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What is the Peer Observation Program (POP)?

The Peer Observation Program is designed to offer faculty the opportunity to enhance their teaching and build community by observing, sharing, and discussing their approaches to teaching and learning. Rather than evaluating your colleagues' teaching, this program offers the opportunity to observe others' teaching in a judgment-free environment, reflect on your own teaching strategies, and share ways to enhance teaching and learning. 

What will POP entail?

Faculty accepted into the Peer Observation Program will be placed in small teams. After the mandatory introductory meeting where you will meet your team members, faculty will observe a class session of two of their team members during the current semester. POP members will meet at the end of the semester to reflect on their observations and their own teaching strategies. POP members will also deliver a written reflection about their experience and how their teaching might change going forward.

The Peer Observation Program will be similar to, and draw resources from, the . 

Program Requirements

All full-time faculty who are teaching an in-person course section (fully in-person or hybrid) during the Spring 2025 semester are invited to apply. We encourage full-time faculty from all disciplines and all ranks to participate in POP.

Faculty selected to participate in the Peer Observation Program are expected to:

1. Attend a mandatory introductory meeting on Friday, January 24th at 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. to learn about the program, meet your team, and schedule class observations.
2. Attend the class sessions of two team members to conduct classroom observations and allow two team members to attend your class sessions.
3. Attend a mandatory debrief meeting on Friday, April 25th at 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. to discuss observations and reflections with your team and other members of the Peer Observation Program.
4. By May 2, 2025, deliver a written reflection about your experience and how your teaching might change in the future.

Faculty completing all program requirements will receive a certificate of completion and a $500 honorarium.

How to Apply

Complete this by Friday, December 13th to tell us about your courses, course schedule, and availability to observe others' classes for the Spring 2025 semester. 

We plan to accept as many faculty into the Peer Observation Program as possible. Enrollment into the program will only be limited by faculty members' availability to attend others' classes and the amount of funding available to support the program. 

References

Berenson, C., "Teaching Squares: Observe and Reflect on Teaching and Learning." Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning Guide Series, Calgary, AB: Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning at the University of Calgary, June 2017.