The Center for Teaching and Learning is pleased to announce the continuation and expansion of the very successful Student Observer Program for the 2008/09 academic year. The program - now available to all full-time faculty and lecturers - uses carefully selected and trained undergraduate students who work with faculty to improve classroom teaching.

Student Observers serve as excellent resources to faculty members, providing valuable data to supplement student evaluations and peer reviews. Some of the real advantages of this program are:

1. the Student Observers are objective observers in that they are not working for a grade;
2. students offer a helpful perspective because they have seen a wide variety of college teaching;
3. students provide information to help instructors have a better sense of what is happening in the classroom.

Participation in the Student Observer Program by faculty is completely voluntary, and observation information gathered by a student observer is confidential. Student Observer reports will NOT be provided to any other individual or office – including the Center for Teaching and Learning – unless the faculty member authorizes it.

How the Student Observer Program Works

Instructors elect to participate by filling out a request form and returning it to the Center for Teaching and Learning. All full-time faculty (tenure-track, visiting faculty, lecturers) are eligible to participate in the Student Observer Program. Both conventional (face to face) and DL courses may be observed.

A student observer is assigned according to the class schedule and the observer’s availability.

The student is given the name, campus office, campus telephone number, and e-mail address of her/his instructor and arranges for an initial visit with her/him. The instructor is also given the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of the student observer.

The instructor and student observer meet together to get acquainted and clarify expectations. The instructor should provide a course syllabus.

The student observer visits the instructor ’s class, gathers the requested information and prepares feedback for the instructor. A minimum of 3 classroom visits is recommended. All information gathered by the student observer is confidential. No information is provided to anyone else unless the instructor specifically authorizes it.

The student observer meets with the instructor and discusses the observation.

Faculty Student Observer Request Form