Overview

Classroom observation of the teaching and learning process is done at PSU to improve the teaching of the individuals being observed, to improve teaching at the university in general, to articulate and underscore the University's commitment to quality teaching, and to enhance the student-centeredness of classroom instruction.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines on the process and procedures of classroom observations.

Scope

This policy covers all occupants of the classroom: undergraduate and graduate-level students and faculty members from all programs and academic departments.

Policy

It is mandated that each faculty member will be observed at least once a year to monitor the quality of the teaching and learning process in each program. This mandated observation will consist of a pre-observation meeting, the observation, and a post-observation meeting.

Each academic leader or assigned person to observe will be required to attend the classroom observation workshops offered by the TLC.

Procedures:

1. The academic departments are committed to ensuring that classroom observation is developmental and supportive.
2. The department chairperson and/or who represents him/ her are responsible for conducting the class observation. The observer(s) is to carry out their role with professionalism, integrity, and courtesy. They are also responsible for evaluating faculty members objectively and fairly.
3. The classroom observation is to be conducted at least once per academic year, of a maximum of 60 minutes in length, except in exceptional circumstances. Those exceptional circumstances are where the faculty member chooses to request a further observation or where concerns have been raised about a faculty member’s performance, which may require further observation to take place.
4. The classroom observation process has to be recorded and reported accurately, and the confidentiality of the information gained has to be maintained.
5. The department chairperson or whoever represents him/her has to reach an agreement in advance on classroom observation to be carried out. The process has to be recorded using the Pre-observation form.
6. The classroom observation is to be recorded using the Observation form. The written record of feedback will include the date on which the observation took place, the lesson observed, and the length of the observation.
7. The faculty member will have access to the observation feedback after the observation.
8. A brief post-observation meeting is to be conducted with the faculty member to discuss the observation and the feedback on it. The faculty member will be able to respond to the feedback given at the post-observation meeting. The process is to be recorded using the Post Observation form.
9. The classroom observation data is to be used in the annual faculty evaluation.