Discussion on peer review of teaching Denise Chalmers CADAD and ACODE meeting, March 2015

Peer review of teaching Discuss potential Processes of external peer review of teaching portfolios for promotion using institutional criteria and /or external standards Feasibility of establishing a registry of a College of Peers (Ramsden, 2008; Locke, 2014) comprised of endorsed and trained teaching and learning experts to carry out the reviews. Each of these performance models draws on performance indicators of different types of indicators for different purposes. In Australia, we have understand indicators more at this level than at the institutional level

Peer review of teaching Institutions seeking external reviewers of teaching and learning portfolios have typically struggled to identify suitably experienced, expert reviewers of teaching portfolios for promotion purposes. This becomes even more critical in promotion to senior levels when the emphasis of contribution is on teaching excellence, leadership and scholarship Each of these performance models draws on performance indicators of different types of indicators for different purposes. In Australia, we have understand indicators more at this level than at the institutional level

Previous work on peer review Peer review of teaching has been promoted and supported by AUTC/ALTC/OLT/ grants over the past 15 years. Have drawn on the substantial literature and good practice examples to inform their work. The majority have focused on peer review for teacher development and enhancement within an institution (e.g. Harris et al, 2008; Barnard, et al 2014, Sachs et al 2013). AUTCAS (2014) project, a whole-of-university peer review of teaching model has been implemented at Curtin University.

Previous work on peer review (cont.) 2 projects focussed on peer review for enhancement in online teaching contexts within and across institutions (McKenzie et al, 2011; Woods et al, 2011). Crisp and colleagues (2009) ‘Peer Review of Teaching for Promotion Purposes’ considered both within institution teacher observation and external peer review of documented evidence for evaluative purpose and recommended that “for a summative peer review of teaching program to be successful, peer reviewers must be trained and experienced” (2009, p 5).

Peer review examples Higher Education Academy (HEA) for Fellowship status HERDSA Fellowship TEQSA register of experts Membership of learned academies PRAN assessment project (Booth et al, 2014) Institutional case studies

Peer review of teaching CADAD, ACODE and HERDSA members have expertise in a range of different aspects of teaching and learning - teaching and learning methodologies, strategies, scholarship, elearning, curriculum, leadership, etc Discuss in your groups and note down any issues on: establishing a “College of Peers” to form a network of eternal peer reviewers of teaching who are trained to review against institutional and/or external criteria. Each of these performance models draws on performance indicators of different types of indicators for different purposes. In Australia, we have understand indicators more at this level than at the institutional level

Contact for interest and/or discussion Please email me your notes denise.chalmers@uwa.edu.au

Teaching standards framework project 2 Teaching standards framework project Teaching 1 The institution’s teaching structures ensure quality learning outcomes. 2 The institution’s teaching practices ensure a quality student learning experience. Learning Environment Standards 3 The institution’s services and resources enable quality learning outcomes. 4 The institution’s services and resources enable a quality student learning experience. Curriculum Standards 5 The institution ensures that the curriculum is current, academically robust and rigorous. The institution ensures that curriculum content and assessment practices produce quality learning outcomes. http://www.olt.gov.au/resources Teaching standards framework project (2011) Professor Judyth Sachs, Professor Nick Mansfield, Ms Bronwyn Kosman, Macquarie University Six standards provide the universal goals of all institutions as they relate to quality learning outcomes and the quality of the learning experience under the 3 categories of http://www.olt.gov.au/resource-library

3 http://uniteachingcriteria.edu.au http://uniteachingcriteria.edu.au/What is the Australian University Teaching Criteria and Standards Framework? The framework is intended as a practical, flexible guide to assist a range of higher education institutions and their academic staff to clarify what constitutes quality teaching at university level. The framework is underpinned by carefully researched definitions and principles of quality teaching. These definitions and principles are expressed through seven criteria. For each criterion, the framework provides examples of practice and concludes with clearly stated expectations of levels of performance with suggested sources of evidence academics can use to demonstrate that they meet the expected performance standard. The organising principle of the framework is alignment with academic appointment and promotional levels. The framework offers examples of evidence and suggests indicative standards of achievement for each of the promotional levels A – E. http://uniteachingcriteria.edu.au

4 http://www.utas.edu.au/student-evaluation-review-and-reporting-unit/nprn http://www.utas.edu.au/student-evaluation-review-and-reporting-unit/nprn Momentum is building around the need to implement peer review of assessment to ensure the reliability and comparability of assessment outcomes and standards across higher education institutions in Australia. The Peer Review of Assessment Network project is an Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) supported initiative which will establish a peer review network to provide the framework to meet this need. Peer Review is core to assuring standards From the proposed Higher Education Standards Framework, Standards 1.5.1 and 5.3.3 relate directly to the external benchmarking of assessment and student data for assuring student learning outcomes and achievement standards. Establishment of the Peer Review of Assessment Network The purpose of the Peer Review of Assessment Network is to address these standards and develop a national conversation around the peer review of assessment. The aims of a national Peer Review of Assessment Network are to: Provide fora for sharing and disseminating good practice in external assessment across different contexts Identify key academics experienced in external assessment Provide professional learning opportunities for academics