Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education
Date of this Version
2009
Citation
Essays on Teaching Excellence:Toward the Best in the Academy (2008-2009) 20(7)
A publication of the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education
Abstract
Peer review of teaching: A hastily arranged visit to the classroom of a faculty member in desperate need of quick testimony on teaching effectiveness, resulting in a bland letter stating that the class is interesting and students seem engaged.
Given this prevailing practice in peer review of teaching, no wonder most faculty members fail to see its inherent usefulness. To many, this limited view and practice have rendered it a necessary evil, only to be used under duress. This essay seeks to expand both definition and practice. Let’s begin with another definition:
Peer review of teaching: Collegial efforts to understand and describe teaching performance for the purposes of making improvements and/or fair decisions.
Who’s against “improvement”? What’s not to like about “fair”? Viewed in this light, peer review presents more attractive possibilities.
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Higher Education and Teaching Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons
Comments
Copyright 2009, Nancy Van Note Chism. Used by permission