorates may wish
to explore inter-disciplinary
partnerships.
Schools / Directorates have a
responsibility to ensure fair access to
development and enhancement
resources for all staff.
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Where can I get more information?
For information about general
courses/programmes of support:
For information about Blackboard training and
e-portfolio opportunities:
For ideas/options for implementing PRLT to
suit your local context :
For help with developing and implementing a
local PRLT process:
For information about potential legal liabilities
with respect to the PRLT process:
HUMRS: Training and Development
www.cardiff.ac.uk/training
INSRV: Learning and Teaching Team
Email: blackboard@cardiff.ac.uk
REGIS: Learning and Teaching Support
www.cardiff.ac.uk/11681
REGIS: Learning and Teaching Support
www.cardiff.ac.uk/11681
Corporate Compliance Unit
www.cardiff.ac.uk/3807
Appendix 1 - Glossary:
Peers are colleagues normally, but not exclusively, operating within the same or a
similar community of practice. Peers are mutually supportive and will help each
other engage actively in a scholarly, reflective process.
Reflective practice is a means by which practitioners can develop a greater selfawareness about the nature and impact of their performance, an awareness that
creates opportunities for professional growth and development (Osterman and
Kottkamp, 1993). Maximum benefits from reflection are said to occur when the
process happens in community, in interaction with others; when participants value
the personal and intellectual growth of themselves and others; and when
participants have time to engage in slow, non-assumptive thinking (Rodgers,
2002).
Review refers to the opportunity to reflect and visit again any aspect of the
teaching: student-learning interface. The integration of multiple sources of
evidence will provide detailed, descriptive, evidence-based data for peer-assisted
reflection on practice.
Scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL) is characterised by: deep knowledge
of the subject or discipline being taught; pedagogical knowledge specific to the
discipline as well as general pedagogical knowledge; reflectivity; sharing and peer
review (Kreber, 2005). Scholarship in research is recognised as a public activity
valued through peer reviewed journals. Similarly teaching can be recognised as a
scholarly, public activity with peer review and student evaluations an automatic
part of CPD (Maier, 2003).
Teaching encompasses the whole breadth of the teaching/learning support role.
This is a deliberate departure from a narrow scrutiny of teaching ‘performance’.
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