Observation of teaching practice policy

1. Overview

1.1 UWL takes a proactive approach to ensuring that the education we deliver is of high quality. One of the ways in which we achieve this is through regular developmental engagement with staff through observations of teaching practice, appraisal and continuous professional development activities.

1.2 Our approach is transparent and aligned with institutional and national priorities in relation to teaching excellence and student outcomes.

1.3 Our approach ensures a system that is supportive and through monitoring and recognition, encourages continuous improvement whilst informing senior managers of the developmental needs of our staff.

1.4 The purpose of our teaching observation policy is to ensure that staff have informed feedback on their practice and advice on how to continuously improve, whilst ensuring that as an institution we can recognise outstanding practice where it exists.

1.5 The teaching observation process ensures consistent implementation across the institution and ties in monitoring with the annual performance appraisal process providing the required impact on performance and recognition.

1.6 This new policy and process ensure consistency in practice and in the dissemination of its outcomes.

1.7 To ensure compliance with external quality assessment regimes, this policy describes how observation of academic practice will be implemented across the institution and how it dovetails with the annual appraisal cycle.

2. Definitions

2.1 The Observer is the individual undertaking the observation of a colleague’s teaching practice.

2.2 The Participant is the individual being observed.

2.3 The School/College refers to all academic units and any professional departments that engage in substantive teaching activities.

2.4 School Deans/Heads of School refers to those in senior positions responsible for managing and directing the activities of the School/College.

3. The observation process

3.1 The observation process is supported by the Teaching Hub which provides access to this policy and detail of the process for the observer and observed, and the forms that must be completed. The enhanced process, requirements and forms for staff teaching on apprenticeships are also included. Everyone is required to use this site when undertaking observations. The Learning and Organisational Development Portal provides information about the UWL Approach to CPD.

3.2 The observation will be undertaken by a peer of the individual who has completed Teaching Observation Training delivered by the Centre for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (CELT). Where the observee is teaching on an apprenticeship programme, the observation will be undertaken by a member of the School Executive, following an enhanced process and different set of criteria which are detailed within the documentation on the Teaching Hub site (see 3.1), aligned with the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework and the Further education and skills inspection handbook.

3.3 The process is designed to ensure continuous improvement and all data contained in the forms will be analysed by specified members of the Human Resources team and CELT. This is to ensure that relevant information is relayed to Schools/Colleges, to line managers (for development needs and target setting) and to the Academic Development team in CELT to inform the continuous professional development opportunities offered.

3.4 For GDPR purposes, the data will only be retained for two years post the observation but it will be used to inform reports focussing on examples of good practice and where development is required to help staff address any development needs identified as part of the process.

4. Being observed

4.1 All those who teach must be observed, as a minimum, once every two years within their School. Staff who are enrolled on the PG Cert in Professional Academic Practice or the Academic Professional Apprenticeship will undertake their observations as part of their course. Best practice, however, is annual observation, and staff teaching on apprenticeship programmes must be observed annually. Where developmental needs are identified, further observation may be carried out post-development.

4.2 Observations begin in semester one (wherever possible). Where development needs are identified, CELT can support the staff member through advice and/or CPD provision to address the developmental need. The participant should usually undergo a further observation in semester 2, prior to their appraisal. Wherever possible, the two observations should be carried out by the same observer.

4.3 The observations and any improvements in practice observed where two observations have been carried out, as well as any further improvements required should form part of the appraisal process together with other components of feedback.

5. Reporting and compliance

5.1 A report of observations undertaken, the findings for each school (including the identification of good practice) and the impact of any development undertaken will be provided by HR and CELT to relevant institutional committees with responsibility for ensuring the continuous improvement of teaching and learning for students and apprentices.

5.2 Schools will be required to report the percentage of observations completed and identify areas where good progress has been made and excellent practice has been identified.