Peer Review of Presentations

In this section of our website, you will find information about the CTLT (formative) Peer Review of Presentations Program addressed specifically to the unique context of graduate students.

Through the Graduate Formative Peer Review program (GPR) we offer Formative Peer Review of Teaching and Formative Peer Review of Presentations services for Graduate Students at UBC.

Peer review of presentations is a form of evaluation designed to provide feedback on presentations.

Peers may evaluate the following elements of presentations:

• Classroom presentations
• Conference presentations
• Thesis/dissertation defense presentations

Ideally, the peer review of presentations is a critically reflective and collaborative process in which the graduate student under review works closely with his/her peer or group of peers to discuss his or her presentation.

What is Graduate Peer Review of Teaching?

The Graduate Peer Review of Teaching Program (GPRT) coordinated by the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology offers you the chance to participate in a cross-faculty formative peer review of teaching process. The formative program described below is open to all graduate students who teaches at UBC.

How does it work?

As a reviewee, you will select and meet with up to two volunteer peer reviewers. The reviewers are experienced in the peer review of teaching at UBC and have completed at least one workshop offered by CTLT on becoming a peer reviewer. The reviewers will learn about your teaching, observe your class, and give you formative feedback.

How will I benefit?

The Peer Review Program aims to encourage dialogue about teaching amongst graduate students at UBC. By talking with your reviewers, you will likely gain new insight into your teaching and information about different teaching strategies or ideas. You will receive written feedback that you may choose to use as evidence in your teaching portfolio, and in future course and lesson planning.

How it works

The peer review process is generally organized around a structured classroom observation. A peer reviewer will observe a participating educator (reviewee) teach a class and provide the reviewee with formative feedback based on what she or he observed during the class.

What is it?

The Graduate Peer Review of Presentations (GPRP) Program coordinated by the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology offers you the chance to participate in a formative peer review of presentations process. The peer review of presentations program described below is open to all UBC graduate students who plan to present their work in conferences, defenses, or as part their classrooms assignments. In addition, graduate students are welcome to take part in workshops on peer review of presentations in order to acquire the necessary skills as reviewers.

How does it work?

The Graduate Student Peer Review of Presentations (GPRP) program coordinated by CTLT is a voluntary and confidential process. As a reviewee, you will select and meet with up to two volunteer peer reviewers. The reviewers are selected graduate students at UBC who have completed at least one workshop (4 hours) offered by CTLT on becoming a peer reviewer. The reviewers will discuss your presentations objectives, observe your presentation and presentation, and give you formative feedback.

How will I benefit?

The GPRP Program aims to encourage dialogue about presentation amongst graduate students of all levels at UBC. By talking with your reviewers, you will likely gain new insight into your presentation skills and styles and get feedback about improving your presentation.

How it works

The peer review process is generally organized around an informal presentation observation. A peer reviewer will observe a presentation and provide the reviewee with formative feedback based on what she or he observed.

Anyone interested in participating in the peer review of their presentation may contact an individual reviewer listed on our website. Details of the peer review process will be worked out between the reviewer and the reviewee. For example, you will discuss “what” you want to have peer reviewed, where are you planning on presenting your research/work? What are your objectives for this presentation?, etc.

The following describes what happens before, during and after the presentation observation:

Part 1: Before the presentation observation

• No less than one week before the presentation observation, the peer reviewer and reviewee either meet in person for 10-30 minutes, or connect via e-mail to set goals for the peer review process and to discuss the reviewee’s development goals, and his/her plans for the presentation to be observed.
• The reviewee forwards their first draft of presentation to the reviewer.
• The reviewer offers feedback on the presentations material within a week.
• The reviewee and reviewer decide on the date and location of observation.
• Before the observation, the reviewee should plan and prepare his/her as s/he normally would.

Part 2: Presentation Observation

• The reviewee presents his/her work while the peer reviewer observes the session. The peer reviewers’ observation is guided by any goals set at the pre-observation meeting/communication.

Part 3: After the presentation observation

• Either immediately after the observation or within a week after the observation, the reviewee and peer reviewer will meet for approximately 30 minutes to discuss the presentation.

All graduate peer reviewers have completed the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology workshop: "Developing Your Skills as a Peer Reviewers of Presentations: Introductory Workshop". In addition, the reviewers have shown a commitment to teaching and learning in higher education. For a full description of the formative peer review process, please read the Peer Review Process section of our website.

When you email a reviewer for a request, please indicate:

• a brief statement of your goal for peer review
• an on campus location for the observation
• a time range within which you are hoping to be peer reviewed and a few possible dates for the observation
• your contact information

List of peer reviewers

• Mabel Ho (PhD Candidate, Department of Sociology)

• Jens Vent-Schmidt (PhD Student, Experimental Medicine)

• Roselynn Verwoord (PhD Candidate, Faculty of Education)

Additional information on reviewers:

• Mabel Ho, PhD Candidate, Department of Sociology.

At UBC, I facilitate the internationally recognized Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) and various workshops at Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology (CTLT). I have also co-instructed an Introduction to Sociology course and have been a teaching assistant for a number of courses such as Inequality and Social Change, International Migration in a Globalized World, and Social Construction of Gender. As a facilitator and peer reviewer, I would be happy to work with you on lesson planning and design. I look forward to hearing from you and discussing strategies and approaches to improve your presentation skills.

Email: mabel.ho@alumni.ubc.ca; please write “GPRP” in the subject line.

• Jens Vent-Schmidt, , PhD Student, Experimental Medicine.

My PhD program is in Experimental Medicine, specializing in Immunology and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. I hold an MSc from the University of Freiburg in Germany in Molecular Medicine and have a background in both Biology and Medicine. Through my degree, I have presented at many local, national and international conferences.

Since 2013, I have worked as Graduate Facilitator for CTLT, where I facilitate Instructional and Presentation Skills Workshops and departmental TA training workshops many departments in science, business and the arts, I enjoy working in this interdisciplinary environment. As a facilitator, I create, refine and implement lesson plans and aligned online-modules in a blended learning environment. My lessons draw heavily on active learning techniques and I am a strong believer in just-in-time teaching. During my small group facilitation, I provide a supportive and positive environment in which my participants take risks in their teaching practice and learn from feedback through guided self-reflection and facilitate peer feedback.

As a peer reviewer of teaching and presentation, I will support you through the entire process of your session, planning, delivery and feedback. During the process, I will encourage you to reflect on your teaching practice before I will provide feedback myself. Please reflect on a few goals you want to achieve during your session and how the peer review process will help you with these. Please also include information on the topic of the lesson, the date, and your teaching, reviewing and ISW experiences.

Email: jens.vent-schmidt@alumni.ubc.ca; please write “GPRT/GPRP" in the subject line.

• Roselynn Verwoord, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Education.

As an educator, facilitator, and curriculum developer, I have worked in a variety of formal and informal educational settings both locally and internationally. Presently, I work as a Learning Design and Curriculum Consultant at the UBC Centre for Teaching Learning and Technology where I support departments and units to design and develop curriculum and related courses and materials. When I’m not at UBC, I enjoy teaching in the Provincial Instructor Diploma Program at Vancouver Community College and in the Early Childhood Education Program at Douglas College. My formal education includes a Bachelor of Education in Elementary Curriculum as well as a Master of Arts in Society, Culture, and Politics in Education. I am currently completing a PhD in Educational Studies from UBC with a focus on pre-service teacher education.

Email: roselynn.verwoord@ubc.ca; please write “GPRP” in the subject line.

Frequently asked questions about the Peer Review of Teaching Program

DEFINITION

Formative peer review

Promotes the development of an instructor’s teaching practice. The formative model is said to contribute to continuing professional development and to enhance teaching quality through reflective practice and collective learning (Gosling, 2005; Peel, 2005; Shortland, 2004). It is commonly assumed that this improved teaching quality will ultimately boost student learning (Bovill, 2008; Cavanaugh, 1996).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FORMATIVE PEER REVIEW PROGRAM

• What is the purpose of the peer review?
• Do academic rank or classification matter in the process?
• How is confidentiality handled in the formative peer review program?
• What control do reviewees have over and during the process?
• Who will review my presentation?
• What training do the peer reviewers receive?
• When should peer reviews take place?
• How will reviewees receive feedback?
• What is formative feedback?
• How much time will the process take?

What is the purpose of the peer review?

Within the context of higher education, peer review assists graduate students enhance their presentation skills.

Do academic rank or classification matter in the process?

Professorial rank and job classification are disregarded in the program. All graduate students are invited to participate and learn from one another.

How is confidentiality handled in the formative peer review program?

The only people involved in the discussions will be the reviewee and the reviewers. The process is confidential, unless you decide to include reflections or documentation about the process to your portfolio or personnel file.

What control do reviewees have over and during the process?

Each reviewee selects the peer reviewer with whom they will work, sets the objectives and focus for the observation, and decides what to do with the feedback they receive from the reviewers.

Who will review my presentation?

The list of reviewers is available on a section of this website. You will choose a reviewer among the people listed.

What training do the peer reviewers receive?

All peer reviewers complete an intensive training course run by CTLT which teaches them how to conduct peer reviews and to observe presentations. All reviewers have also completed an Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW).

When should peer reviews take place?

The peer review can happen any time deemed suitable for you and your reviewer. Each reviewee may decide when to schedule the observations. Scheduling them earlier will give you timely and relevant feedback that may be useful in your actual presentation. Also keep in mind that reviewers are all graduate students and may be busy towards the end of semester with their own classes and assignments.

How will reviewees receive feedback?

Reviewees will receive verbal. Reviewees will meet with their reviewers after the observation and engage in a friendly, collegial dialogue about the presentation that the reviewer observed.

What is formative feedback?

Formative feedback is information that is intended to support a graduate student's growth towards becoming a better presenter. The feedback aims to be non-evaluative and is not intended to be a snapshot or final judgement of the presenter's fitness or competence. Rather the goal is to provide information that can help you reflect on your teaching and plan changes for the future. Formative peer review aims to help you better understand how you approach the task of university teaching, and who you are as a teacher.

How much time will the process take?

The process will take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours to complete.

Developing Your Skills as a Peer Reviewer of Presentation: Introductory Workshop for Graduate Students (4 hours)

Description: The peer review process introduced in this experiential workshop is intended primarily as a form of formative (and developmental) feedback.

By the end of this workshop participants will be able to:

• Describe the peer review of presentation process
• Conduct appropriate Pre- and Post-observation interviews
• Respond to various peer review of presentation situations
• Provide constructive feedback for the person being reviewed

This workshop is open to all graduate students in the UBC who have completed an Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW).