by Nina Cimino, Pharm.D., PGY1
Pharmacy Practice Resident, Suburban Hospital
As a recent
pharmacy school graduate, a current student of educational theory and practice,
and as an aspiring teacher, I have been doing a lot of thinking about the
transition from student to teacher. As a
student, I relied heavily on feedback to improve my performance. As I continue learning about educational
theory and looking for strategies to improve as a teacher in the classroom, I
wondered how feedback fits into faculty self-reflection and development. This topic has been receiving
attention in the media, with Bill Gates advocating for more
meaningful and frequent feedback to teachers as a tool to improve classroom
instruction and educational outcomes.1 Watch this video of Bill Gates
discussing his ideas with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria.
During
formal educational activities, students receive feedback from their instructors
in a variety of formats:
- Graded assignments and examinations provide
feedback about a student’s mastery of course material
- Verbal feedback from faculty members provides
suggestions for improvement
- Guidance during classroom discussions
encourages students to engage with course material
- Encouragement from faculty members provides
positive reinforcement and motivation
- Re-direction (when necessary) helps student
identify areas for improvement
These
sources of feedback all help learners determine if they understand course
materials, are thinking rationally about concepts, and promotes self-reflection
on ways to improve learning and understanding.
Once learners are no longer formal students in a classroom and assume the
role of teacher, what are the sources of feedback to help them improve?
While many
instructors receive feedback from students in the form of course evaluations,
issues other than the effectiveness of a particular instructor may influence
student evaluations.2
Students are admittedly biased by their own performance. Their perceived success can impact their course
evaluation, even though factors other than instructor effectiveness contributed
to their performance. While student
feedback is one source of valuable information for teachers, other sources can also be valuable in promoting instructor self-reflection and improvement.
Northeastern
University School of Pharmacy recently implemented a tool for peer observation
and evaluation of faculty members.3 Faculty members received formal training on
how to provide peer feedback from the University’s Center for Effective
University Teaching and were asked to serve as a peer observer for a
colleague’s large-group teaching activity.
The peer observation and evaluation process consisted of four
components:
- A pre-observation meeting to discuss the objectives
of the class session
- Classroom observation (one observation
annually)
- A post-observation meeting to discuss the
instructor’s self-reflection of his or her performance and the observer’s
positive and constructive feedback (2-3 strengths and 2-3 areas for
improvement were required)
- A post-student assessment meeting to assess
the students’ achievement after completion of examinations and/or
assignments
Surveys of
faculty members before and after implementation of the peer observation program
indicated that instructors found the program to be beneficial for improving
their teaching.3 The majority
of instructors who participated in the program (87%) reported making changes to
some elements of their teaching (e.g. content, teaching methods, and/or
assessment). In addition, 83% of participants agreed or strongly agreed “peer
assessment is a better measurement of teaching effectiveness then [sic] student
evaluations.” The majority of
participants also agreed that the benefits of participating in the peer
observation and evaluation program outweighed the time commitment required.
In addition
to student evaluations and peer observation programs, focus groups may also be
used to gather information from students regarding the effectiveness of a
teacher, course, or an entire educational program.4 While focus groups are not as easy to
administer as traditional student evaluation surveys, they are particularly
useful for exploring patterns or issues that arise during students’ evaluation
of a teacher. In addition to identifying
student perceptions of a teacher’s effectiveness, focus groups allow for a
facilitator to ask follow up questions in order to gain insight into issues
identified by students.3
It is well
recognized that feedback helps students identify strengths and areas for improvement,
as well as promoting student self-assessment of their learning. Providing instructors with feedback from
multiple sources would arguably have similar benefits. Student evaluations of courses and instructor
effectiveness is undeniably important, but peer observation and evaluation, as
well as student focus groups, can provide additional information that student
evaluations simply don’t capture. Focus
groups allow for in-depth exploration of issues identified by students. Feedback from a peer who understands the
challenges faced based by instructors and who can offer suggestions for
improvement based on personal experiences and successes would be
invaluable. These alternative feedback
mechanisms are useful not only for instructors who are new to the profession but
also seasoned instructors.
References:
1. Miks J. "Bill Gates on What Makes a Good Teacher." Global Public Square RSS. Cable News
Network, 1 Feb. 2013. Web. 16 Feb. 2013.
2. The value and limitations of student ratings. The
Ideas Center, Inc. Accessed on: March 5, 2013.
3. DiVall M., Barr J, Gonyeau M., et al. Follow-up assessment of a faculty peer observation and evaluation program. Am J Pharm Educ 2012; 76, article 61.
4. Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence. Using Focus Groups to Get Student Feedback. Carnegie Mellon:
Enhancing Education. Carnegie Mellon University. Web. Accessed on: Feb 25, 2013.