A Faculty Growth Perspective on Peer Review of Teaching: An Institution-Wide, Customizable Approach to Peer Review.

Abstract

As academic medical centers have moved away from using learner ratings of instruction as a demonstration of quality teaching in the promotion process, Indiana University School of Medicine sought to create a peer review of teaching system. We created our system in 2010 and have engaged in continuous quality improvement since. In these efforts, we sought to answer the question, "How can we create a system of peer review of teaching that provides high-quality feedback to faculty and encourages autonomy and growth?" Our peer review of teaching system includes a website, with a brief introduction to the concept of peer review, as well as a series of customizable forms that allows faculty and peer reviewers to choose items for observation and feedback based on teaching setting. This system, called the Peer Review Form Builder (PRFB), combines interactive technology with evidence-based faculty development and is innovative in structure and scope. On the macro level, departments and programs have seen success with the tool by engendering conversations on the values and effectiveness of teaching and education efforts. This systematic, tailored system of peer review of teaching has advanced the stature, quality, and innovation within all aspects of teaching throughout the institution. Further, we have incorporated these values into promotion and tenure documents, by encouraging consistent, systematic peer review as a primary source of evidence to demonstrate teaching effectiveness.