Teaching Observation Program

Observing another colleague's teaching can help to foster conversations about pedagogy, student learning, and classroom dynamics -- and also is a great way to learn about another discipline or area of focus, and engage with colleagues about the important work of teaching that we do here. To assist in this, faculty are invited to participate with Butler colleagues in a Teaching Observation Program during the upcoming semester.

Here is how the Teaching Observation Program works:

~ A group of 2-3 faculty -- faculty groups from across different departments or programs and across colleges are encouraged -- commit to:

A conversation with each other before observing each other's class/es about particular areas of focus, such as strategies to engage students during the class period or working through challenging material. Click here for the Pre-Observation Discussion Guideline Form.
A visit to each other's class/es at least once during the spring semester. Click here for the Observation Note Taking Guideline Form or the Small Group Instructional Feedback Form.
A conversation after each visit to talk about observations, including those areas of requested focus. Click here for the Post-Observation Discussion Guideline Form.
Repeating steps a, b, and c, if desired.

For your pre- and post-classroom visit conversations, the Provost's Office is happy to pay for refreshments (coffee, on-campus meals) - just turn in your receipts to Rebecca DeGrazia in JH109 for reimbursement.

Teaching Observation Program Resources from Other Institutions:

http://cte.udel.edu/programs/hetc/outline-faculty-observation.html

http://www.albany.edu/teachingandlearning/tlr/peer_obs/ch1.shtml

http://www.sas.upenn.edu/ctl/services/Faculty-to-Faculty.htm

http://www.fctl.ucf.edu/TeachingAndLearningResources/ClassroomManagement/ClassObservations/

http://www.utexas.edu/academic/ctl/assessment/iar/teaching/plan/method/observ.php

If you have resources you'd like to share, please send them along so that we can add them to this site. Email them to Rebecca DeGrazia (rdegrazi@butler.edu).