Formative Evaluations

Colleagues (peers) are generally considered the best formative reviewers for aspects of teaching such as content expertise, pedagogical strategies, and assessment strategies. The literature on peer review is consistent in suggesting the areas of review appropriate for peers listed by Peter Seldin.

Selection and mastery of course content
Appropriateness of course objectives and instructional materials
Appropriate methodology for teaching specific sections of courses
Appropriate techniques to foster and measure student learning
Course organization
Student acheivement based on exams, projects, presentations, and reports
Concern for and interest in teaching
Homework assignments, textbooks, and handouts

Course Materials for Formative (Developmental) Purposes

For formative review (developmental), reading any course materials can enable the reviewer or mentor to see the instructor’s teaching philosophy in action. Reviewing materials is unobtrusive, can take place at a time and place suitable to the schedule of the reviewer, and the amount of information that can be gained is significant.
The instructor may request that specific items are reviewed for specific reasons or a general approach may be taken. Some examples of the use of course materials are listed below:

Tests and exams – level of learning goals (See Bloom’s taxonomy: http://faculty.washington.edu/krumme/guides/bloom1.html)
Graded tests, written work, or projects – level of learning goals, achievement of learning goals, and how the instructor provides feedback
Syllabus – logical

Observation for Formative Purposes

Formative peer observation is highly recommended for non-tenured faculty and for all faculty prior to a summative observation of teaching. This process may be initiated by a faculty member or the department to assist the individual teacher in improving their teaching effectiveness.
General guidelines for classroom observations apply to both formative and summative observation processes. These guidelines are:

Peer Reviewers should develop observational skills prior to observing a class
A single classroom observation by one rater is not a reliable indicator of teaching quality
Preobservation information is essential to provide contextual information

During the observation, a variety of approaches can be used to focus the observation from checklist to open ended questions

Observers should try to be as unobtrusive as possible
Observing over a substantial amount of time is needed to allow the teacher and the students to relax, and
The observer should complete post observation notes, forms, or other reports while the information is fresh.

Formative peer observation may be focused on one or more areas of teaching that the instructor wants to improve or develop. Some examples of areas of improvement are questioning techniques, student time on task, amount of active participation, use of inquiry guided learning techniques, etc. The methods used to record observations are extensive. There are many examples of forms and checklists that are widely available in books and articles on faculty development. (see references and resources)
The following are types of reflective questions that are often used in developmental observations.

Did the lesson proceed in the way you had planned? Why?
Did the students react to the lesson in the way you thought they would?
During the lesson, did you feel confident and enthusiastic? Why?
Do you think the students learned all that you wanted them to learn in this session? What brings you to that conclusion?
What did you do to encourage the students to actively participate in the lesson?
What did you learn about teaching from this class?
What did you learn about student learning from this class?
What targets for improvement have you set yourself for this class, and are they realistic?
If you taught this class again tomorrow, what would you do differently? and why?

Adapted from: Killen, R. (1995) “Improving Teaching Through Reflective Partnerships.” To Improve the Academy