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The following information must be provided to both of your reviewers during your pre-observation meeting and they must note the teaching dimensions to be observed on the observation report:

• The dimensions of teaching you are nominating to be observed onÌý(you must choose a minimum of four dimensions, up to maximum of 6). Carefully read through theÌýdimensions of teachingÌýand the aligned strategiesÌýto gain an understanding of what is expected to demonstrate effective teaching.Ìý

Note that there is a Dimension 11, which allows the reviewer to comment on areas relevant to institutional priorities that they observed in your teaching session, which were not covered by the other ten dimensions.

• The peer review program is underpinned by these 10ÌýTeaching Dimensions and reviewers will base their reports on their observations of strategies that align to these dimensions and how effective they observed them to be. Peer reviewers need to observe your actions and the interactions between you and the students. Therefore, you will need to consider carefully if your teaching session is best suited to demonstrate the teaching dimensions you have chosen. This is particularly important for teaching sessions that are either taught synchronously online or are a recording of a session.Ìý

• The proposed learning outcomes and specific objectives of your session. This information may be given in succinct written form to your reviewers, but they are not expected to read extensive course documentation.
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• If you have chosen Dimension 5: Students are made aware of key learning outcomes and to ensure you are providing clear learning objectives for a session to the reviewers, please access this information on writing learning objectives. The objectives for the session need to focus on what the students will do and what they will learn and be able to do.

• A brief verbal overview of the course, including what stage it is at, and what you have covered so far with your students (and possibly how) that is relevant to the session that your reviewers will attend. Include any information on your cohort, the learning space, the online materials/activities, and your teaching approach(es) that might further inform your reviewers. If you teach as part of a teaching team, you should provide some context on the nature of the team. It is quite likely and permissible that your reviewers will have some questions for you to make their task clearer when they attend your session.

What if my reviewer does not attend my observation?

Where reviewers cannot attend an observation due to illness or sudden crisis on the day, they are asked to notify you immediately.

It is your responsibility to advise the Teaching Excellence team byÌýemailÌýand the other reviewer of this. The Teaching Excellence team will assist you to rearrange the observation and will find a different reviewer if necessary.

• Each peer review will comprise a single teaching observation by two University of ÐÂÀ˲ÊƱ reviewers of strictly one hour. The reviewers will use theÌýTRP Observation ReportÌýto report on your practice in relation to the chosen dimensions of teaching.
• It is at your discretion to nominate the precise time that the peer reviewers will conduct their observation. It is not compulsory for you to have the first hour of your session observed e.g. you might want the reviewers to attend the middle hour of a three hour workshop. Note that reviewers will only attend for the chosen hour and will not sit in your session prior to or following the hour that you have nominated.
• In the interest of transparency, you are advised to let your students know that there will be guests observing the class as part of the University’s continuous enhancement process but without reference to peer review. Peer reviewers are instructed to remain as unobtrusive as possible during the observation.
• A knowledge of your discipline is not crucial for peer reviewers,Ìýthey will look for the engagement of your students during the observation and to what extent you are effectively meeting the criteria of your selected dimensions of teaching.
• Peer reviewers are aware that the dimensions of teaching that you are demonstrating will at times overlap i.e. you will in your teaching session sometimes demonstrate more than one teaching dimension at a time, and the reviewers will take this into account in their reports.