The PSD scheme is an institutional approach to peer observation that works within faculties but across departments and schools. It is a form of CPD that prioritises both reviewee and reviewer learning, by opening opportunities to explore the wider aspects of teaching and by not being linked to performance management.
About Peer Supported Development (PSD)
PSD supports staff to consider their educational practices and how they can be further enhanced. Staff may opt to have their face-to-face teaching (in-person or online) reviewed, or other practices that support teaching, learning and assessment such as Moodle development, assessment design, resource design and marking.
Reviewing Form
The following form should be used to structure to review and discussions. Based on feedback from colleagues, we have streamlined the form for 2022/23. There is now only one form for all aspects of teaching practice and that should be completed by reviewer and reviewee. This remains anonymous between the pair involved in the process. The forms are designed to scaffold thinking and post-review dialogue. This form does not need to be shared beyond your reviewing pair, but sections may be used to record completion:
We aim for 100% engagement in PSD from all academic staff (with HPLs being optional). PGCert HE, APA and ALTHE participants are exempt in the year of study.
Completion
In order to track completion and engagement, once the reviewing process is complete the reviewee will need to record this on the relevant form below (according to your faculty). This form is brief and only collect basic information about the reviewing process. If you wish, you are able to share examples of practice, but please be aware this will not be anonymous.
Pairing and reviewing
You are encouraged to find your own partner for the process, but it is strongly encouraged this partner is from outside of your school or department. Ideally this choice will be guided by the aspects of your practice you wish to develop this year. For example, if you would like to learn about how to implement peer-assessment you could consider observing or have an assessment design meeting with a colleague who has experience of this.
If you require support in finding a partner, please contact your relevant PSD lead. Colleagues will arrange with their peer a time to review each other’s practice and subsequently discuss it. In each year a colleague will therefore be both reviewer and reviewee.
Each term, the ALE team will run a session around good practice in engagement with PSD. Details of this session and all ALE workshops can found here.
Support
Each faculty has a Peer Supported Development (PSD) lead who co-ordinates the scheme. Please contact them with any queries.
- FEHHS: Ian Tharp
- FES: Lauren Pecorino
- FLAS: Christopher Ware
- FoB: Sara Gorgoni
All other queries should be directed to Stuart Sims (S.A.Sims@gre.ac.uk)
Join the next workshop on Good Practice in Peer Observation on 09 November 2022 at 1pm.
Core Principles
- Whether reviewing or being reviewed this is an equal partnership. It is collaborative and should be seen as an opportunity for enhancement.
- Learning by seeing and discussing a colleague's work is as important as having an independent 'other' set of eyes witnessing our work.
- PSD is non-hierarchical, not aligned to appraisal and forms are not shared upwards. The process is anonymous.
- Teaching, learning, assessment, and ancillary practices are focal rather than content.
Benefits
- Elevates status and importance of teaching
- Watching a colleague is a great opportunity to think about our own practice
- Builds teaching confidence and self-efficacy
- Offers a chance to experiment and innovate
- Can connect educational theory to practice
- Supports a sharing, collegiate culture
- Provides opportunities to challenge conventional wisdom