From content-centered logic to student-centered logic: can peer observation shift how faculty think about their teaching?

ABSTRACT

This research investigates how peer observation programs can be designed to enhance faculty use of student-centered logic. Data include participants’ self-reports (interviews) and 50 hours of recorded faculty-faculty dialogue. Findings suggest specific design features that may increase fluency in student-centered logic. The study may be useful to academic developers interested in helping faculty move beyond content-centered, lecture-based approaches to teaching.

KEYWORDS:

• Alignment
• learning outcomes
• peer observation
• student-centered

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to the faculty who bravely and generously allowed their conversations to be part of this research and to the anonymous reviewers who helped to strengthen this article. Special thanks to Adrienne Lavine for her keen editing and staunch support. Collaboration with her and the following individuals made the work possible: Katie Dixie, Lisa Felipe, Beth Goodhue, Noelle Griffin, Rachel Kennison, David MacFadyen, Erin Sanders O’Leary, David Schaberg, Shanna Shaked, and Amelia Tobiason.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2021.2015691.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation under grant number 41500604; and University of California Los Angeles funds in support of the university’s ongoing accreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Notes on contributors

Glory Tobiason

Glory Tobiason is Clinical Faculty in the Education Department at the University of California Los Angeles. Her research focuses on understanding and supporting the work of teachers, particularly on developing faculty pedagogy through formative peer observation. Prior to entering academia, she spent nine delightful years as a teacher in primary and secondary schools.