A Peer Rating Form for Lectures

Screen shot of Website

In the beginning of this year, my Level Head paired each of us up during lectures for us to observe each other.  At my school, the lectures are distributed amongst the teachers teaching the level and each one of us are given lecture loads which correspond to about two to three topics a year.  It is also a requirement for us to sit into the lectures as it serves three purposes - (a)  to monitor the students' behaviour and to ensure that they are paying attention in class, (b)  to ensure that all tutors are updated on the progress of the lectures and (c) to observe the lecturer.  For (c), it serves as a form of professional development for us, as it allows us to further learn what we should do and not do in lectures.

In the earlier years, as a beginning teacher, I always found it useful and amongst the younger colleagues, we used to ask each other for feedback like "What do you think you like about my lecture?", "Is there anything you think I could have done better?", "Would you have taught it this way?"  There were four of us in fact and we used to have these exchanges and enjoyed them thoroughly.  No one was ever offended and we would in fact often enjoy the small bickerings on which was a better method.  In the process,  all of us honestly felt we gained much and learnt alot from each other.

I do not find this culture prevalent in the younger lecturers anymore.  People are not so open to comments or praises, and perhaps this is why my Level Head (who also used to be in our gang of four) has decided to try this peer observation method.

Anyway, I came across this article while doing research on peer and self rating for teamwork today.  It is actually a peer rating form for lectures that was developed by Shapiro Institute for Education and Research at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for their medical lectures.

It is very well-structured and looks into various aspects of a lecture and what we think should make a good lecture.   I feel that this form would also be great for peer observations of lectures in my school or any school that uses the lecture-tutorial system.  It provides a good structure on what to look out for in a good lecture and would be a useful formative feedback to the lecturer involved.