Peer Observation Doing it Online - Edge Hill University · Within effective Peer-to-Peer...
Transcript of Peer Observation Doing it Online - Edge Hill University · Within effective Peer-to-Peer...
Peer Observation – Doing it Online
Shirley Bennett & Jacqui Basquill
Why online?Why online?
Why are you here? – why are you interested in online peer observation?
Why move peer observation online?…
“The online learning environment is significantly less familiar … than the classroom”
Tonkin and Baker, 2003
http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2007/03/15/knFUZZ_wideweb__470x287,0.jpg
“the majority of tutors new to online teaching do not have that background of online learning experience upon which to draw in the same way as trainee teachers starting out in classroom teaching can draw upon their personal classroom learning experiences which will date back from their early years at school.”
Bennett & Marsh, 2002
How? Towards doing it (successfully) online …
Stage 1 : Preparation for ObservationWithin effective Peer-to-Peer observation, preparation is vital - to help clarify the learning goals for the process & to ensure the observer has key information to understand what they observe.
DO THIS NOW!
1. Think about the following questions:
What aspects of student ONLINE learning would be most interesting for you to explore or investigate?
Is there an aspect of your ONLINE teaching / support / assessment practice which you would like to change or develop?
What are your goals in your ONLINE teaching / support work? Are they being achieved?
The questions are taken from Gosling and O’Connor 2006 and slightly adapted.
2. Select 1-2 issues which you would like to explore through Online Peer Observation.
10
2
6
7
4-7
OL & BL Varied
4 of 5
The POOL ‘agenda’ - Choice of Focus area
Materials, Instructions + Broader ‘design’
Site Structure / Materials Presentation
Content of online materials - level and clarity
Overall Course Design
Tutor online activity
Management of the Online Activity
Tutor input into / contribution within student online discussion
- Quantity
- Quality
Student engagement in online activity
Amount of student participation
Quality of student interaction
Depth of student discussion
Focus & ContextWho will observe and be observed?
Practitioner: Department/School:
Observer: Department/School:
Observation Agenda:
Issues selected as observation focus:1.
2.
3.
4.
What will the observer need to know about the context they will observe?
Course / Module – e.g. Title, Level and any other key information
Topic of the session/element of the course to be observed And where does this fit into
the overall learning / teaching process on the module?
Teaching aims / focus:
The group: Size/nature of the group; are there any particular factors which the observer
should be aware of?
Material: What handbooks and/or learning/teaching material will you provide for the
observer?
If the observation is to take place online, which elements of the NILE site (or other
tool) will the observer need to look at? e.g. a particular forum? part of the wiki? eTivity
instructions?
What?Issues of Perspectives 1
Understanding what your peers are aiming to DO online
In your use of the VLE …
What do you do?What do you hope?What do you believe?
Each take a pack of cards
Sort your cards into 3 columns
- True for Me
- Unsure
- Not True for Me
Pick your TOP 5 cards!
Explain your decisions.
Pratt 1998, 2001 Transmission Apprenticeship Nurturing Developmental
Kember 1997Transmitting
Structured KnowledgeT-S Interaction
Facilitating Understanding
Conceptual Change
Gonzalez 2009‘The web for
individual access to learning resources’
The web for learning-related communication
The web as a medium for
networked learning
Goal in teaching Student grasp of
curriculum content
Student adoption of appropriate skills
& behaviour
Growth of student understanding &
confidence
Student autonomy & development of
new ways of thinking
Use of the Internet‘Supply channel’, access to learning
resources
Activities,simulations for
applying theory to practice
Support & sharing experiences
through online discussion
Space for studentcollaborativebuilding own knowledge
Role of the Teacher online
Provide information,
learning resources,web links
Guide & help students in working through structured
activities
Design & facilitate supportive online
discussion
Design, support open student-led activities to build
understanding
Role of the StudentOnline
Access & use the information &
resources provided
Follow guidance & examples to apply
learning to example situations &
contexts
Contribute regularly & actively
to the course online discussions
Actively collaborate with others on self-
driven projects & assignments
What?Issues of Perspectives 2
What TYPE of peer observation suits your needs?
http://www.sstd-dataweb.clrc.ac.uk/Activities/Gallery/rfq.accelerator.jpg
http://129.79.22.9/linear/tandem/kevin_kelly_tandem.jpg
The primary purpose is that teachers, one acting as observer and one being observed, engage in mutual reflection on a teaching session in order that both can learn from it in order to inform future practice.
(McMahon, 2007: 502)
Models of Peer Observation – Coherence between aim & process
Model of Peer
Observation
Evaluation model Development model Peer Review model Apprenticeship
model
Performance model Development and Training models
Purpose or Aim of
observation?
Quality Assurance; Assessment of
practice. Appraisal; Confirm
probation; Promotion; Identify under-
performance.
Demonstrate competency; Improve
teaching competency.
Engagement in discussion about
teaching; Individual and shared
reflection; Enhance teaching +
learning.
Broaden awareness & understanding of
teaching practice e.g. new methods,
online practice; witness good practice;
Who benefits? Institution The Observee (the Observed teacher)Mutual between peers – Benefit for
both Observer and ObserveeThe Observer
What is
observed?Teaching performance
Teaching performance, class, learning
materials
Teaching performance, class, learning
materials.
Teaching performance, class, learning
materials.
Who observes
whom?Senior staff observe other staff
Educational developers observe
practitioners; or expert teachers observe
others in department
Teachers observe each other as
equals
Teachers observe expert teachers,
academic developers, staff with
specialist experience, early adopters of
new practice.
Relationship
between observer
and observed
Power, Authority (One-way)
Outcome = Report or Judgement –
Pass/fail, score; or Quality
assessment
Expertise (One-way)
Outcome = Expert diagnosis and/or
action plan, constructive guidance to
improve practice
Equality/mutuality, Peer shared
perception (Two way dialogue for
learning)
Outcome = constructive feedback,
Analysis, discussion, enhanced
experience / understanding of
teaching
Expertise, Expert demonstration (One-
way)
Outcome = Analysis, discussion, new
awareness / deeper understanding of
teaching methods
Focus of
observation
Pre-determined schedule
identifying criterion for ‘excellence’
or ‘competence’
More open-ended, but pre-determined
criteria for performance
Shared participant-ownership of
focus
Participant-ownership of focus –
Observer choice of focus; Observee
choice of context
ConfidentialityBetween Observer, Observee &
Manager; Institutional control of
information flow.
Between observer and the observed – possibly shared within a wider learning set, or as example of good practice, but
importantly Observee retains control of information flow
Risks
Alienation; unfair / inaccurate
judgements; Lack of co-operation;
Compliance; Opposition
Perceived inaccurate judgements; No
shared ownership; Lack of impact.
Complacency, conservatism,
unfocused
Spread of poor practice; mis-
understood practice
Distinction from Bell 2002
Original model Gosling 2002
Key factor from McMahon, Barrett & O’Neill,2007
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Gosling 2002 Gosling 2002Gosling 2002 Cosh 1998
Bennett, 2013
Reflection on Online Peer Observation
During this workshop …..:
I noticed ….
and I thought …..
I noticed ….
and I wondered …..
I noticed ….
and I wanted to ask you …
Adapted from Scrivener, J. Learning Teaching Task 9, p.211
How? How do we do it online?
http://www.successgis.com/images/success2.JPG
“Observee” choice over:
- Participation √
- Choice of observer √
- Focus of Observation √
- Form of feedback √
- Information flow √
- Future action √(McMahon, 2007: 502)
A structured process ...3 Stages
DiscussionObservationPreparation
Feedback
Reflection + Discussion
Points for the Future
Observation
Notes in line with
“Contract”
Scene-Setting
DiscussionOf Objectives
“Contract”
Faculty of HealthLevel 4 module - Social Inclusion
Team identified typical problems with students’ engagement:
The ‘yes man’ format.
The ‘post and run' or mini-essay, format!
•3 semi-synchronous discussions
•Blackboard Discussion Forum
•Team-based engagement in observation project
•Team discussion of past experiences > individual agendas > observation
Sometimes it’s difficult to know where to begin if the group has already started. Sometimes I wonder if they actually need me to say anything at all but I feel compelled to make a posting just to highlight that I am here.
Could you look at the level of interaction between tutor and student group? – i.e. is the facilitator effectively absent or over-bearing?
Stage 1
Stage 2 - The Observation itself
DOING Peer Observation Online – How will it be the same? How different?
In groups
• What will be different about doing Peer Observation online?
• What will be the same?
• What could be ‘observed’?
5 mins
Opportunities?
Online observation offers flexibility of
• Context - cross boundaries of place, discipline and technology
• Focus - different aspects of the OL teaching and learning process and roles
• Timing of observation - Predictive / Retrospective / Concurrent
• Depth of observation - Overview / Drill down
Challenges?
Challenges
• Time works differently
• Context is more fuzzy
• Seeing less YET seeing more
– Important to identify a clear focus
• Understanding what the teacher is TRYING to DO online
Reflection on Online Peer Observation
During this workshop …..:
I noticed ….
and I thought …..
I noticed ….
and I wondered …..
I noticed ….
and I wanted to ask you …
Adapted from Scrivener, J. Learning Teaching Task 9, p.211