Peer Review of Teaching (PRoT)

JCU’s Peer Review of Teaching (PRoT) is a collaborative and regular process of reviewing and enhancing teaching practice, aligned with the Core Principles of the JCU Learning, Teaching and Assessment Policy. Ownership of the Peer Review of Teaching process and products will remain with the participants. The process will exemplify and model professional, ethical and collegial behaviour, in line with the JCU Code of Conduct.

To promote academic staff engagement in the Peer Review of Teaching process, eight internal learning and teaching grants were awarded in the Peer Review of Teaching category in 2017. The JCU Learning, Teaching and Assessment Procedures state:

3.7.6  The Subject Coordinator must undertake a biennial peer review of a subject's assessment plans and grading practices in accordance with 2.4.2.

This section details that the Peer Review of Teaching process includes student feedback from the YourJCU Subject and Teaching Survey, learning analytics data, assessment plans, moderation processes and grading practices. Course Coordinators will then collate, review and action the reports to monitor course quality and identify curriculum improvements or enhancements.

Consequently, the JCU Learning, Teaching and Assessment Policy 2021 outlines that Subject Coordinators must undertake the following on an annual basis:

1. Conduct an annual review of student feedback;
2. Monitor and consider survey and learning analytics data to improve current and future subject content;
3. Utilise elements of the 4Q Model of Evaluation peer review and self-reflection (also see 4Q Reflective Resource for Subject Coordinators); and
4. Communicate the actions taken in response to subject review to other staff and students, see Subject Outline Procedure.

Who is a peer?

Internal peers can be Disciplinary colleagues, LTSE colleagues, Heads of Discipline, Learning and Teaching Chair, or Associate Deans for Learning and Teaching.

External peers are appropriately qualified colleagues in related courses nationally and internally, or industry/professional experts.

Forms

Below are a series of forms to assist both the Reviewer and Participant undertake the Peer Review of Teaching process:

• Form A: The Review Plan
• Form B: The Review
• Form C: Reflection and Action

PRoT 3 Step Guide

More information

Contact your Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching, through the contact page for Learning, Teaching and Student Engagement (LTSE).

For external peer review projects, the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015 require:

5.3.4. ... regular external referencing against comparable courses of study, including ... the  assessment methods and grading of students' achievement ... for selected units of study within courses of study.

For more information about the HES Framework, consult the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TESQA).

To fulfil this requirement, you may wish to explore options via the:

1. JCU-IRU Calibration Project
2. Peer Review of Assessment Network (contact LTSE)