Appendix B: Pre-Observation Meeting Form
It is recommended that the instructor complete this form and share it with their observer, along with any other relevant course documents, ahead of and/or during the pre-observation meeting for further discussion and review. The pre-observation meeting typically takes 30-60 minutes and is often conducted in-person or synchronously online.
During the pre-observation meeting, the instructor and observer should discuss the context for the class visit and goals for the observation. Consider using the course syllabus, a lesson plan, and/or sharing a teaching philosophy statement to guide this discussion, along with this pre-observation meeting form. The goal of the meeting is to get to know the instructor, their goals, areas of concern, and the types of feedback that would be most helpful.
During this meeting, it is also important to plan the logistics for the observation itself. For the in-class visit, choose a date that is mutually convenient. Do not schedule an observation on the day of an in-class assessment. Finally, it can be beneficial to schedule the observation in the middle of term; this way, there may be ample opportunity to make minor adjustments before the end of the term. This timeline is a suggestion, not a requirement.
Please use the following questions to guide your discussion and identify specific areas for feedback during the pre-observation meeting.
Please also see the teaching observation feedback forms available for use during the in-class visit – Appendix C: Teaching Observation Feedback Form (Structured), Appendix D: Teaching Observation Feedback Form (Grid), or Appendix E: Teaching Observation Feedback Form (Narrative) – selecting one and modifying it as needed based on the pre-observational discussion and the goals identified by the instructor.
Instructor’s name: ____________________________________
Observer’s name: ________________________________
Date of the pre-observation meeting: _____________________
Course code and name: _______________________________
Course Modality (in-person, online):____________________________________
Date, time, and location of the teaching observation: ________________________________
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Contextual Information |
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What contextual information about this class or course is important for the observer to know?For example, consider number of students enrolled, course modality (in-person, blended, online), components (labs, tutorials), assessments, teaching strategies, whether it is a new course, etc. |
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What are the intended learning outcomes for the course and/or class? What does the instructor want students to take away from the course and/or class? |
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What teaching and learning challenges is the instructor experiencing, if any? Consider challenges for both the instructor, and students. |
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What else should the peer observer know about the cohort of students? For example, if this group of students is struggling more than previous cohorts, the typical percentage of students who attend class, etc.? |
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Goals for the Observation |
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Why does the instructor want a teaching observation? (i.e. for professional development, in preparation for summative evaluations, etc)? |
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Is there any feedback related to teaching and learning the instructor would like from the observation process? The instructor should consider reviewing the observation feedback forms – Appendix C: Teaching Observation Feedback Form (Structured), Appendix D: Teaching Observation Feedback Form (Grid), or Appendix E: Teaching Observation Feedback Form (Narrative) – and select one for the observer to use, or modify one as needed. |
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Does the instructor have any other questions, concerns, or things they would like to share ahead of the observation? What else should the peer observer know ahead of the observation?
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Optional: Collecting Student Feedback The instructor and observer may choose to set aside some class time for the observer to collect student feedback (10-15 min). In this case, it is important that:
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Will the peer observer collect student feedback during the class visit? |
Yes |
No |
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What questions would the instructor like the observer to ask the students? For example, questions like “What is working well in this course?” and “What suggestions do you have regarding how the instructor may enhance your learning in this course?” can solicit areas of strength and areas for improvement. The instructor may also wish to generate 2-3 additional or alternative questions for soliciting student feedback. Please see Appendix J: Open Ended Questions for Gathering Student Feedback for some suggestions. |
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Finally, consider whether the instructor will introduce the observer to their students. This may be useful in smaller class settings where students will notice a new person in the room, or if the observer will be collecting student feedback at the end of the class. If the instructor is introducing the observer to their students, emphasize that the observer is there to observe and provide feedback on the instructor’s teaching only; they are not there to observe or evaluate the students.
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Will the observer be introduced to students? |
Yes |
No |
Additional Notes:
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