Peer Evaluation

Peer Evaluation for Teaching

Definition & Purpose of Peer Evaluation Teaching Evaluation Components Example of Observed Metrics Importance of Peer Review of Teaching Role of Departments in Peer Evaluation

Definition of Peer Evaluation of Teaching

Peer evaluation, or review, of teaching entails the evaluation of instructors’ teaching performance by colleagues. For example, a senior Bioinformatics professor can observe a junior instructor's class to evaluate their performance and provide feedback. Hence, peer review makes faculty members responsible for teaching quality.

Purpose of Peer Evaluation

Peer review has numerous objectives that includes assessing teaching quality and providing personalized support. Peer reviews are often designed as formative and summative evaluations.

Formative Evaluations - Formative reviews aim to enhance and sustain teaching quality. These evaluations give observed instructors constructive feedback that enables them to improve their teaching strategies. Formative evaluations are integral to mentoring colleagues, such as graduate assistants and new faculty.

Summative Evaluations - Summative evaluations may inform personnel decisions, such as promotions, contract renewals, and awarding of merit awards.

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Teaching Evaluation Components

Instructor evaluation includes various components that include: peer evaluation, continuous evaluation, and learner ratings.

a) Learner Rating: Learner rating involve asking learners to rate instructor performance through online or offline questionnaires. These surveys encompass questions on curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, and learner engagement. Learner ratings, and ‘student voice’, provide a way to integrate continuous feedback to teaching staff about their performance. Learner feedback helps educators identify strengths and areas for improvement.

b) Continuous Evaluation: Continuous evaluation holds that teaching reviews should be regular rather than a one-off process. Continuous reviews require instructors to constantly reflect on learners and colleagues' feedback. Continuous evaluations also provide a method for reflective practice embedded in the teaching and learning process.

c) Peer Evaluations: Peer evaluations encompass various components and may include class observation and course material review.

• Learning material evaluation - involves assessing course curriculum, teaching and assessment plans, and process guidelines to determine their appropriateness.

• Class observation - entails observing lecturers as they deliver content. Evaluators observe classes in-person or online. Evaluators use their expertise and pre-determined guidelines to collect and evaluate teaching aspects.

Example of Observed Metrics

Assessors may observe instructor-learner interactions, learner engagement, content knowledge, presentation, and class organization. The table highlights these aspects and their related metrics.

Aspect	Metrics
Content knowledge	Mastery of content and ability to provide diverse perspectives.
Class organization	Pace and capability to integrate lessons with course objectives and learning outcomes.
Presentation	Maintaining eye contact, listening actively, and changing voice intonations.
Teacher-learner interactions	Use of learner’s names, warm rapport, encouraging discussion, responses to question, concern for individual learner needs.
Student engagement	Enthusiasm, participation, and student-student engagements.

Importance of Peer Review of Teaching

Peer reviews are important because they improve teaching quality, teamwork, and lecturers' morale and reduce reliance on learner ratings.

Improving teaching standards - Peer reviews enhance teaching standards by providing feedback on lecturers' teaching approaches and ensuring only the best educators are hired or promoted.

Enhancing faculty morale - Peer evaluations also enhance faculty morale by giving educators a voice in the evaluation process.

Fostering teamwork - Peer reviews increase cooperation within departments by allowing instructors to interact.

Decreasing reliance on learner rating - Peer assessments minimize reliance on learner ratings and improve teaching assessment of instructional modality and content knowledge.

Role of Departments in Peer Evaluation

Faculty peers undertake a significant role in peer evaluation. These roles include developing and monitoring peer evaluation and providing requisite resources.

a) Developing Peer Evaluation Plans

Faculty develop peer review plans and communicate them to Faculty. Developing peer evaluation programs entails ensuring the programs are effective and equitable.

b) Monitoring Peer Evaluation Plans

Faculties may monitor the execution of peer review programs. This process entails ensuring educators adhere to agreed schedules. Peer evaluations ensures educational improvements by enabling universities to identify their weaknesses and strengths.

c) Providing Materials

The university teaching and learning specialists provide faculty with materials needed to conduct peer evaluations. These materials include grading rubrics and guidelines.

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