Peer Observation – Doing it Online
Shirley Bennett & Jacqui Basquill
Why online?
Why online?
Why are you here? – why are
you interested in online peer
observation?
Why move peer
observation
online?…
“the majority of tutors new to online teaching do not have that
background of online learning experience upon which to draw in the
same
way
as trainee
teachers
starting
in classroom
teaching…can
“The
online
learning
environment
is out
significantly
less familiar
than
draw
their personal classroom learning experiences which will
theupon
classroom”
date back from their early years at school.”
http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2007/03/15/knFUZZ_wideweb__470x287,0.jpg
Tonkin and
Baker,
2003
Bennett
& Marsh,
2002
Towards doing
it
(successfully)
How?
online …
Stage 1 : Preparation for Observation
Within effective Peer-to-Peer observation, preparation is vital - to help clarify the learning goals for the process & to ensure the
observer has key information to understand what they observe.
DO THIS NOW! 
1. Think about the following questions:
What aspects of student ONLINE learning would be most interesting for you to explore
or investigate?
Is there an aspect of your ONLINE teaching / support / assessment practice which you
would like to change or develop?
What are your goals in your ONLINE teaching / support work? Are they being
achieved?
The questions are taken from Gosling and O’Connor 2006 and slightly adapted.
2. Select 1-2 issues which you would like to explore through Online Peer
Observation.
2
7
10
6
4 of 5
4-7
OL & BL
Varied
The POOL ‘agenda’ - Choice of Focus area
Site Structure / Materials Presentation
Materials, Instructions
+ Broader ‘design’
Content of online materials - level and clarity
Overall Course Design
Management of the Online Activity
Tutor online activity
Tutor input into / contribution within
student online discussion
- Quantity
- Quality
Amount of student participation
Student engagement
in online activity
Quality of student interaction
Depth of student discussion
Focus & Context
Who will observe and be observed?
Practitioner:
Department/School:
Observer:
Department/School:
Observation Agenda:
Issues selected as observation focus:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What will the observer need to know about the
context they will observe?
Course / Module – e.g. Title, Level and any other key information
Topic of the session/element of the course to be observed And where does this fit into
the overall learning / teaching process on the module?
Teaching aims / focus:
The group: Size/nature of the group; are there any particular factors which the observer
should be aware of?
Material: What handbooks and/or learning/teaching material will you provide for the
observer?
If the observation is to take place online, which elements of the NILE site (or other
tool) will the observer need to look at? e.g. a particular forum? part of the wiki? eTivity
instructions?
Issues ofWhat?
Perspectives 1
Understanding what your peers are
aiming to DO online
In your use of the VLE …
What do you do?
What do you hope?
What do you believe?
Each take a pack of cards
Sort your cards into 3
columns
- True for Me
- Unsure
- Not True for Me
Pick your TOP 5 cards!
Explain your decisions.
Pratt 1998, 2001
Transmission
Apprenticeship
Nurturing
Developmental
Kember 1997
Transmitting
Structured Knowledge
T-S Interaction
Facilitating
Understanding
Conceptual Change
Gonzalez 2009
‘The web for
individual access to
learning resources’
The web for
learning-related
communication
The web as a
medium for
networked learning
Growth of student
understanding &
confidence
Student autonomy
& development of
new ways of
thinking
Goal in teaching
Student grasp of
curriculum content
Student adoption
of appropriate skills
& behaviour
Use of the Internet
‘Supply channel’,
access to learning
resources
Activities,
simulations for
applying theory to
practice
Support & sharing
experiences
through online
discussion
Space for student
collaborative
building own
knowledge
Role of the Teacher
online
Provide
information,
learning resources,
web links
Guide & help
students in working
through structured
activities
Design & facilitate
supportive online
discussion
Design, support
open student-led
activities to build
understanding
Access & use the
information &
resources provided
Follow guidance &
examples to apply
learning to example
situations &
contexts
Contribute
regularly & actively
to the course
online discussions
Actively collaborate
with others on selfdriven projects &
assignments
Role of the Student
Online
Issues ofWhat?
Perspectives 2
What TYPE of peer observation
suits your needs?
http://129.79.22.9/linear/tandem/kevin_kelly_tandem.jpg
http://www.sstddataweb.clrc.ac.uk/Activities/Gallery/rfq.accelerator.jpg
The primary purpose is that teachers, one acting as
observer and one being observed, engage in mutual
reflection on a teaching session in order that both can
learn from it in order to inform future practice.
(McMahon, 2007: 502)
Models of Peer Observation – Coherence between aim & process
Bennett, 2013
Original model Gosling 2002
Evaluation model
Model of Peer
Observation
Development model
Gosling 2002
Gosling 2002
Performance model
Alignment between purpose and process, Gosling 2002
Purpose or Aim of
observation?
Quality Assurance; Assessment of
practice. Appraisal; Confirm
probation; Promotion; Identify underperformance.
Who benefits?
What is
observed?
Peer Review model
Gosling 2002
Apprenticeship
model Cosh 1998
Development and Training models
Distinction from Bell 2002
Demonstrate competency; Improve
teaching competency.
Engagement in discussion about
teaching; Individual and shared
reflection; Enhance teaching +
learning.
Broaden awareness & understanding of
teaching practice e.g. new methods,
online practice; witness good practice;
Institution
The Observee (the Observed teacher)
Mutual between peers – Benefit for
both Observer and Observee
The Observer
Teaching performance
Teaching performance, class, learning
materials
Teaching performance, class, learning
materials.
Teaching performance, class, learning
materials.
Senior staff observe other staff
Educational developers observe
practitioners; or expert teachers observe
others in department
Teachers observe each other as
equals
Teachers observe expert teachers,
academic developers, staff with
specialist experience, early adopters of
new practice.
Power, Authority (One-way)
Expertise (One-way)
Outcome = Report or Judgement –
Pass/fail, score; or Quality
assessment
Outcome = Expert diagnosis and/or
action plan, constructive guidance to
improve practice
Focus of
observation
Pre-determined schedule
identifying criterion for ‘excellence’
or ‘competence’
More open-ended, but pre-determined
criteria for performance
Confidentiality
Between Observer, Observee &
Manager; Institutional control of
information flow.
Who observes
whom?
Relationship
between observer
and observed
Risks
Alienation; unfair / inaccurate
judgements; Lack of co-operation;
Compliance; Opposition
Equality/mutuality, Peer shared
perception (Two way dialogue for
learning)
Outcome = constructive feedback,
Analysis, discussion, enhanced
experience / understanding of
teaching
Shared participant-ownership of
focus
Expertise, Expert demonstration (Oneway)
Outcome = Analysis, discussion, new
awareness / deeper understanding of
teaching methods
Participant-ownership of focus –
Observer choice of focus; Observee
choice of context
Between observer and the observed – possibly shared within a wider learning set, or as example of good practice, but
importantly Observee retains control of information flow
Key factor from McMahon, Barrett & O’Neill,2007
Perceived inaccurate judgements; No
shared ownership; Lack of impact.
Complacency, conservatism,
unfocused
Spread of poor practice; misunderstood practice
Reflection on Online Peer Observation
During this workshop …..:
I noticed ….
and I thought …..
I noticed ….
and I wondered …..
I noticed ….
and I wanted to ask you …
Adapted from Scrivener, J. Learning Teaching Task 9, p.211
How?
How do we
do it online?
“Observee” choice over:
- Participation √
- Choice of observer √
- Focus of
Observation √
- Form of feedback √
- Information flow √
- Future action √
(McMahon, 2007: 502)
http://www.successgis.com/images/
success2.JPG
A structured process ...
3 Stages
Preparation
Scene-Setting
Discussion
Of Objectives
“Contract”
Observation
Discussion
Feedback
Observation
Notes in line
with
“Contract”
Reflection +
Discussion
Points for the
Future
Stage 1
Faculty of Health
Level 4 module - Social
Inclusion
•3 semi-synchronous
discussions
•Blackboard Discussion
Forum
•Team-based engagement
in observation project
•Team discussion of past
experiences > individual
agendas > observation
Could you look at the level of
interaction between tutor and student
group? – i.e. is the facilitator effectively
absent or over-bearing?
Team identified typical problems with
students’ engagement:

The ‘yes man’ format.

The ‘post and run' or miniessay, format!
Sometimes it’s difficult to know where to begin
if the group has already started. Sometimes I
wonder if they actually need me to say
anything at all but I feel compelled to make a
posting just to highlight that I am here.
Stage 2 - The
Observation itself
DOING Peer Observation Online – How
will it be the same? How different?
In groups
• What will be different
about doing Peer
Observation online?
• What will be the same?
• What could be
‘observed’?
5 mins
Opportunities?
Online observation offers flexibility of
• Context - cross boundaries of place,
discipline and technology
• Focus - different aspects of the OL
teaching and learning process and
roles
• Timing of observation - Predictive /
Retrospective / Concurrent
• Depth of observation - Overview /
Drill down
Challenges?
Challenges
• Time works differently
• Context is more fuzzy
• Seeing less YET seeing more
– Important to identify a clear focus
• Understanding what the teacher
is TRYING to DO online
Reflection on Online Peer Observation
During this workshop …..:
I noticed ….
and I thought …..
I noticed ….
and I wondered …..
I noticed ….
and I wanted to ask you …
Adapted from Scrivener, J. Learning Teaching Task 9, p.211