Reflecting on the Peer Observation Process

See  Peer Observation for more on the process, including Feedback.

The Peer Observation (PO) Process was both insightful and eye-opening. It encouraged me to be vulnerable with my peers about my strengths and weaknesses, as well as that of my students. 

"I also recognised how important it is to be open and transparent about course context and details surrounding that specific cohort, in order for peers to fully grasp the overall culture of my class."

The Peer observation process also allowed me to critically reflect on the approaches I use for adaptability, particularly in the context of this course, where my peers observed what I termed an "Anomaly Lecture." Since this lecture was a recording, I specifically chose it to show my peers, since it was not one of my usual structured lectures. I wanted their feedback on the adaptability of my method to still apply aspects of the BOPPPS even with a deconstructed lecture of sorts. 

"It was my attempt to show vulnerability as an educator when quick decisions have to be made to alter the original lesson plan, based on student's needs. "

In this lecture, I provided context that it was a follow-up to a previous one where students took extra time on an activity and thus were one lecture behind. After my "temperature check" consultation with the class of three students, I recognised they did not read the material. Since it was an advanced and technical topic, I decided to adapt to the atmosphere of this lecture and take the first hour to cover the material they were required to review. Then the second hour was devoted to a collaborative activity which involved  statistical software applications based on the lecture. I took the time to make this lecture a "clinical  supervision"  in that I myself observed the students and then commented on their approaches. 

"I obtained positive feedback on my adaptability, approach and level of patience with my students, catering to their needs. "

The use of a forum to post the solution to a question they were given in the collaborative space was also highly commended as innovative. I was also happy to receive feedback on improvements to apply to the highly technical components of the lecture to use more technology tools for variety. 

"The challenging side to the process also involved levels of unconscious bias that may occur in the process of being peer assessed."

In some cases, I did not agree with the feedback received and I held the view that my peer observer may have required more clarification on the context of the course, for instance, in cases where students were not modelled a specific example since it was already shown the week before. I decided to show my authenticity in the course, where I was able to still keep the lesson structure even if the BOPPPS was not fully covered in that one lecture. I think flexibility is also key, especially in a course of less than 5 students, who have more individual needs and the pace can therefore be slower to suit. I did note that providing course materials and outlines would improve the process. Overall, this process provided me with constructive criticism but also exposed that collegiality is important regardless of the opinions of others. 

My Post- Peer Observation Reflection Questions 

The Peer Observation Process provided me with some reflective questions about my teaching and student learning. This is food for thought moving forward as I seek to enhance and improve my techniques. I also value the advice of my peers and their constructive comments have been quite helpful. 

For my next course iteration, I will consider:

• What methods work in my classes?

• What am I  would like to change/add  to my synchronous classes?

• What am I going to do differently in  my classes and /or Learning Management System next semester?

This is a continuous process and I am enthusiastic to improve my techniques and network with my colleagues as both friends and critical friends to provide a new lens for my approach.