Introduction
The Centre for Learning, Teaching and Technology (LTTC) has developed the Staff Professional Development (SPD) Programme for all academic/teaching staff of the University. In partnership with academic departments and Teaching Development Grant (TDG) project teams, LTTC has organized a series of SPD activities since August 2013. The SPD Programme consists of different components as below.
Principles of Peer Support of Teaching Scheme
Should be collaborative and developmental, not judgmental.
Should seek to contribute both to professional development of colleagues and to quality learning of students. It is not for the purpose of performance appraisal.
Should aim at identifying and disseminating good and innovative practice whilst maintaining participant confidentiality.
Highly encouraged for quality enhancement purposes though colleagues’ participation in peer support activities is voluntary.
The outcomes are restricted for the use of colleagues being observed/reviewed and they would have the discretion to decide on the use of the outcomes as deemed appropriate.
Objectives
Providing a supportive and collegial framework for academic and teaching colleagues to:
- Reflect on their professional practices
- Receive constructive feedback
- Share good / innovative practices in ways that are developmental and non-judgmental
Promote peer dialogue about teaching
Develop a culture that values peer feedback as positive and developmental experience
Approaches
Faculties/departments/teams/individual colleagues may determine the selection and pairing methods. Two different modes of pairing are suggested:
Mentor-Mentee Mode to pair up a more experienced colleague with a less experienced colleague
Mentor-Mentee Mode to pair up a more experienced colleague with a less experienced colleague- This mode targets at new colleagues below the rank of Professor who are in their first year of service at the University, or academic/teaching staff who demonstrate a need for coaching (e.g. based on the students’ feedback from SET, SSCM). A mentor from the same department is to be assigned to the colleague by the relevant Head of Department (HoD) / Unit;
- Colleagues could also invite Teaching Awardees (e.g. recipients of President’s Award for Outstanding Performance in Teaching, Faculty Teaching Award, and Excellence in Teaching Award, etc.) to be their mentor; and
- This mentor-mentee relationship will remain for the full academic year.
Peer Support Mode to take on the form of a professional learning community and mutual/reciprocal learning among colleagues with different experiences
Peer Support Mode to take on the form of a professional learning community and mutual/reciprocal learning among colleagues with different experiencesColleagues could form peer support teams by mutual consent. The pairings can be reciprocal (“A” is peer for “B” and vice versa) or one way (“A” is peer for “B”, “B” is not peer for “A” but is peer for “C”).
In general, the partnership will remain for the full academic year. Colleagues may then determine whether they would continue the partnership or choose new partners.