Form includes statements and invites for suggestions:

• Evidence of student learning (attentive, ask questions, answer questions, solve problems)
• Class teaching style and methods: instructor knows the subject, enthusiastic, has high expectations, creates comfortable learning environment,  presents clear and well-organized lectures, communicates clearly, interacts with students, expects students to prepare before class, encourages students’ participation, provides constructive feedback, teaches students how to think, assesses learning throughout the class, adapts teaching to in-class assessment

Importance of emphasizing the constructive nature of the observation

1. Pre-observation conference – with interview guide focused on goal and expectation of class, students, and teaching style

2. Classroom observation

3. Post-observation conference – with interview guide focused on reflections, including areas for improvement

• Knowledge of subject matter (mastery)
• Organization and clarity (structure, teaching strategy and closure)
• Instructor-student interaction – discussion, kind of questions, level of questions, what is done with the questions and responses
• Presentation and enthusiasm
• Student behavior
• Overall

Peer observation of teaching is a requirement for APT.

• Student behavior: listening and taking notes, problem-solving, discussing in group, working in groups, answering questions, asking questions, engaged in class discussion, making a prediction or experiment, presentation by student, quiz/test, or waiting
• Instructor behavior: lecturing, writing, follow up, posting questions, listening, or answering questions, guiding the class, one on one extended discussion with one student, showing a demo experiment or simulation, administration, or waiting

• Lesson organization
• Lesson implementation – including focus on application, 7 areas
• Delivery and Style – 6 areas
• Strengths
• Weaknesses and areas of improvement

1. Pre observation: lesson plan, teaching style, focus of observation instructor response to student evaluations

2. Review of student evals and syllabus

3. Class observation

4. Post observation
a. student focus groups
b. post-observation assessment – instructor reflection (on lesson and teaching style)

5. Evaluation: discussion and improvement plan

• Variety and pacing of instruction
• Organization
• Presentation skills
• Clarity
• Content knowledge
• Rapport
• General
• Comments on teaching methods and instructional strategies
• Summary checklist

Observation tool

Documentation assisted by the observation template

Likert scale on 4 points (very evident, evident mostly, evident during a portion of the class, not evident at all)

• Lesson organization (other items included as opportunities to apply, frequent checks on student performance)
• Content and knowledge
• Relevance
• Presentation
• Instructor-student interaction
• Collaborative learning techniques – focus on group task promoting learning objectives and engagement of non-engaged students
• Lesson implementation – use of questions, probing, adequate pacing, promotion of critical thinking
• Instructional material – what and how
• Student responses – student behavior
• What students learned
• Strengths and weaknesses

2. Peer review of class assignments and assessments: 4 p Likert scales

3. Peer review of examples of student performance: 4 p Likert scale (appears to be overall and includes grade distribution)

4. Peer review of syllabus

Check off if observed or not and provide comments on the following areas:

• Clear communication
• Examples and communication
• Activities for student engagement
• Challenges for students to think critically
• Activities to assess understanding
• Student to student interaction
• Links to previously learned concepts
• Use of visual and handouts
• Requirement of students to be active

Peer observation of teaching is expected by departments and it is part of the promotion process.

• Assesses number of students present
• Overall experience
• Assessment of material on overall level of difficulty and workload
• Assessment review
• Physical conditions of room
• Student respect
• Questions with ratings on strongly agree to strongly disagree, based on the type of class (lecture, pbl, or Socratic/discussion-based)
• Knowledge of the class
• Narrative section for the observer

1. Pre-class meeting – course goals, strategies, and questions to get feedback on

2. Classroom – at least one, but more if it has multiple components observation

3. Post-observation meeting – discussion to enhance teaching effectiveness student engagement, course efficiency, list of questions to guide the discussion (around strengths and weaknesses)

4. Synthesis and documentation both the instructor and the observer can prepare a summary to reflect on the three meetings

• Logistics
• Start and end on time
• Well prepared
• Class was used effectively
• The student experience
• Students were actively engaged in class
• Questions were addressed
• Positive environment
• Tools were used effectively

Peer observation  of teaching is a requirement for promotion/APT.

• Lecture-based
• Introduction – clear objectives stated, assessment of needs, gained attention and motivation
• Body of lecture – clear organization, instructional material, and methods, use of transitions
• Conclusion
• Teacher dynamics – effective communication, engagement, encouraged further learning, well-prepared
• Strengths and recommendations

2. Student end-of-semester course evaluation data

3. Student focus group data at the end of each course

4. Program director observation of teaching

5. Curriculum committee review of data collected (1-4 above)

• Instructor presentation style and effectiveness
• Student perceptions of adequacy of course content/materials in regards to competencies
• Instructor-student interactions
• Student behaviors

2. Program Director uses data to formulate comments about teaching for faculty promotion support letter