Appendix C: Sample Standards and Criteria for Review

Dimensions of Teaching
University of Adelaide, Australia
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/teachingprojects/peerreview/peerReviewReport_part2_appendices.pdf

Dimension 1: Students are actively engaged in learning
Indicative teaching strategies for demonstrating this dimension may include:

  • fostering a supportive, non-threatening teaching/learning environment
  • encouraging students to express views, ask and answer questions, and allow time and opportunity for this to occur
  • using questioning skills which encourage student engagement
  • providing immediate and constructive feedback where appropriate
  • demonstrating enthusiasm for teaching and learning
  • (for smaller groups) fostering extensive interaction
  • (for very large groups) presenting in such a manner as to achieve maximum engagement

Dimension 2: Students' prior knowledge and experience is built upon
Indicative teaching strategies for demonstrating this dimension may include:

  • being fully aware of and/or determining students' prior knowledge and understanding
  • building on students' current knowledge and understanding, and taking them conceptually beyond this level
  • where appropriate, using and building upon student contributions and preparation

Dimension 3: Teaching caters for student diversity
Indicative teaching strategies for demonstrating this dimension may include:

  • demonstrating an appreciation of the different levels of knowledge and understanding in a group
  • addressing, as appropriate, different learning needs and styles within the group
  • focusing on building confidence, enthusiasm and intrinsic motivation
  • fostering students' responsibility for their own learning, encouraging them towards being self-directed learners, (as distinct from teacher-directed learners)
  • using appropriate strategies for different needs, balancing discursive interactive strategies with those that are more didactic (where simple transmission of knowledge is needed)
  • recognizing, at times, the need for teacher-directed strategies such as explaining, and being able to implement these effectively
  • exercising balance between challenging and supporting students
  • designing activities/tasks that allow students of differing abilities to participate/engage and demonstrate/enhance their learning
  • providing examples or opportunities for discussion that cater for cultural diversity

Dimension 4: Students are encouraged to develop/expand their conceptual understanding
Indicative teaching strategies for demonstrating this dimension may include:

  • helping students bridge the gap between their current conceptual understanding and the next "level"
  • helping students become aware of what the next levels are
  • encouraging students to become self- directed learners by using the "lecture"/presentation as the stimulus for individual study/learning
  • challenging students intellectually e.g. by extending them with question/answer/discussion components where students' conclusions must be justified to the teacher and peers. This usually involves questions such as "What do you think is going on"; "Why"; "What if...?" etc.
  • encouraging students to internalize or "construct " their individual conceptual understanding (ultimately the learner must be responsible for his/her own learning)
  • encouraging deep (intrinsic) rather than surface (extrinsic) approaches to learning
  • working cooperatively with students to help them enhance understanding
  • clearly demonstrating a thorough command of the subject matter

Dimension 5: Students are aware of key learning outcomes
Indicative teaching strategies for demonstrating this dimension may include:

  • ensuring students are progressively aware of key learning outcomes
  • focusing on learning outcomes at key points in the presentation
  • ensuring a synthesis of key learning outcomes is emphasized towards the conclusion of the session so that individual student follow-up work is well focused
  • encouraging each student to accept responsibility for learning issues to follow-up and consolidate
  • ensuring students are aware of the link between key learning outcomes and assessment (formative and summative), as appropriate

Dimension 6: Actively uses links between research and teaching
Indicative teaching strategies for demonstrating this dimension may include:

  • emphasizing, where appropriate, links between research outcomes and learning
  • using research links appropriately, given the level of student conceptual development
  • raising students' awareness of what constitutes research

Dimension 7: Uses educational resources and techniques appropriately
Indicative teaching strategies for demonstrating this dimension may include:

  • using IT techniques effectively, eg PowerPoint or multimedia presentations of a professional standard using, as appropriate, a balance of IT and other strategies
  • using available classroom resources to support student learning effectively
  • supplying resources, materials and literature to support student learning
  • using specific educational strategies and techniques in the design and delivery of teaching sessions, to achieve key objectives

Dimension 8: Presents material logically
Indicative teaching strategies for demonstrating this dimension may include:

  • providing an early brief structural overview of the session
  • developing this structure in a coherent manner, ensuring students are constantly aware of the development of the session
  • providing time for reviewing at key stages, including closure
  • establishing closure, aiming at helping students draw together and understand major issues and identify individual learning needs and short-comings

Dimension 9: Seeks feedback on students' understanding and acts on this accordingly
Indicative teaching strategies for demonstrating this dimension may include:

  • seeking feedback progressively during the session eg through constant observation of interest level and engagement and by using specific questions to test understanding
  • modifying the presentation to accommodate feedback messages
  • seeking feedback towards the conclusion of the session to assist student to determine individual work to be consolidated