eer observaLlon of Leachlng

eer observaLlon of Leachlng

A ''collaboraLlve developmenLal acLlvlLy ln whlch professlonals
offer muLual supporL by observlng each oLher Leach
explalnlng and dlscusslng whaL was observed sharlng ldeas
abouL Leachlng gaLherlng sLudenL feedback on Leachlng
effecLlveness reflecLlng on undersLandlngs feellngs acLlons
and feedback and Lrylng ouL new ldeas''
(8ell 2003 p 3)
Dsed ln dlfferenL conLexLs
for dlfferenL purposes
as a developmenLal Lool ln Lhe
Lralnlng of new Leachers or ln
conLlnuous professlonal
developmenL
as a managemenL Lool for quallLy
monlLorlng or evaluaLlon of
Leachers by Lhelr llne manager
lL can be felL Lo be
uncomforLable lnLruslve or Lo
curLall academlc freedom
n Lhe conLexL of conLlnuous
professlonal learnlng Lhen some
warn LhaL C1 should be
deslgned Lo be non[udgemenLal
and developmenLal raLher Lhan
evaluaLlve and exLernally
requlred" (Lomas and nlcholls
2003 PaLzlpanagos and
Lygo8aker 2006)
1he developmenLal naLure of C1
lor Cosh (1998)
observaLlon ls an
lnvaluable form of sLaff
developmenL" whlch
can play an lmporLanL
parL ln ensurlng LhaL
Leachers don'L become
lsolaLed and
rouLlnlzed" enabllng
Leachers Lo galn
exposure Lo oLher
Leachlng sLyles and
approaches
C1 ln Lhe conLexL of
blended Leachlng and learnlng?
C1 needs Lo be exLended Lo oLher medla where
Leachlng Lakes place
L should cover areas such as currlculum deslgn
Lhe creaLlon of Leachlng maLerlals onllne
Leachlng and Lhe whole range of whaL Leachers
do Lo supporL learners (PaLzlpanagos and Lygo
8aker 2006 8enneLL and 8arp 2008 SwlnglehursL
eL al 2008)
n Lhe conLexL of Lhe CD? n Lhe conLexL of LC8C?
C1 as a soclal Lool Lo enhance
Leachlng pracLlce" (eel 2003)
8ell and Mladenovlc (2008)
hlghllghL Lhe collaboraLlve
aspecL of C1 sharlng
enabled parLlclpanLs Lo
have a wlder vlew as lL
encompassed lssues ralsed
by oLhers Lhey found lL
reassurlng Lo compare Lhelr
sLrengLhs and weaknesses
wlLh Lhose of oLhers as
ofLen Lhere were lssues
relevanL Lo Lhe cohorL as a
whole Sharlng also mlghL
have also glven Leachers
oLher ldeas LhaL Lhey could
Lry ouL ln Lhelr Leachlng
LC8C?
WhaL are Lhe lssued around Lhe soclal and
collaboraLlve aspecLs of peer observaLlon ln
Lhe conLexL of LC8C?
emalllng auLhor
commenLlng
wrlLlng collaboraLlvely
reuslng and adapLlng someone else's resources?
1he role of Lhe observer
Peel (2005) points out that it is often
difficult to engage in critical thinking on
an individual basis. n POT, the role of
the observer in promoting reflection is
critical.
A 'critical helper' can provide a mirror
onto our teaching, and help us
understand and question our ideas and
practices. Brookfield's (1987)
The observer provides feedback which
can "act as a catalyst in building
relationships through the development of
empathy, respect and trust. The
objective of successful peer observation
is to harness the insight of critical friends
to promote personal and professional
development on a continuing basis,
within a supportive framework
(Shortland, 2010).