Planning for Peer Review of Teaching

Peer review of teaching can help departments improve their treatment of teaching as disciplinary scholarship. Peer review encourages collegial discussion about teaching and creates a framework for thorough evaluation of teaching. The authors of this article reviewed literature that describes the benefits of peer review, and that which describes steps for implementing departmental peer review programs. The benefits of a well-designed, well-implemented system of peer review include improved teaching, elevated morale and productivity, and closer working relationships in a department. Steps to creating an effective, beneficial peer review program include describing the goals of the program, describing good teaching in a department, crafting clear and equitable review procedures, training reviewers, finding opportunities for teachers to learn new instructional techniques, and rewarding participation. Communication, trust, and integrity are key ingredients of successful peer review of teaching. Educational levels: Graduate or professional