(113) Adaptation of the TEval Framework to Improve Peer Teaching Evaluations within A Pharmacy Practice Department

Objective : Effective teaching is vital in the development of student learners into competent and skilled pharmacists. The purpose of this project is to describe an approach to advance documenting effective and equitable practices of faculty teaching using the Benchmarks for Teaching Effectiveness framework, a part of the TEval project supported by the National Science Foundation.

Methods: The Pharmacy Practice department worked with the KU Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) to review the Benchmarks for Teaching Effectiveness rubric which consists of seven categories of teaching practices focused on classroom climate, teaching practices, class goals and expectations, feedback offered to student work, and learning outcomes. The framework is multi-dimensional by drawing information from the instructor, peers, and students. A development team worked with CTE to adapt this rubric and created peer triads to use the rubric for peer teaching evaluations within the department.

Results: Two peer triads were formed in 2020 to pilot the rubric and functionality of the triad. Feedback was used to revise the Benchmarks rubric and obtain usefulness of the triad to support teaching for each faculty member. With the success of the pilot triads, additional faculty cohorts were formed. A two-hour seminar provided information about the Benchmarks rubric and guidance for the peer triads for the academic year (e.g., teaching goals, self-reflections, assessment data, course design).

Conclusions: Use of the rubric and the impact on teaching and learning will be reviewed to assess future directions on the utility of this approach for evaluation of faculty teaching.