Teaching Academy
CVM Peer Observation of Teaching Initiative
Opening a process to enhance both teaching and curriculum development within the CVM, encouraging innovation, and leading to more effective assessment of teaching progress
Background:
A primary goal of the WSU CVM Teaching Academy initiative for Peer Observation of Teaching is to develop a culture of teaching improvement within our college. This culture would welcome peer observations and interactions, individualize faculty development of instruction, support educational innovations, and generate community-wide conversations about best teaching practices.
The evaluation of teaching in the WSU CVM is currently limited. These processes:
- Do not provide sufficient formative input to improve an individual’s teaching effectiveness
- Do not support experimentation and innovation (risk taking)
- Do not stimulate sharing of teaching experiences or otherwise create a comfortable environment for exploring new teaching practices
- Do not provide complete and balanced summative feedback, as is needed for annual review and promotion portfolios
Overview:
After an initial phase of recruitment, a spectrum of current faculty, tenured and non-tenured, are being trained to observe, discuss and actively reflect with CVM instructional faculty. This will provide constructive interactions with a group of at least three trained faculty following observations of the individuals’ teaching activities (including lectures, laboratories and clinical instruction). The interactive process follows transparent guidelines. Interactions will be designed to offer relevant and insightful opportunities for reflection by the instructor, and to provide an alternative source of formative and summative evaluations to department chairs and promotion committees.
WSU peer instructional coaching committee timeline of events:
Interested in having your course or clinic teaching observed? Please fill out this form.
Peer Observation Documents
| Guidelines for Effective Peer Observation & Review of Teaching - Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine |
| Building A Supportive Climate: |
| Interaction With Learners: This guide outlines a structure for the notes you make while observing faculty members interacting with learners and the comprehensive feedback session regarding that interaction. The guidelines pertain to lecturing, small group or laboratory facilitation, coaching, clinic teaching, etc. There is no expectation that all numbered items will be discussed for every observation. Rather, these items are representative of what might be addressed under each main and sub-heading. |
| Committee Step-By-Step Process |
