Instructors primarily receive course feedback from their main audience – students. While a student’s personal experience is valuable when reviewing and modifying teaching methods, instructors need input from colleagues as well.
That is why Faculty-led Inquiry into Reflective and Scholarly Teaching (formerly Peer Review of Teaching Project) was formed at UNL. This professional development program offers instructors an opportunity to meet with other faculty at the university to discuss teaching. It also provides a template for instructors to document and assess courses and teaching methods in a professional portfolio.
“I participated in FIRST (formerly Peer Review of Teaching) as a first-year participant in 2007,” said Jody Kellas, Willa Cather Professor and chair of communications studies and co-director of FIRST. Kellas went on to become an advanced participant the next year and advanced leader the following year before becoming co-director of FIRST with Eve Brank.
“I got involved in fall 2009,” said Brank, professor of psychology and director of the Center on Children, Families and the Law. “Beyond focusing on the general organization of the program, I focus on the advanced project for faculty who have completed the initial year of the program.”
When instructors join the program, they will develop a course portfolio and reflect on teaching in a constructive and supportive climate with colleagues across disciplines. Participants who return will be placed in the advanced program, which focuses more on teaching from a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning method.
Typically, there are about two dozen first year participants and around one dozen advanced participants in a school year.
“The advanced program offers a space for continued conversations and written reflection about teaching and improving student learning,” said Brank. “Specifically, the advanced program is designed to support faculty interested in developing a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning project. The advanced program seeks to provide you with the resources to develop manuscripts and/or presentations that have a reach beyond the University of Nebraska.”
The FIRST program was initially offered once a year but has recently been restructured to allow applicants to apply in the fall or spring. It boasts rave reviews from former participants and all faculty members are welcome to apply.
“My experience encouraged me to finally get rid of having lectures in my classroom,” said Kevin Lee, research professor of physics and astronomy. “I made the leap to a 100% student-centered pedagogy because of my peer review experiences [with FIRST]. It made me completely aware of how little my students were learning.”
“By participating in the project, I have added lectures, discussions, and activities that are directly tied to course objectives, and I better monitor student groups,” said Larkin Powell, professor in the School of Natural Resources.
Learn more and apply for the spring cohort on the FIRST website.
More details at: https://peerreview.unl.edu