Global Utilities

La Trobe University
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

Feedback on teaching

Even though the reliability and relevance of student-based feedback in relation to the enhancement of teaching are well established there are times when other sources of feedback are required. When designing a process which is alternative to student-based feedback clarity should be established as to the purpose which the process is meant to fulfil. Judgements on the quality of teaching are notoriously complex and context related. It therefore needs to be clear what uses the process will be put to.

If the aim is to enhance the quality of learning opportunities which the relevant teachers organise for their students the design can be formative, eg non-judgmental and developmental.

If the aim is to make a judgement on performance for promotion, tenure or increment purposes the design must be summative, eg a definition as to what constitutes satisfactory performance for what level needs to precede the development of the process. The process needs to be able to bring forth evidence as to the attainment of satisfactory / non satisfactory levels of performance.

As with other assessment a criterion-referenced assessment brings for a much more valid judgement than a norm-referenced assessment which simply compares members of an existing cohort with one another.

There are several strategies available:

  • Peer Review
  • Peer Reference
  • Portfolio

Peer Review

This is a complex range of strategies where Teacher A receives feedback on their teaching from Teacher B. The process can be open-ended and informal or streamlined and focused on specific issues or outcomes. It can be preceded by reflection and written self assessment by Teacher A and followed by a report with recommendations from Teacher B. The process can include teaching observations and analysis of teaching materials and outcomes. Depending on the purpose for which the process is designed, the process can be a choice or made mandatory for all teachers to undergo and participate in; the process can be designed around agreed-upon criteria and levels of achievement; the reviewer can be chosen or assigned. It is time-consuming for both parties and the outcomes have to be weighed against the cost ie time and anxiety.

Peer review resources:

Peer Reference

This is a process similar to a series of peer reviews except that the process is organised by a neutral go-between. The role of the go-between can be played by a senior academic. Teacher A provides a list of 5-7 names of peers 4-5 of whom are asked by the neutral go-between to provide an honest opinion or reference (perhaps under specific headings) on Teacher A’s teaching. The data is stripped of any identifying information and either passed on to Teacher A who can put it into a written summary or it is formulated by the neutral go-between into a reference-type statement. Depending on the purpose this can be designed to follow a proforma, which uses pre-determined criteria and levels of achievement. This process is less stressful and less time consuming than a peer review process.

Portfolio

A portfolio provides teachers with an opportunity to provide information regarding their teaching in a wider frame. Philosophy of teaching, methodologies, experiments, students’ results over a number of years, enhancements, opinions of peers and experts etc can be described and documented. This format can provide valuable information, which can augment the student-based feedback.

The process is time consuming for the teacher writing the portfolio and for any person who needs to make a judgement based on the portfolio. It is therefore recommended that a short profile is also provided which summarises the portfolio, whilst the portfolio backs up the statements in the profile. For assistance in developing a teaching portfolio see "Developing a Teaching Portfolio".