Peer Instructional Coaching

      

Peer feedback can be a critical component of teaching improvement. When offered in a non-threatening framework (i.e. when removed from the evaluation process), faculty are more likely to offer, and to accept, helpful insights about their teaching. The Peer Instructional Coaching initiative (formerly Peer Observation of Instruction for Continuous Improvement) is a cohort approach that includes trust-building, peer classroom observations, and feedback in order to provide the grounding for instructional improvement.

 

Formative observations provide teachers with information that they can use to improve their teaching. In her work Peer Review of Teaching, Nancy Chism (2007) explains: “The information (from formative observations) is intended for (teachers’) personal use, rather than for public inspection, and thus is private and confidential. The information should be rich in detail so that teachers can obtain clear insights into the nature of their teaching strengths and weaknesses.” Members of Peer Instructional Coaching cohorts practice framing and providing feedback to each other in ways that are conducive to improvement.

 

The Center for Faculty Development first piloted the protocol for Peer Instructional Coaching in spring 2010 with a cohort of faculty from the School of Professional Studies. The program has since undergone improvements, and it has expanded to include all faculty (affiliates and full-time) from all three schools. During fall 2012 the CFD invites interested faculty to join a cohort that will meet three times and conduct peer observations between the second and third meeting.

 

Please consider joining this cohort, which will meet on the following dates/times at the CFD:

  • First meeting: Thursday September 13, 11am to 12:15pm.
  • Second meeting: Thursday September 20, 11am-12:15pm.
  • Final debrief: Thursday November 8, 11am-noon.

 

It is important that you be available to attend all three meetings. If interested, reserve your space in the fall 2012 cohort by emailing Mark Potter at mpotte10@msudenver.edu.