Peer Review: Using WebPA

The Swansea University review of Peer Review is available online from  the JISC website. It contains a literature review with links to resources. Further details of the project are available here. This emerged from a raft of related projects: an overview can be found here.

Using Google Hangouts

Swansea University © David Gill

I was invited to contribute to a second year undergraduate lecture in Egyptology, followed by a taught MA seminar, both at Swansea University. This was the first year that I had used Google Hangouts.

I used a MacBook Pro with built in camera. The connection was very straightforward and I linked to a former Swansea colleague (also using a MacBook Pro). I was then projected onto the screen.

The interaction worked well and the students were able to ask questions and seek clarification. (In a previous year we had used a twitter wall.)

The one draw back was the speed of the connection. I was connected using the wireless network and when I tried to show web-based materials everything ground to a halt. So the lesson is: test your connection speed, and if you are going to use Hangouts with webpages then use a wired machine!

However the delivery of a Powerpoint lecture was unproblematic and the Swansea students seemed to find the lecture and seminar helpful.

Being observed and being an observer - want to know more?

Engaging in Peer Review of Teaching

13^th February 2014, 2.00-4.00pm

Room: W418

Led by: Christine Smith, Quality Enhancement Manager

In this event on 13^th February, 2014, we will be exploring the processes and practices of being observed and undertaking observations of teaching as positive opportunities for the development of teaching and the enhancement of learning support at UCS.

By the end of the workshop we anticipate you will have gained:

1.     a critical understanding of peer observation and its potential as a positive activity

2.     an understanding of how peer observation might be used to benefit individuals and course teams

3.     an understanding of how the process works and how you might make best use of it

4.     direct experience in being observed and of being an observer

Following an introduction to the processes and practice of peer review of teaching, including on undertaking teaching observations, the workshop will involve all participants in engaging in a microteaching session.

Please read the notes below in order to prepare for the workshop and in order to participate fully in the microteaching activity. 

Microteaching: being observed, being an observer

Microteaching sessions are practice teaching sessions where a teacher presents a short lesson to a small group of peers and receives detailed feedback on their performance. Microteaching sessions are designed to provide opportunities to practice different teaching methods and receive constructive feedback, in a supportive, low-risk environment.

Each microteaching session has a small group of participants and ideally a facilitator. Participants take turns teaching 12-minute interactive lessons. Each mini-lesson is timed so it is essential to adhere to the 12-minute timeline. The mini-lesson is followed by a short (1 minute) reflection by the mini-lesson teacher on how the lesson went, followed by verbal feedback from peers as well as the facilitator. Feedback is an important part of microteaching.  It focuses on what was done well and suggestions for improvement. Each participant is expected to give and receive constructive feedback! (A microteaching feedback proforma is provided below to help you prepare for the observing part of the session).

The main focus of microteaching sessions is on approaches to teaching, not the content.  Each 12-minutes lesson can take a different thematic focus to give participants opportunities to practice various teaching methods, for example:

1. A favourite theory or theorist in your field of study

2. A key concept or skill from an introductory course in your field

3. Your favourite teaching method (no PowerPoint and you need to teach the teaching method and not teach your topic using the method)

We encourage the use of visual aids such as whiteboard, pictures, handouts, short videos, etc as well as creative ideas for involving your ‘students’.  You may use PowerPoint for some of the lesson.  However, to make sure participants do not rely exclusively on PowerPoint, we ask in demonstrating your favourite teaching method, this is taught without the use of PowerPoint (any other teaching aids are acceptable).

Microteaching is about more than content delivery. The goal is to teach audience members about your topic and encourage their participation so you can see what they have learned.  In our microteaching sessions, your audience members are colleagues, including from different teaching areas across UCS.  When preparing your lesson, it is important to consider ways to engage them in the lesson and select teaching methods appropriate for your topic and audience.  You might want to start by asking questions to find out what your audience already knows about your topic (as a prior learning assessment).  To make your lesson interactive, you might consider using demos, questions, quizzes, games, videos, think-pair-share, brainstorming and other techniques: to help your audience engage with the material and practice new knowledge.
To help you select active learning activities suitable for your lesson, we suggest you consider the active learning activities shown below and that you also prepare an outline lesson plan.

Preparing for the microteaching session

1.     Decide on the learning objectives for your lesson. What will a learner be able to do as a result of your lesson?

2.     Your lesson needs to be interactive. Involve the audience in the lesson as much as possible. Don’t rely exclusively on lecturing!

3.   Decide on the breakdown of the lesson. Your lesson cannot exceed 12 minutes!

4.   Examples of microteaching lesson plans can be found at: http://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/support-graduate-students/fundamentals-university-teaching/microteaching-details#Samplelessonplans

Peer review by video

Swansea University © David Gill

Lecturing comes in all shapes and sizes. So in just over a week I will be delivering a lecture and then a postgraduate seminar to students at Swansea University (my former institution). One will be to second year Egyptology students on the theme of collecting Egyptian antiquities. As I am going to be peer observed (although remotely) I am beginning to think about the elements I need. How do I interact with my Powerpoint slides? How can the students ask questions? Do we use a Twitter wall? How do we break up the lecture?

Then there are the hardware issues. Do I sit in front of the Macbook or at my office workstation? Or do I got to the video conference room? 

And then there is the medium. Will I try Google Hangouts? Or GoToMeeting?

Lecturing is never dull! 

What have we committed to?

HEA resources on peer observation

There are lots of resources and open documents available on peer observation if you're interested to read more

For example, the HEA have  information at:
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/subjects/escalate/1042_Peer_observation