Reciprocal Peer Observations: Giving and Getting Feedback on Formative Assessment Practices

• In Event: Seeing Teaching Clearly: New Approaches to Classroom Observation and Feedback

Abstract

This paper reports on part of a larger study on “reciprocal peer observations” in which teachers engaged in three observation cycles. Each observation cycle included recording a lesson, observing two recorded lessons, providing peer feedback to those teachers, and reflecting on the feedback they received on their own recording. The specific focus of the observations and feedback was on formative assessment practices. Our three research questions asked how teachers engage in a peer observation process using a set of rubrics focused on formative assessment practices, how the quality of teachers’ reflections varied after receiving feedback from a peer observer and after observing a peer), and how time, quality of practice, quality of feedback impacts the quality of teachers’ action planning.

Authors

• Caroline Wylie, Center for Assessment

• Eowyn P. O'Dwyer, Rutgers University

• Christine Lyon, Formative Solutions