What is Peer Observation of Teaching?

Peer observation of teaching for development purposes is:

• A collaborative and reciprocal process whereby one peer observes another's teaching (actual or virtual) and provides supportive and constructive feedback. Its underlying rationale is to encourage (continued) professional development in teaching and learning through critical reflection, by both observer and 'observee'. It may also include 'observation' and feedback of 'non-classroom aspects a staff member's approaches to teaching and learning', including module or course design and documentation, teaching resources, appropriateness of assessment etc. (See A Guide to Peer Review of Teaching (University of Tasmania), page 5)

Peer observation of teaching for development purposes is NOT:

• The same as teaching observation, and should not involve an unequal power balance (i.e. it should not involve your line manager or your supervisor observing you teach);
• A judgmental process, primarily carried out for quality assessment or evaluative reasons.

Developmental and evaluative observation of teaching may sometimes happen simultaneously, but we believe that as soon as the focus turns to assessment of quality, it is too easy to lose the developmental aspect of the activity. We therefore recommend that the two processes be kept separate.