Peer Review
Peer Review 1
Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: 2 x online tutorials of 30mins each
Size of student group: students meet one-to-one with tutor
Observer: Misha Xu
Observee: Paul Bench
Note: This record is solely for exchanging developmental feedback between colleagues. Its reflective aspect informs PgCert and Fellowship assessment, but it is not an official evaluation of teaching and is not intended for other internal or legal applications such as probation or disciplinary action.
Part One
Observee to complete in brief and send to observer prior to the observation or review:
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?
These are the final tutorials before student submission of their final year extended essay for Contextualising Your Practice. Grades count towards final degree grade.
Students receive 3 tutorials, which are supplemented with group seminars at points during the unit and drop-in sessions before submission. They should have begun planning their projects before the summer. Not all attend tutorials. A tutorial record sheet is produced during the tutorial and emailed later to the student by the tutor.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?
Since early Oct 2024 as an associate lecturer taking seminars and tutorials.
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?
LO 1 Demonstrate a critical awareness of a range of theories and knowledges relevant to your chosen topic (Knowledge)
LO 2 Critically analyse diverse concepts and ideas (Enquiry)
LO 3 Evaluate and apply appropriate methods related to your research questions (Process)
LO 4 Clearly articulate your research and ideas through an extended essay (Communication)
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?
An extended essay (4,500 words) presented in academic format, including bibliography and references.
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
It can be hard to fit everything into the session and offer a good balance, especially at this final opportunity and if students have either not done much work or want me to read a finished essay. It can also be hard to balance useful discussion about their topic with making sure they have relevant notes on their record sheet to refer to afterwards, as well as making them aware of the resources available and answering questions, while sticking to time.
How will students be informed of the observation/review?
Students recorded have consented on e-mail in advance.
What would you particularly like feedback on?
Any tips for how I could improve the delivery of everything that needs to be covered and anything specific relating to the type of student that I could improve on.
How will feedback be exchanged?
Use of this form. Further notes or online meetings if necessary.
Part Two
Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:
Paul briefed me in advance that the observed sessions are 2 individual final tutorials before students submit their final-year extended essay for the unit of Contextualising Your Practice.
At the beginning of the tutorials, Paul thanked students for giving consent to record the meeting for observation purposes; warmly welcomed students; and checked their progress during the winter break. Students have been offered several opportunities to ask questions before moving on. The submission deadline has been highlighted, Paul also kindly suggested the students submit a bit earlier by considering the potential risk, i.e., technical issues.
The 1st student managed her own time very well, and made good progress; then Paul kindly checked her drafts and pointed out a few potential areas where she could further improve before submission. The tutorial record form has been completed in the last 5 mins, students left the tutorial confidently with a clear understanding of improvements.
The 2nd student was a bit behind the progress as he got new ideas during the break and was still in the planning stage for the whole essay. Seems like the student was not sure about the methodology yet, Paul shared the screen and went through the Learning Outcomes in the unit’s Moodle page with the student together. The record form has been completed in detail for the student. Paul goes through and highlights information with the student professionally even some surprises happened to the student’s progress. I am just wondering how the student should submit his Ethical Form for approval, as this is the last tutorial?
The 2 observed tutorials have been managed well in both structure and time with a well-balanced speaking speed. Considering it’s the final tutorial before submission, Paul shared the relevant screens and reminded students of the key date, format requirements, and who can be contacted for further information during the tutorials.
Overall, the online tutorials are very changeling because of the “online” nature, especially for the last tutorial, but Paul managed both tutorials well with a high standard of professional knowledge. In the future, maybe the tutor can request students to update their progress before the tutorials by email at some certain point, especially for tutorials with big breaks in the middle, to avoid “supervised” big changes.
Peer Review 2
Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: 2 hours Seminar for BA Fashion Marketing Year 1
Size of student group: Around 20 students
Observer: Paul Bench
Observee: Misha Xu
Note: This record is solely for exchanging developmental feedback between colleagues. Its reflective aspect informs PgCert and Fellowship assessment, but it is not an official evaluation of teaching and is not intended for other internal or legal applications such as probation or disciplinary action.
Part One
Observee to complete in brief and send to observer prior to the observation or review:
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?
· Understanding and discussions on how to structure the summative assessment which is an individual report
· Discuss and make all marketing decisions in the simulation game including Q3, Q4.
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?
· Since they joined LCF in Sep 2024, I have been doing lectures (cross 3 courses), seminars, and tutorials
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?
· Understanding the Principles of Fashion Marketing, and reflecting their understanding in the Simulation Game.
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?
· A marketing report 1500 words
· Students are required to produce a marketing report for a fashion company/brand/retailer/designer of their choice. The report outlines a marketing plan to meet the requirements of an identified target market within a local or global context. The marketing plan should outline clear aims and objectives, implementation activities and KPIs to measure performance and progress towards the achievement of the marketing plan outcomes.
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
· No
How will students be informed of the observation/review?
· I will introduce it to students before the seminar starts
What would you particularly like feedback on?
· Student engagement and group participants
How will feedback be exchanged?
· This record form, and email communications
Part Two
Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:
The observed session was towards the end of a unit. Through this unit, students engaged in an online team game in which students apply theory in active decision making framed as a competition. This was explained to me ahead of time. The session also served to recap on briefing notes before a summative report submission.
Students were congratulated at the start of the session for attendance across the unit. Encouraging students to log on to the relevant game/application and get into their groups, took some time. While students did this and latecomers continued to arrive, key aspects of the session and imminent deadline were repeated, while students were encouraged to excel in the remaining time.
Unless students had been forewarned of the observer presence, it would have been good to alert them to the observation. Organising late students and group working on laptops, while summarising submission requirements was potentially challenging to manage, but done with ease. The break seemed to come a little early, but this may relate to the flow of the session, the impending game deadline and established protocols.
The session was orderly, with distinct shifts from the login and stress on the game, to more formal submission slides. A combination of clear information about deadlines and what to submit with good explanations about how to format the report and why, was supplemented with more active use of the shared screen. This sharing briefly included the outlook app, but ensuring this is closed ahead of sharing to class might be good in future. Sharing citethemright and Academic Support booking areas on screen might have been good, but this had likely been covered previously.
The presentation of information was thorough and enthusiastic, allowing space for questions. Formal elements at the beginning and in the summative briefing were presented at the lectern and at appropriate volume for the class, while individuals and groups were attended to in a modified tone. The pace of some information delivery could be slowed down. However, by this stage students are presumably well versed on the expectations.
There were a number of behavioural/individual student challenges. This contributed to a challenging situation in which some students had to be introduced to the task while the majority focused on summative activities. Misha demonstrated extremely high levels of patience and empathy, sought the assistance of technical staff and managed everything with ease and an even tone.
Some groups/students were more engaged in the task than others. This is inherent in all group work. Perhaps some attention could be paid to each group more systematically. However, I was only able to observe the first part of an extended session, so all students likely received attention across the span of the full session.
Overall, the session was handled with skill, confidence, technical ability and excellent attention to diverse student needs.
Part Three
Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged:
Thanks, Paul for the very valuable feedback. Thanks for highlighting my teaching skills of professional teaching, and I have found the suggestions are all very useful and will take them into consideration in my future teaching activities.
Due to the nature of the observed session, which is a seminar that combined both theories review and simulation game decision-making in groups, a break has been included between the 2 activities to provide students with refreshing opportunities and game login. I will keep in mind to try to offer the break around the middle of the seminar, to maximum the engagement.
Although the seminar is partly reviewing the unit contents, so students are all fimilarised with the requirement, then I did quickly go through the key points in the beginning. In the future, I will bear in mind a more balanced information delivery in my future teaching, and make sure students can follow well (Orr and Shreeve, 2017).
Other information, I,e., Language support, academic support, and citemeright are all shared with students in the previous session. I have also provided the contacts on Moodle, and I will try to keep reminding them in the future.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Reference:
Orr, S. and Shreeve, A. (2017) Art and design pedagogy in higher education: knowledge, values and ambiguity in the creative curriculum. London: Routledge
Peer review 3
Session/artefact to be observed/reviewed: 2 hours Seminar for BA Fashion Marketing Year 1, the Principles of Fashion Marketing
Size of student group: Around 20 students
Observer: Dr Frederico Matos
Observee: Dr Misha Xu
Note: This record is solely for exchanging developmental feedback between colleagues. Its reflective aspect informs PgCert and Fellowship assessment, but it is not an official evaluation of teaching and is not intended for other internal or legal applications such as probation or disciplinary action.
Part One
Observee to complete in brief and send to observer prior to the observation or review:
What is the context of this session/artefact within the curriculum?
- This is the final seminar before submission
- The seminar answers any questions on the ‘make the grade’ checklist
- Any Q&A on the individual final report
- Discussions and making ALL final decisions on the simulation game
How long have you been working with this group and in what capacity?
- Since they joined LCF in Sep 2024, I have been doing lectures (cross 3 courses), seminars, and tutorials
What are the intended or expected learning outcomes?
- Understanding the Principles of Fashion Marketing and reflecting their understanding in the Simulation Game
- Prepare the submission
What are the anticipated outputs (anything students will make/do)?
- A marketing report 1500 words
- Students are required to produce a marketing plan report for a fashion company/brand/retailer/designer of their choice. The report outlines a marketing plan to meet the requirements of an identified target market within a local or global context. The marketing plan should outline clear aims and objectives, implementation activities and KPIs to measure performance and progress towards the achievement of the marketing plan outcomes
Are there potential difficulties or specific areas of concern?
- No
How will students be informed of the observation/review?
- I will introduce it to students before the seminar starts
What would you particularly like feedback on?
- Student engagement and group participants
How will feedback be exchanged?
- This record form, and email communication
Part Two
Observer to note down observations, suggestions and questions:
Misha, thanks for having me observe your class and for the detailed observation form.
This was a session where you had to adapt and respond to students’ needs and expectations on the spot. I think you did this really well, as it is not always the easiest thing to do. Your expertise of the topic was demonstrated throughout and clearly valued by the students. The initial discussion about how this session could help the student(s) was important, as it made the session relevant for them, especially as the submission deadline looms. You go on to provide a clear outline of the session.
You addressed student questions very well and provided detailed answers, which students clearly appreciated. I think that it was clear that you really supported students in gaining confidence in completing their final assessment, with really useful examples of how to apply expectations/checklist. I wondered if the checklist is too long, or may did not read very well on the slides as the font was quite small. Could this be zoomed in or maybe separate in sections in different slides? Sometimes I think that we as teachers can speak a bit fast. I notice I do this at times when I teach, and try to remind myself to go more slowly.
You asked students if they were clear about what they need to do for their final assessment– it is great that they feel they can address points of in their submission. Perhaps another question could be ‘why’ they need to the assignment in this way, so as to give a more holistic view of the work and the industry. This is something they will have encountered many the times in the sessions throughout the term but I think it is always useful to remind them. I wonder if you could have asked them how they have addressed specific points in their own submission, so the discussion felt more specific in places. Examples can also be helpful for other participants in completing their submission.
At times, I felt that links between the assignment and its relevance for future careers and the importance of completing it in preparation for ‘how things are done’ could be useful. This is surely done throughout the unit but could have been revisited in this session in my view. Sometimes we, as teachers, need to reiterate some points at different points in time.
You provided a very good and useful explanation of citation when using Prism in response to a student’s question. You paid really good attention to the students and their questions. There is an increasing engagement between students and you as the session develops.
It was great to see the discussions about a competition students and staff were taking part of. That really got them engaged. Interesting how it is integrated with the course.
Overall, I think the session went really well in achieving the aims you had set out. You have a very friendly demeanour that creates a supportive environment, and your knowledge and expertise are clearly appreciated by the students.
Part Three
Observee to reflect on the observer’s comments and describe how they will act on the feedback exchanged:
Thanks for the feedback regarding the length of the checklist. The checklist is developed by the unit teaching team by reviewing the learning outcomes and assessment requirements (Matsubara and Matsubara, 2024), it looks long but includes all potential points that are easy to be missed by students. Considering this is s Year one unit, and it’s the 1st unit that students are prepared for an academic report, then a checklist that can help students review their work before submission, in detail, is necessary. A simple version will be considered for their following units, once they confidentially build up and develop their academic writing skills. Thanks for this suggestion.
Thanks for the suggestion of asking students questions in another way, I valued it and will take it into consideration in my future teachings. Asking ‘why’ they need to the assignment in this way, can give a more holistic view of the work and the industry, then as tutors, we can easily see if the students fully understand the assessment requirements (Streeter and Miller, 2011). Thanks for pointing out.
How this unit’s contents, knowledge, practices can benefit students’ future careers has been highlighted in the lectures before the seminars. I will make sure I quickly remind the importance of the Principles unit to students at some points during the seminars to encourage their engagement. Thanks.
Once again, I have found all the suggestions quite useful for my teaching skills improvements. Thanks Frederico.
References:
Matsubara, S., & Matsubara, D., 2024, A Checklist Confirming Whether a Manuscript for Submission Adheres to the Fundamentals of Academic Writing: A Proposal, JMA journal, 7(2), 276–278.
Streeter, J., & Miller, F. J., 2011, Any questions? A concise guide to navigating the Q&A session after a presentation, EMBO reports, 12(3), 202–205.