How peer observation of teaching partners are selected:

There is a variety of ways of selecting partnerships for peer observation of teaching. In some institutions this may be decided for you. Where this is not the case, it is worth giving the following some thought and opting for the permutations that best suits you and your developmental goals. Possibilities include:

• Free choice of reciprocal observation colleague(s) - this can involve a partnership or a triad of peers;
• Self-forming observation groups of 5-6 people who observe each other;
• Relationships around existing team teaching arrangements;
• Allocated observation partnerships;
• Designated observers with whom others can sign up (this may or may not be a reciprocal arrangement);
• Advisors from your staff development unit, or external consultants;
• Buddy systems - one-way review from mentor

NB. The last three do not really qualify as peers, but can still be valuable sources of developmental feedback.

Experience shows that a partnership system, where colleagues take it in turn to observe and be observed, tends to reinforce personal development more than a system which uses designated observers, as this latter may be perceived as judgmental.