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What's the purpose of the Peer Consultancy Program?How can this program help you with your teaching?
How can you request a peer consultation?
What's the process for receiving a peer consult?
Who are the peer consultants?
What are the most FAQ’s about the program?
How are these consultations kept confidential?
What's the purpose of the Peer Consultancy Program?
The CET&L, in coordination with the Academy of Fellows of Teaching and Learning (AFTL), has launched the Faculty Peer Consultancy Program in order to support those faculty who want to improve their teaching skills. Faculty requesting peer consultations will collaborate with colleagues who have already demonstrated expertise in various pedagogical strategies and who has teaching experience in a variety of contexts. Both CET&L and AFTL strongly believe that fostering peer relationships between interested faculty members---across disciplinary fields and spanning career stages---will not only raise the standards of teaching at UC but will also heighten the desire for improved teaching and learning on all UC campuses.
How can this program help with your teaching?
Who of us hasn't wanted our students to share the curiosity we have in our disciplines, or to get turned on to what excites us in our fields? And who among us hasn't experienced frustrations with our teaching when we feel our efforts aren't met with our students' increased learning? We believe that sharing these concerns and then working with a peer consultant to identify ways in which we can help our students increase learning in our disciplines will infuse vigor into our teaching efforts. And that can only lead to more satisfaction in our jobs.
Specifically, a peer consultant can
- Observe a class and provide written feedback on it
- Share verbal and/or written feedback about a video-taped class
- With a new eye, evaluate teaching material, including syllabi, assignments, and tests
- Share information about technologies that may facilitate teaching and learning
- Bring a fresh approach to redesigning an existing course or designing a new one
- Identify workshops and/or other CET&L programs that may be beneficial to individual situations
- Help faculty document their teaching by encouraging
- Teaching portfolios
- On-line teaching snapshots
- Presentations on SoTL
- Publications on the SoTL
How can you request a peer consultation?And, what's the process for receiving a peer consult?
Step One: Complete the Pre-Consultation Questionairre and email it to cetl@uc.edu.
Step Two: Once you've submitted your completed Pre-Consultation Questionnaire, we'll forward your information to one of our peer consultants. That peer consultant will contact you to arrange an appointment at which you will discuss your needs; together, you will create a plan for proceeding.
Step Three: At the conclusion of the consultation process, CET&L will send you a post-consultation evaluation through which you can give use some feedback on your experience. We'll use this information to continue tweaking our program to make it better.
Who are the peer consultants?
Over 30 faculty members from different stages of their careers and representing disciplines as diverse as neurology and law have already come to this project by volunteering to serve as peer consultants. Many of our consultants have received formal recognition from their departments, their colleges, or the university for their teaching; all have expressed an engagement with teaching techniques that promote deeper learning in students.
Additionally, a number of our volunteers have demonstrated interest in the scholarship of teaching and learning—either by practicing pedagogies they've discovered through research or by contributing to the scholarship of teaching and learning by way of conference presentations or SoTL publications.
To meet our consultants, and to read their bios, please click here.
What are the most FAQ’S about the program?
What is a peer consultation?
For us, a peer consultation is the interaction of two or more faculty members and is intended to provide support for or feedback regarding one member's teaching. This consultation may include observation of classroom teaching or review of syllabi and assignments, but it must also include feedback regarding how those observations fit with the requesting faculty's expressed needs.
How does this formal consultation differ from the informal conversations that occur between faculty on a routine basis?
The formal consultations are intended to supplement or enhance those routine conversations that take place more spontaneously. Some faculty will prefer more directed feedback than what they receive casually. And newer faculty or those facing particularly challenging problems may not yet have developed the network of relationships necessary to address their specific needs.
How is this program funded?
Peer consultants receive no payment for their service; they volunteer their time.
What are the advantages of participating in this program?
Not only will program participants receive direct and detailed support for their teaching, they will also benefit from working with faculty from outside their department who can help bring new eyes and suggestions to some old problems.
Also, we cannot underestimate the impact improved efficiency, vigor, and an increased feeling of community can have on student learning and on our attitude about our work
Is this program only for people who are having trouble teaching?
No way. This program is designed to infuse teaching with new ideas, to reduce what may be ineffective efforts and therefore free up more time, to give us more energy in response to our students, and to draw creativity from across various disciplines into our own.
Is this only for people who use certain teaching strategies?
It's intended for any teacher who leans toward any teaching strategy and who wants to improve her teaching. If you want to improve your lecture skills, this program can help you; if you want to use more small groups, more hands on, more problem-based learning, or if you want to try something radically and crazily new to break out of a rut, this program is definitely for you.
How can I access the services of the Peer Consultancy Program?
Easy; just describe your teaching inquiry by filling out the Pre-Consultation Questionnaire. Then, email it to us at cetl@uc.edu. We'll set you up with a Peer Consultant who matches your interests.
Can I have more than one consultation?
Of course; our consultants have widely varying skills and interests, and you're welcome to meet with as many as you'd like.
Can I decide when the consultant observes my teaching?
You're in charge of this process; if you've got a time you'd like a consultant to observe you, we'll do our very best to find one who can meet with you then.
How much time will this take?
That's really your decision. If you prefer to chat with a consultant over a cup of coffee, your consultation may take only 15 to 30 minutes. If you want a consultant to observe you as you teach and then give you detailed feedback, then that will obviously take more time. Again, this process is driven by your needs, so you'll determine how much time you invest.
Can I have a consultant for an online course or for a laboratory/clinical setting?
We have several consultants with experience in these areas, and they'd love to participate in helping you with yours.
How do people become peer consultants?
Our consultants either volunteered to do this, or they were nominated by their peers. All consultants have participated in a brief training process to help guide them in being effective consultants.
How are these consultations confidential?
All consultations will remain completely confidential. The only people who will know of your involvement are the CET&L staff coordinator, your consultant, and you. Any observation notes and consultation reports will remain between you and your peer consultant. Of course, you're free to share your experience with whomever you wish, but everyone else has committed to maintaining confidentiality. For reporting purposes, the CET&L will maintain anonymous details regarding all consultations; we intend to track departments, colleges, and the faculty postions of those participating in the program, but we will not track specific people.
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