Class observations are a powerful tool for an instructor to gain insight and feedback on pedagogical strategies and uncover growth opportunities related to their goals.
Faculty Development professionals in the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) offer:
- Formative observations of classroom teaching by instructor request. These observations are not intended to serve as an evaluation of teaching for the tenure and promotion process. However, they can provide valuable feedback to help faculty prepare for higher-stakes evaluations, and faculty may choose to include the observation in their file.
- Training on peer review of teaching for a school, program, or department. We facilitate a discussion about observable characteristics and provide practice producing effective observations and reports for formative and evaluative purposes.
- Consultations and workshops to refine the protocols and processes that individuals, departments, or programs are using to conduct their peer reviews of teaching for formative and evaluative purposes.
To request a formative class observation for yourself or to schedule a training or consultation for your department, email teaching@gwu.edu.
Below, find more information about the value and purpose of different types of observations, the CTE class observation process, and guidance for departments and programs on effective peer review.
Class Observations in Context
When planning a class observation, it is important for the instructor to consider what they want feedback on and to be mindful that different sources, approaches, and people are appropriate for different kinds of information. For example:
- Faculty within the instructor’s department or field can provide feedback on disciplinary content and effective discipline-based teaching strategies.
- Observers outside the instructor’s department can offer insights on how an outsider or novice might experience the class and can focus on clarity of communication.
- The CTE Faculty Development team can bring their expertise on a wide variety of evidence-based, effective pedagogical techniques.
- Observers can provide feedback on student engagement and enthusiasm, but asking your students directly about their experiences can be even more effective.
It is also important to consider how class observations and peer review can serve both formative and evaluative purposes. Formative observations can provide constructive and collegial feedback that can help to improve teaching and learning through reflection and mentorship. Evaluative observations can provide evidence for judging teaching effectiveness and informing personnel decisions, and they can serve a formative purpose if the process is transparent, consistent, and accessible. An equitable process ensures consistency and fairness across reviews, makes expectations clear, and puts systems in place to help instructors establish productive peer review relationships. This resource is prepared with equity and formative purposes in mind.
The CTE Class Observation Process
Faculty Development approaches class observations using a 4-step process:
- Pre-observation check-in: The observer and instructor meet or exchange emails to plan for the class visit, using reflection questions to shape the focus of the observation. The observer will also ask if the instructor wants them to collect any feedback from students. (Sample Pre-Observation Form)
- Class observation: The observer takes copious notes during class session, marking what instructors and students are doing using an agreed-upon process. Later, the observer translates the field notes into comments on what the instructor did well, areas for improvement, and responses to the instructor’s specific concerns. If requested, the observer can also conduct a student feedback session at this time.
- Post-observation meeting: The observer and instructor meet to discuss how the class went, share feedback, and articulate potential next steps.
- Follow-up communication: The CTE Faculty Development process concludes with reviewers following up on the post-observation meeting with an email or report summarizing the discussion and major takeaways. This email includes the instructor’s strengths, areas for growth, and next steps. Instructors may choose to include this email in tenure and promotion files for the purposes of acknowledging their continuous growth as a teacher and as a participant in CTE services. However, this email is not meant to serve as an evaluative report.
Peer Review of Teaching within Departments and Programs
The information below includes general guidance and best practices for individuals and departments conducting class observations and peer review of teaching. Keep in mind that each school, program, or department might have its own guidelines and rubrics for how to conduct an observation, what to focus on, and how to report the findings.
Pre-Observation Meeting: What to Discuss
In preparation for a classroom observation, the observer and instructor should meet to discuss the instructor’s teaching experiences, values, and goals. The observer may ask some or all of the following questions:
- What would you like to get out of this observation? Is there anything specific about the class or teaching style you want me to look out for or pay attention to?
- What are the learning objectives for the course and class session?
- Where does this class session fall within the course trajectory? Will students complete any prep work for this class?
- How is the class going? What is working well? What is difficult/challenging?
- Logistics:
- Where should I sit?
- Will students be introduced to the idea that an external person is visiting class?
- Are there any course materials I should have access to beforehand?
- What protocol, rubric, or note-taking approach would be most useful to use during the observation?
Class Observation: What to Look For
There are many different lenses through which to consider course delivery. Some are more open-ended, while others zero in on specific characteristics of effective teaching. Observers should consider the protocol that best aligns with the instructor’s objectives and the context of the class session. They may choose to customize existing protocols, combine them creatively, or simply take open notes.
Here are some options:
- The Sample Peer Observation Checklist developed by a team of GW faculty provides a list of teaching practices to take note of during the observation or when reviewing notes afterward
- The Teaching Dimensions Observation Protocol (TDOP) is customizable, peer-reviewed, and can be helpful for distinguishing between teacher-focused and student-focused instruction and conversation.
- COPUS, the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM, attempts to “reliably characterize how faculty and students are spending their time in the STEM classroom” by coding the activities that students and instructors are doing at any given time.
- The Protocol for Advancing Inclusive Teaching Efforts (PAITE) focuses specifically on inclusive teaching practices that can be observed in an in-person classroom setting.
- The Observations guide from Center for Urban Education at the University of Southern California focuses on racial and ethnic equity.
- Classroom interaction maps provide a visual method for tracking the dynamics of participation during a lesson.
Class Observation: Taking Effective Notes
We recommend taking “field notes” that capture observations but are not shared with the instructor. As the observer takes notes, they should:
- Note what students are doing every 2–5 minutes.
- Consider: When is the instructor doing the intellectual work, and when are students doing it?
- Pay attention to how the instructor elicits participation. Is participation distributed evenly throughout class time and across students, or do some dominate?
To organize thoughts in the moment, we suggest using a three-column note-taking method (adapted from educational developer Laurel Willingham-McClain):
| Time | Teacher/Student Actions (Observations/Evidence) | Observer Reflections (Interpretation) |
|---|---|---|
What is happening in the class? Describe what the instructor and students are doing. | What worked well and what could have been improved? Explain the impact or result of these actions. Prepare follow up questions and suggestions. |
Post-Observation Meeting: How to Debrief
The observer and instructor should meet after the observation to debrief, ideally within a few days of the class visit. The conversation should focus on the instructor's strengths as well as areas for improvement based on the instructor’s goals and the focus of the observation. Use the conversation in the pre-meeting to shape the focus of debrief conversation.
The principles of giving effective feedback apply to colleagues and students both. Too much feedback can be overwhelming, so we recommend highlighting 3–4 things the instructor did well and 3–4 aspects they may wish to improve. Also consider: What feedback belongs in writing, and what might be best delivered during the debrief outside of an evaluative review?
Questions to discuss may include:
- How did the class go? Did things go as you expected? Was this a typical class period?
- What guides your approach to [teaching behavior you observed]?
- How do you decide when to do ____ or ____?
- Is [characteristic you observed] typical or…?
- How did [moment you observed] compare to your expectations when you were planning the session?
- Do you feel that you effectively supported student learning during the class?
- Think about the opportunities students had to interact with the material, interact with peers, interact with the instructor, participate in formative assessment, or practice key skills. Are there places where you could involve students more fully, shifting the onus of critical thinking to them?
- How can you make the environment more inclusive?
- What might you like to change as a result of this feedback? What resources could be helpful?
Follow-up Communication: Producing a Helpful Report
After the debrief conversation, the observer provides written feedback in the form of an email or other document and confirms plans (if any) for future communication or observations. If the written feedback is meant to serve a formative purpose, include the 3-4 things the instructor did well and 3-4 aspects they may wish to improve that were discussed in the debrief. If applicable, the follow up communication may include additional resources to support the instructor’s growth.
If the instructor requests a formal written report that will be used for evaluative purposes, it should be brief (1–2 pages) and formatted using department letterhead. Be specific, focus on teaching, and follow department protocols. Key sections of the report might include:
- Introductory details: Begin by listing out contextual information including name of faculty, name of observer, course and section, date and time of observation, and number of students present. Then, briefly describe the review process, including the date of the pre-observation meeting, the materials reviewed, and the date of any post-observation debrief. Explain how the observed class session fits into the larger course structure. Mention the course’s level and its role in the curriculum.
- Class observation: Summarize what was observed, based on agreed upon look-fors. These might include teaching methods, delivery, clarity, organization, rapport, student engagement, and use of technology or other materials.
- Strengths and areas for development: Use specific examples from your observations to highlight the instructor’s key strengths. Identify specific, actionable suggestions for improvement, focusing on what could be changed. If applicable, comment on the instructor’s professional growth and flexibility in incorporating past feedback.
- Conclusion: Summarize an overall evaluation of the instructor’s teaching performance. Mention the concrete next steps or goals the instructor has agreed to pursue.
If a peer observation is submitted as part of an annual report, application for reappointment, or application for promotion, it may be seen by various program directors, review committees, and members of upper administration, so these multiple possible audiences should be kept in mind.
