CRITICAL REFLECTIONS ON PEER OBSERVATION IN TEACHING

Abstract

In contemporary education, the need for teachers to enhance their practices and core knowledge in pedagogy is significant. Various professional development programs have been devised to address the teacher’s needs, nonetheless, since many of them are generic they often fail to consider individual circumstances, situational aspects and in some cases factors related to national mentality. Here, Peer Observation of Teachers (POT) can be instrumental and a promising method in identifying and refining a teacher’s overall approach to the teaching methods. This aligns with teachers' motivations for growth and provides relevant, actionable feedback. The current study evaluates POT's effectiveness as a professional development tool using qualitative methods, including Focus Group Discussions and surveys across various disciplines, such as English, Business Management, and Linguistics. The paper reveals that POT helps identify areas for improvement, promoting reflective practice which can enhance and facilitate the practice of knowledge sharing and contribute to a supportive working community. The study also touches upon significant challenges, such as time constraints, stress and subjective feedback. In addition, the lack of formalised peer observation programs may lead to inconsistent practices.

The study recommends increasing the frequency of peer observation sessions and developing programs with clear guidelines to provide targeted training for teachers and boost effectiveness. Overall, POT is valued for its potential to improve teaching quality and professional development provided there is structured institutional support.