CVM faculty who are interested classroom observation as part of their professional development are welcome to contact the Office of Teaching & Learning.
The Office of Teaching & Learning follows a systematic process for classroom observation at any point in the semester. Faculty using new pedagogical approaches or seeking feedback on classroom management, presentation style, or learner interactions may be interested in this form of support.
Prior to the classroom observation, the observer and the faculty member typically meet to review of the faculty member’s teaching strategies and discuss the role of the observer. They may also review the syllabus. Several questions may help guide the discussion. These include, but are not limited to:
• Why has the classroom observation been requested?
• Will this be a single classroom observation or will several classes be observed?
• What does the faculty member want the observer to study and address?
• What are the course goals?
• How often has the faculty member instructed this course?
• How are sessions typically conducted? Are they lecture/activity/seminar/laboratory?
• Is the class a requirement or an elective?
• What is the role of technology in this course?
• What effect is a classroom visitor likely to have? How should his or her presence be acknowledged? Is the observer expected to participate?
• How should feedback of the observation be presented to the faculty member? Will a written evaluation be submitted in the dossier? How will any written evaluation be structured?
The observer will generally focus on the categories of preparation, organization, pedagogical approaches/delivery, and student response.
Follow up consultation offers a time to debrief and for the faculty member to pose questions or request additional feedback or clarification. Unless requested otherwise, classroom observations serve formative purposes and results are not shared. If the faculty member would like a formal report/letter for his or her dossier, the director will provide that.