Annual Dialogue: Evolving Peer Supported Development of Academic Practice

Developing the Scheme in Partnership

In 2007 the University implemented a Peer Observation of Teaching Scheme. The widely adopted scheme was reviewed after its second year of operation. This review informed the broadening of developmental support for teaching practice. Clear academic ownership remains at the heart of the revised scheme, which also retains peer observation within its `toolkit´. We hope to deepen the partnership support which LETS offer to the academic community. Broadening opportunities for engagement in supported teaching practice development aims to enrich teaching and the student experience.

The Recording and Reporting Process

It is anticipated that participants in the Annual Dialogue will maintain a record of developmental plans and their progress towards achieving agreed goals. The Scheme should be operated so as to recognise that some developmental activities may have longer term goals.

This approach adds greater flexibility to the `snap-shot´ of personal practice achieved through the peer observation process, although monitoring development is common to both.
Participation in the Annual Dialogue introduces a stronger expectation of personal reflection.

The identification and agreement of appropriate developmental goals is centrally important to the success of the peer support relationship.

Flexibility and Support

The implementation of Annual Dialogue recognises that the academic community may wish to extend developmental support beyond the observation of teaching. Innovative uses of peer inputs may be especially valued where a new approach to delivery is being tried out, or new material is being delivered for the first time.

The Dialogue might also support exploration of an identified developmental need, for example, colleagues might want to revisit their approach to providing formal feedback on assessment.

The Annual Dialogue seeks to promote and support:

• the identification of developmental needs of all individual teachers;
  
  
• the benefits of peer supported development for all teaching staff, including part-time staff and graduate teaching assistants (GTAs);
  
  
• an ongoing peer dialogue and reflection on activities supported through peer involvement, including peer observation of teaching. Heads of Academic Departments do though have discretion to agree exemptions for individual staff where appropriate;
  
  
• efforts to address challenges in learning and teaching practice in its widest sense, e.g. approaches to providing feedback on assessment, integrating the use of learning technologies.
  
  
• a negotiated and agreed focus matched to individual needs. Peer observation is still available to use as one method of starting a dialogue between colleagues about approaches to learning and teaching.