CETL Reflections, Tips, and Quotes

Peer observation of teaching practice is widely promoted as a mechanism for professional development in higher education. Faculty members are expected to approach peer observation with respect and a collaborative spirit. While observers should be offered opportunities to convey their feedback without interruption, it doesn’t mean that members who were observed must agree with all comments provided. Rather, they should collaboratively develop solutions to any teaching challenges during post-observation meetings. The following six principles can guide observers in providing constructive and collegial feedback.

Effective collegial feedback on teaching should:

1. Focus on the development of teaching. Even if the reason for peer observation is evaluative, it can be used for developmental purpose.
2. Be timely. As written feedback may usually take longer to complete, a post-observation meeting should be arranged for immediate verbal feedback.
3. Address the priorities and objectives requested by the observed faculty members.
4. Provide positive feedback, acknowledging and affirming what was done well in the class.
5. Offer informative and clear descriptions of the teacher and student behaviour during the observed class.
6. Include open and constructive suggestions for improving teaching and learning, rather than dictating solutions.

References:

• Fletcher, J.A. (2018). Peer observation of teaching: A practical tool in higher education. The Journal of Faculty Development, 32(1), 51-64.
• Farrell, K. (2011). Collegial feedback on teaching: A guide to peer review. Centre for the Study of Higher Education, University of Melbourne.

Contributed by Prof. Botelho, Michael George The Peer Evaluation Platform (PEP) was created at HKU to allow teachers to set assignments based on documents or videos for individuals or groups. By implementing an effective peer evaluation process based on the content, students can be better prepared and involved in the group learning process. The PEP team shares tips to make group assignments more effective with peer evaluation.
How do teachers make group assignments more effective with peer evaluation?

1. Setting expectations and feedback The PEP allows teachers to create a rubric with an overview of the objectives, assessment dimensions, and standards. This rubric sets the students' expectations on how they will be assessed. Students can submit drafts of their individual or group projects to the Peer Evaluation Platform and receive annotated content from peers within their group or across the class.
2. Using progress feedback on a course submission Periodic formative feedback allows students to improve the content and scope of their project or research report based on peer feedback. This will help them better prepare for final submissions.
3. Learning how to give feedback Teaching students to give appropriate and constructive feedback is a skill that takes time and experience to do well. Teachers can provide sample content in PEP to demonstrate how to give effective feedback.
4. Anonymous versus "owned" feedback and evaluations PEP can allow anonymous or named feedback. Students may be more willing to be critical and straightforward with their feedback when they are anonymous. However, anonymity may lead to harsher criticisms and evaluations.
5. Customizing the process Peer evaluation is best received in a culture of professionalism and minimum competition and mistrust. Instructors may customize the process according to the relative objectives and the environment.
6. Guidance questions to focus learning The PEP can be set up to create questions based on a paper or video that students have to answer as they read through or watch a video. Teachers can guide and focus students on the learning content as designed.

References:

• Botelho, M. (2022, November 1). HKU Peer Evaluation Platform [Seminar]. 3rd HKU Teaching and Learning Festival: TDG Workshop 4, Exploring various technology-enhanced learning apps for your TDG. https://talic.hku.hk/3rdtlfestival22/event/workshop-4/

References:

• Lai, N. (2022, November 1). Gather Together [Seminar]. 3rd HKU Teaching and Learning Festival: TDG Workshop 4, Exploring various technology-enhanced learning apps for your TDG. https://talic.hku.hk/3rdtlfestival22/event/workshop-4/
• Gonda, D. (2021, March 11). It’s a MIRO-cle! Using Miro as a Tool to Enhance Communication and Collaboration in Online Teaching [Workshop]. CiC Digital Skills Workshop. https://talic.hku.hk/sem20210311/
• Tavares, N.J. (2022, December 14). Using Perusall as a Platform to Engage Readers, Unite Students as an Active Learning community and Leverage their learning experience [Workshop]. TEL Series: Leveraging technology to innovate your course. https://talic.hku.hk/2022telseries/

Collaborative Online International Learning, or COIL, is a learning and teaching methodology based on interaction and collaboration through online technology. In this infographics, we will explore an instructional design model SAMR (Puentedura, 2009) to guide you in applying technology to redesign your COIL course.

• Substitution is when technology acts as a direct substitute but no functional change. For example, if you use paper-based activity for F2F, you can replace it with web-based technology like online word documents for your collaborative online course.
• Augmentation is when technology acts as a direct substitute for functional improvement. For example, you may add hyperlinks or embed interactive videos in your online word document to allow the students to explore the learning activity further.
• Modification is when technology enhances the activity to alter the learning task significantly. For example, you can consider using an online collaborative app like Miro, which will not only allow students to do the task but also work together.
• Redefinition is when technology fundamentally transforms the previously impossible activity in the classroom. For example, virtual meeting platforms or hybrid classrooms will allow students from different locations to collaborate and communicate synchronously.
References:
• Puentedura, R.R. (2009). As we may teach: educational technology, from theory into practice. http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/archives/000025.html

Storytelling can be a powerful tool to help students understand complex and abstract concepts by allowing them to immerse themselves and be part of it. Teachers can create interest-provoking and compelling cases and scenarios that will enable the students to reflect on their learning and perception to judge and act on the situation. Moreover, creating branching stories or stories with different endings will allow the students to see different outcomes in their decision-making. In this infographic, we will cover the three essential storytelling elements.

1. Setting The setting is the time and place to help the students situate themselves with the story. It should have sufficient information about the context of the story, and it may change over time as the story progresses.
2. Character The characters are the individuals in that animate story. Providing depth in the character details for both antagonist and protagonist is crucial to give the students enough information for their decision-making.
3. Plot The plot is the action sequence of the story. It is where the story will present the lesson or the key teaching concepts. The plot also needs to include a challenge, a choice, and an outcome.

To know more about how you can use storytelling in your teaching, you can revisit our Creating non-linear stories using Twine to support case-based learning. References:

• CETL. (2022). Creating non-linear stories using Twine to support case-based learning. TEL Series: Leveraging technology to innovate your course. https://talic.hku.hk/2022telseries/

Visual design and communication are everywhere, from posters, websites, social media posts, or even PowerPoint slides used in classes. Communicating visually is a form of literacy needed to communicate and disseminate important information with images or graphics. In this infographic, we will explore the various elements you can manipulate for your visual design layout.

1. Alignment Alignment is the arrangement of various objects in relation to the borders of the canvas. Properly aligning the objects can create a neat and focused design.
2. Repetition Consistency in visual design can be achieved through the repetition of a shape or colour. Subsequently, inconsistency or changing a shape or colour can make the object stand out.
3. Leading Lines Leading lines are used to draw attention to an object on the canvas. In design practice, text, objects, and space can form leading lines.
4. Rule of Thirds The rule of thirds is a method of diving the canvas into a grid with three columns wide and three rows tall. It helps in the composition of the primary focus of the design.
5. Perspective In a two-dimensional medium, perspective is used to create an illusion of depth that simulate human perception of the three-dimensional space.

References:

• Communication-intensive Courses Initiative (2022). Basic Concept on Visual Design. CiC Visual Design Course. https://learning.hku.hk/courses/course-v1:HKU+CICVD+2022/course/