Peer Review of Teaching
Elevating Teaching to Enrich Student Learning
The Centre for Teaching and Learning has partnered with the Colleges to launch the peer review of teaching at the University of Alberta. This innovative initiative looks at teaching through diverse perspectives to offer a rich, well-rounded view of what makes teaching truly effective. Through a balanced, multifaceted approach incorporating perspectives from peers, students, and self-reflection, we ensure that University of Alberta instructors receive the support they need to excel as educators and impact student learning. Peer review at the U of A embraces a holistic view of teaching effectiveness, recognizing and celebrating the intellectual effort, thoughtful planning, and dedication instructors invest in creating inclusive, engaging, and impactful learning experiences.
Insights from Student Perspectives of Teaching (SPOT) and other student feedback play invaluable roles in understanding effective teaching. Self-reflection is essential to developing multifaceted insights into teaching. Peer review offers a complementary perspective, enriching the multifaceted evaluation of teaching through shared experiences, expertise, and constructive dialogue.
Peer review is the cornerstone of research integrity and teaching excellence, maintaining academic quality, credibility, and innovation. They draw on their teaching experiences and are uniquely positioned to assess instructional materials, evaluation methods, and professional behaviours while empathizing with the challenges of university teaching (Chism, 2007; Courneya, Pratt, & Collins, 2008).