Observation of classroom teaching: How can we do more?

Observation of classroom teaching (OfPD) has been offered by CLT since 2010, but remains grossly underutilized. Discussion of best practices among participants will guide our strategy to promote OfPD on our campus. We hope it will also offer options for OfPD to provide credible assessment of CLT services.

The purpose of this session is to invite the sharing of practices/ experiences among faculty and Center of Learning and Teaching (CLT) staff across campuses spread all across the world to:

(i) Understand the faculty constraints, that need to be considered to devise a strategy to encourage faculty participation for observation of their classroom teaching

(ii) Devise protocols that will provide credible evidence of faculty learning at CLT being translated to the classroom Classroom observation is one of the most credible modes for improving faculty practice in the classroom (Jonson 2008), yet it is least welcomed by university faculty (Borich 2008; Aubusson et al. 2007; Gebhard and Oprandy 1999). In the past seven years of offering this service, only a nominal number of faculty members have volunteered to be observed through CLT

Secondly, as a provider of Continuing Professional Development the efficacy of the programs we offer is not assessed at the classroom level. That the faculty are ‘satisfied’ or ‘highly satisfied’ by the service offered is but one component of credibility of our offering. But the question that remains unresolved is “Does the learning acquired through CLT services translate to an improved learning in the classroom?”