Development of a Peer Teaching-Assessment Program and a Peer Observation and Evaluation Tool

Self Cite

Objective. To assess a previously described peer observation and evaluation program 2 years after implementation.Methods. An pre-implementation survey assessed faculty needs and attitudes related to peer evaluation. Two years after implementation, the survey was repeated and additional questions asked regarding adherence to peer observation and evaluation policies and procedures, feedback received, and impact on teaching. Results. Faculty attitudes towards peer evaluation stayed the same or improved post-implementation. Adherence to the initial 3 steps of the process was high (100%, 100%, and 94%, respectively); however, step 4, which required a final discussion after student assessments were finished, was completed by only 47% of the respondents. All faculty members reported receiving a balance of positive and constructive feedback; 78% agreed that peer observation and evaluation gave them concrete suggestions for improving their teaching; and 89% felt that the benefits of peer observation and evaluation outweighed the effort of participating. Conclusions. Faculty members adhered to the policies and procedures of peer observation and evaluation and found peer feedback was beneficial.Keywords: peer assessment, peer evaluation, assessment INTRODUCTIONTeaching effectiveness is assessed in many ways in colleges and schools of pharmacy. Use of student evaluations of teaching is common, but limitations surrounding the breadth and depth of student evaluations and their ability to capture and comment on the total teaching experience exist. 1-4 Faculty peer evaluations offer another method to obtain constructive feedback about the quality of teaching and can be used in conjunction with student evaluations for the purposes of improving teaching methods, as well as for merit, promotion, and tenure decisions. 4 The 2007 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Accreditation Standards and Guidelines state that faculty members who teach should be evaluated annually and that assessment procedures should include self-assessment and ". . .appropriate input from peers, supervisors, and students. The use of self-assessment and improvement tools, such as portfolios, by faculty and staff members is encouraged." 5 The success of any peer observation and evaluation program relies heavily on having a clear and evidence-based program, as well as support and leadership from administration, but the heart of any peer observation and evaluation program's success lies with faculty engagement in and reflection on the process. 6 Improving and assessing the teaching-learning process is an essential mission of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and the School of Pharmacy at Northeastern University. A formal peer observation and evaluation program for classroom teaching was developed and implemented by this department in January 2008, and the development of its process and the peer observation and evaluation tool (POET) have been previously published. 7 Two years after implementing the peer observation and evaluation process, the program wa...

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The content and process of the program and the content of the POET are described in more detail in a previous publication. 7 All faculty members hired prior to 2008 were required to undergo peer evaluation of 1 lecture annually. All faculty members who received training were also asked to serve as peer observers.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Follow-up Assessment of a Faculty Peer Observation and Evaluation Program

DiVall

Barr

Gonyeau

et al. 2012

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“…35 Several colleges and schools of pharmacy include faculty member peer reviews of classroom teaching. [38][39][40] used in conjunction with student teaching evaluations, peer reviews often serve as another summative measure for promotion and tenure decision-making. Turpen et al indicated in preliminary findings that even when institutions used both student teaching evaluations and peer reviews, they tended to rely on student teaching evaluations only for faculty performance evaluations.…”

Section: Formative Assessment Of Faculty Teachingmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Faculty Toolkit for Formative Assessment in Pharmacy Education

DiVall

Alston

Bird

et al. 2014

Self Cite

This paper aims to increase understanding and appreciation of formative assessment and its role in improving student outcomes and the instructional process, while educating faculty on formative techniques readily adaptable to various educational settings. Included are a definition of formative assessment and the distinction between formative and summative assessment. Various formative assessment strategies to evaluate student learning in classroom, laboratory, experiential, and interprofessional education settings are discussed. The role of reflective writing and portfolios, as well as the role of technology in formative assessment, are described. The paper also offers advice for formative assessment of faculty teaching. In conclusion, the authors emphasize the importance of creating a culture of assessment that embraces the concept of 360-degree assessment in both the development of a student's ability to demonstrate achievement of educational outcomes and a faculty member's ability to become an effective educator.

“…9 Many models have emerged for peer review of teaching. 2,3,5,6,7,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20 The following variations are all described in the literature: classroom observation alone (may be a single visit or multiple visits), or a more comprehensive review of materials including student work, assessment, and syllabi; feedback tools may include simple checklists, rating scales, written feedback, and/or verbal feedback; reviewers may or may not receive specialized training; reviewers may consist of a small group of individuals chosen for the task or pairs that agree or are selected to conduct reciprocal reviews; and pre-and/or post-observation meetings may be included. Given this variation, it is not clear that benefits attributed to peer review are generalizable in all contexts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact and Attitudes about Peer Review of Teaching in a Canadian Pharmacy School

Richard

Lillie

Mathias

et al. 2019

Objective. To evaluate attitudes toward peer review of teaching and its impact on teaching practices and perceptions.Methods. The University of Waterloo School of Pharmacy implemented a peer review of teaching program in 2015. Reviewees were invited to complete an electronic survey that captured attitudes toward teaching, attitudes toward peer review, and changes in teaching practices, and to participate in semistructured interviews for more in-depth probing.Results. A total of 26 (76%) instructors completed the survey. Instructors agreed that peer reviews of teaching are a development opportunity (96%), and 73% were comfortable with the idea of peer review.Over half (58%) indicated that the review made them feel more confident that their teaching strategies were effective, and the same percentage indicated that they planned to make changes to their teaching as a result. Few instructors indicated that peer review changed their attitudes toward teaching (12%) or increased the value they placed on teaching (34%). attempts to make the reviewee comfortable were perceived to be successful; feedback on teaching was positive but not critical enough; lack of clarity around the purpose of the feedback; and only minor changes to teaching approach were planned from the review.Conclusions. Peer review of teaching was well-received and feedback was confirmatory in nature but had minimal impact on teaching practices as it was not deemed to be critical enough. Changes to the existing program will aim to increase its impact on teaching practices.