Instructional Design
Contact
1020 Walnut Street
Scott Memorial Library, Suite 531C
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Teaching Observations
A teaching observation empowers you to reflect on your teaching practice in collaboration with an educational expert. Based on your interest or concerns, a member of our Instructional Design team will observe you during a teaching experience. The team member will prompt you to reflect on the event and discuss their feedback and observations. You will receive individualized feedback on your teaching practices. Depending on your teaching goals, we will help create strategies and recommendations for future exploration or enhancement.
Teaching observations are valuable if you are interested in increasing learner engagement with a specific lesson, testing a new teaching strategy, are trying to improve active learning, or are preparing for tenure and promotion. Observations are confidential and private formative opportunities that promote reflection.
The teaching observation is a 3-part process:
- Pre-observation meeting — to discuss your goals and priorities for observation and feedback. We focus on what you hope to achieve and the support you are seeking.
- In-class observation — facilitated by a member of the Instructional Design team and informed by the priorities discussed in the pre-observation meeting.
- Post-observation debrief — to discuss the observations, areas of strength and areas for exploration. You will receive specific and detailed recommendations based on best practices.
Resources from Thomas Jefferson University
Additional Resources
- Learning and Evaluating with the Peer Review of Teaching (Video Series | Centre for Educational Excellence | 2019)
- Peer Review of Teaching: A Sourcebook (Book | Van Note Chism | 2007)
(Available through the Jefferson Libraries. You may be prompted to sign in with your Campus Key and password to access.) - Teaching Observations (Website | DePaul's Teaching Commons)
Schedule a consultation with our Instructional Design team for one-on-one support.