Dr. Elissar Gerges is a researcher and assistant professor of education at Zayed University. She holds a Doctor of Education degree in Educational Leadership from The University of Western Ontario and a Master of Education degree in Curriculum Studies and Teacher Development from the University of Toronto, Canada. She is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). Dr. Gerges has over 15 years of experience in K-12 and higher education settings. With a deep commitment to improving the quality of teaching and learning experiences for educators and students, her research interests are related to practice-based research, including the area of SoTL, to inform decisions that advance evidence-based pedagogies and bridge the gap between education theory and classroom application.
Teaching quality is increasingly recognized as a critical quality assurance indicator in evaluating universities’ performance and determining their rankings at both national and global levels. The globalization of higher education, coupled with increased student mobility and the growth of online learning platforms, has intensified competition among institutions to cater to diverse student needs. This interconnected and rapidly evolving landscape presents a continuous challenge for higher education institutions striving to achieve excellence in teaching. Despite its critical role, traditional quality assurance measures and ranking systems have historically prioritized research achievements over teaching standards.
Higher education faculty are typically recruited based on their expertise in specific disciplines, often without formal training in pedagogy. This emphasis on research productivity is reinforced by tenure and promotion criteria, even as teaching effectiveness gains recognition as an integral part of academic responsibilities. While institutions have always evaluated teaching performance, these assessments are becoming more structured and formalized. However, the focus often leans toward quality assurance processes rather than genuine instructional improvement. Unlike research, which is routinely subjected to peer evaluation, teaching has not received the same level of systematic scrutiny, largely due to the historical precedence of research over teaching in academia. Recent developments, including market-driven approaches and the expansion of digital learning, have shifted institutional priorities. Faculty are increasingly expected to demonstrate effective teaching, making pedagogical skill development a growing institutional concern.
The effectiveness of peer observation often depends on the specific institutional culture in which it is implemented. The practice has gained prominence with the rise of the neoliberal demand for accountability and high-quality instruction. Opinions on its effectiveness, however, remain divided. While some view it as an opportunity for professional growth and collegial relationships, others see it as a bureaucratic encroachment on academic autonomy that imposes quality assurance measures within the classroom.
Primarily evaluative in nature, traditional peer observation methods provide limited opportunities for professional development. Such methods are often seen as an extension of the audit culture in higher education, undermining its potential to serve as a foundation for professional growth. When institutions position peer observation as both a developmental and evaluative tool, faculty members may perceive it as an administrative requirement rather than a learning opportunity. These challenges can be mitigated by reimagining peer observation as a collegial and reflective process that excludes the top-down evaluative component, thereby alleviating many of the frustrations and challenges commonly associated with this practice. In such a framework, the observer’s primary role is to learn from their peers’ teaching practices, using these observations as a basis for self-reflection and improvement.
High-quality teaching is fundamental to the higher education sector. It is a multifaceted concept that evolves in response to societal shifts and student needs. Peer observation of teaching holds significant potential for defining quality teaching standards, sharing successful practices, and promoting collaboration among faculty. It can encourage educators to become more self-critical, open to feedback, and confident while also fostering a sense of professional value and openness to innovative approaches, qualities essential for a shift toward a student-centered learning paradigm.
A comprehensive approach to evaluating teaching effectiveness should include multiple perspectives, such as peer evaluations, student feedback, self-assessment, administrative reviews, and analysis of syllabi and course material. Among these, peer observation offers valuable feedback while minimizing political sensitivities, making it a key component of quality assurance and growth initiatives. With continuous improvement as a central theme in educational policy, peer observation can be positioned as a cornerstone of professional development for educators.
The interpretation and implementation of peer observation vary widely across institutions, influenced by factors such as organizational context, purpose, and methodology. While there is ongoing debate about the best ways to measure teaching effectiveness, there is broad consensus that most faculty are committed to fostering high-quality learning environments to support student success. Peer observation has often been applied with limited scope, typically involving one colleague observing a lecture or seminar. However, effective teaching occurs in diverse settings, and a one-time observation is insufficient for meaningful improvement. Genuine growth requires engagement with pedagogical theories, reflective practice, and sustained collaboration with colleagues. Although this approach demands significant time and effort, the resulting benefits, such as improved instructional quality and enhanced collegial relationships, are invaluable.
Teaching has traditionally been an isolating profession, with structural barriers and rigid schedules limiting opportunities for faculty to learn from each other. To address this isolation, educational research emphasizes the importance of collective learning among educators, aligning with the concept of a learning organization. However, higher education teaching often occurs in ‘pedagogical solitude’, with little opportunity for faculty to observe or learn from each other’s practices. Peer observation provides an avenue to bridge this gap by providing a collaborative and active professional learning experience directly tied to educators’ daily work. Unlike isolated observations, a well-structured peer observation program can span an entire academic term, fostering continuous learning and reflection.
The evolution of colleges and universities into genuine learning communities remains a significant challenge, though peer observation emerges as a valuable avenue for progress. This practice creates deliberate opportunities for instructors to observe and learn from colleagues’ teaching methods, engage in self-reflection, and participate in substantive professional conversations. In doing so, peer observation helps dismantle the traditionally siloed nature of university teaching. However, realizing these benefits requires institutions to transcend the narrow view of peer observation as merely a quality control mechanism and instead position it as a core element of faculty professional development. The long-term success of peer observation programs in higher education will ultimately rest on institutions’ capacity to develop and maintain supportive frameworks that effectively balance evaluation needs with authentic professional development while cultivating a collaborative environment that enables continuous enhancement of pedagogical practice.