Staff and Departmental Development Unit Peer Observation of Teaching Dr Clara Davies, SDDU Annual Pro-Deans and Directors of Student Education Event 7 th October 2011

Staff and Departmental Development Unit Outline: Consideration of University policy Reflection on School practices What do we want now? Peer Review Working Group

Staff and Departmental Development Unit Current University policy on Peer Review of Teaching is: "... each School/Faculty should be required to have in place a procedure for the assurance and enhancement of the quality of all teaching including that delivered by postgraduate students, technical staff, clinical staff and external lecturers who have a substantial role in the teaching of either undergraduate or taught postgraduate students. The procedure must involve the direct observation of teaching for staff with a substantial teaching load but may also rely upon indirect evidence of teaching quality such as that obtained through student feedback and other mechanisms Schools identify as appropriate." LTB Approved 02/11/04 Implementation from start of 05/06

Staff and Departmental Development Unit Current University policy on Peer Review of Teaching is: "... each School/Faculty should be required to have in place a procedure for the assurance and enhancement of the quality of all teaching including that delivered by postgraduate students, technical staff, clinical staff and external lecturers who have a substantial role in the teaching of either undergraduate or taught postgraduate students. The procedure must involve the direct observation of teaching for staff with a substantial teaching load but may also rely upon indirect evidence of teaching quality such as that obtained through student feedback and other mechanisms Schools identify as appropriate."

Staff and Departmental Development Unit Current University policy on Peer Review of Teaching is: "... each School/Faculty should be required to have in place a procedure for the assurance and enhancement of the quality of all teaching including that delivered by postgraduate students, technical staff, clinical staff and external lecturers who have a substantial role in the teaching of either undergraduate or taught postgraduate students. The procedure must involve the direct observation of teaching 1 for staff with a substantial teaching load but may also rely upon indirect evidence of teaching quality such as that obtained through student feedback and other mechanisms Schools identify as appropriate." 1.The definition of teaching in this context is broad: it includes all types of class (lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical classes, clinical etc.) and encompasses the teacher’s performance in and management of the session. The amount of teaching will be defined by the School and considered during the Periodic Review process.

Staff and Department Development Unit Inclusion PGRs/TAs only All with > 10 hours contact time Needs-based Reporting Report to DLT Confidential Record that occurred Encouraged to identify / share good practice Frequency Within first 2- 4 weeks Annually Every 2 years Every 3 years Selection Free to choose Allocated Only observed by qualified / experienced staff One person observes all Feedback Grade Specific aspects / criteria Broad checklist Strengths / development areas only Observee’s agenda And how? - Examples of school-based peer review schemes ~ 20% of schools have no active peer review scheme: High SSRs, workload …

Staff and Departmental Development Unit Current thinking in the HE Sector: QE rather than QA Mutual benefits, reflective and developmental A process rather than an event Community of practice Shift in focus to student learning Cross-subject groupings Sustainability – themes or changes in focus linked to strategic initiatives / requirements protected time to discuss teaching - workload model?

Staff and Department Development Unit What do we want peer review for and to achieve? Audit trail for quality management? Development of individuals/teams/schools for quality enhancement? Focus on enhancing the student learning experience? One University - is there scope for University-wide scheme? If so what could it look like? QA vs QE? How practicable is it? How sustainable? Cycle of strategic themes e.g. VLE, Assessment, R-T links? What do we want now?

Staff and Department Development Unit Terms of Reference To receive and consider information on a range of good practice examples for peer review from across the University and external HEIs To develop a set of principles and values to underpin a revised University of Leeds peer review scheme To propose an institutional framework for peer review of teaching and to draft policy documentation To make recommendation to TSEB To propose ways to support schools in the development of their peer review schemes To propose an institutional process for monitoring the operation of peer review processes, their effectiveness and impact on teaching quality Peer Review Working Group

Staff and Department Development Unit Peer Review Working Group Sept / OctTSEBWorking Group set up 16/11/2011TSEBProgress Reports as appropriate 18/01/2012 or 29/02/2012 TSEB Recommendation for Institutional Framework for Peer Review MarchFLTCs Review of Institutional Framework for Peer Review 25/04/2012TSEB Development of Institutional Framework for Peer Review May / JuneFLTCs Faculty implementation plans 13/06/2012TSEB Final approval of Institutional Framework for Peer Review Start of 2012/13 session Target date for implementation across the University DSE or HoS Representation from each of the 9 Faculties