Classroom observations provide instructors with information about their teaching—information that can help them enhance their practices. The process enables faculty to view what they do from another perspective, and to consider approaches that might not have occurred to them before. Observations—and the reflective conversations they inspire—may also highlight instructor strengths, clarify learning goals, and generate actionable next steps for energizing a lesson or course.
Our consultants support departments and schools in developing their own observation processes and provide guidance and resources for faculty members who want to conduct observations on their own.
Upon request, we also provide non-evaluative teaching observations for NYU instructors. All feedback is confidential and tailored to the instructor’s self-identified needs. Our consultants focus on teaching practices, not content, but have experience working across the disciplines.
Explore our tools, documentation, and research on teaching observations below. For more information on observation as part of Peer Review of Teaching, visit our PRT pages.
Tools for Conducting Observations
Below is the documentation we currently use for our observation service; feel free to adapt for your own use.
We are always improving what we do based on feedback, so check back periodically for updated versions.
- Teaching Observation Rubric
- Self-Reflection Template
- Classroom Observation Process
- Pre-Observation Guidelines
- Post-Observation Guidelines
To send us feedback or request guides and resources that you feel are missing, please email us at teaching@nyu.edu.
Research and Other Resources
Sample Approaches to Peer Observation and Review
- Northern Michigan University – Peer Observation of Teaching
- University of Colorado Boulder – Teaching Quality Framework
- University of Kansas – Benchmarks for Teaching Effectiveness
- University of Minnesota – Peer Review of Teaching
- University of Pittsburgh – Peer Review
- University of Waterloo – Peer Review of Teaching
- Yale University – Classroom Observation Protocols and Teaching Inventories
Select Literature Reviews and Handbooks
- Peer Observation of Teaching: A Practical Tool in Higher Education – literature review
- Peer Observation of Teaching Guidelines – Yale-NUS College
- Peer Observation of Teaching Handbook – Shapiro Institute for Education and Research at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Peer-ing in: A systematic review and framework of peer review of teaching in higher education – literature review
Visit our Peer Review of Teaching pages for a more extensive list of resources.