Peer review of teaching has often been tied to formal processes such as performance reviews or promotion in higher education. In those contexts, feedback can feel evaluative rather than developmental, limiting its usefulness for real growth in teaching capability. As researchers like Harris et al., have observed, the potential of peer review to support teaching improvement is sometimes underutilised.

With growing demands on teaching quality and increasing complexity in higher education—including advances in technology, evolving student expectations, and curriculum renewal—there is a pressing need to support educators in developing and refining their teaching skills.

In response to these challenges and opportunities, this blog shares how we’ve been exploring a structured, practical, and collaborative approach to peer review through the Reflective Peer Teaching Development (RPTD) program—a 12-week model designed to build teaching capability through guided templates that support focused feedback, aligned with the university’s teaching and learning frameworks, and targeted professional learning.

Reflective Peer Teaching Development Model Process:

Peer Review as Collegial Reflection

In recent years, many institutions have begun rethinking peer review—not as a top-down evaluative process, but as a means to support the enhancement of teaching practice. Rather than focusing on compliance or performance metrics, this shift positions peer review as a structured, purposeful tool for building teaching capability.

At our institution, This approach is reflected in the Reflective Peer Teaching Development (RPTD) model, which integrates expert-led Master Classes, reciprocal peer observations, and structured self-reflection. The program provides educators with practical opportunities to focus on specific areas of their teaching, apply feedback, and refine their practice over time.

This model draws on a growing body of research that emphasises peer-based professional learning for capability development—such as Zeng’s (2020) University-Supported Developmental Review, and Sinnayah et al.’s (2024) Peer-Observation Learning Circles. These works highlight the value of collaboration, structured, and feedback-driven approaches in professional learning in higher education.

Voluntary, Confidential, and Meaningful

Professional learning often works best when it’s a choice. In this model, participation is voluntary and confidential, with no connection to performance review. Educators engage on their own terms, choosing a pace and focus that fits their context. Whether an educator is just starting out or has years of experience, this flexibility allows room to ask questions, explore different teaching practices, and reflect in ways that feel purposeful and supported.

Towards More Collegial Models of Professional Learning

As the higher education landscape continues to evolve—with new technologies, increasingly diverse student cohorts, and shifting expectations—there is a growing need for professional learning that is relevant, flexible, and focused on enhancing teaching capability.

The RPTD model is one example of this shift. It moves beyond traditional top-down evaluation and one-size-fits-all workshops, offering a structured process that enables educators to focus on specific areas of their practice, apply evidence-informed strategies, and receive practical feedback.

While developed within our institutional context, the model is underpinned by widely accepted principles of continuous improvement, skills development, and alignment with teaching and learning frameworks. For institutions looking to strengthen how they support teaching quality, the RPTD approach offers adaptable elements that can be tailored to different contexts.

Improving teaching is an ongoing process—and programs like RPTD provide educators with the structure, focus, and support needed to build capability over time.

Responding to What Educators Need

Professional learning has the greatest impact when it directly addresses the day-to-day challenges educators face in their teaching. That’s why expert-led Master Classes are a key component of the RPTD model—designed to build practical skills and enhance teaching capability in targeted areas.

Before the program begins, participants complete a short survey to identify their current teaching priorities and development needs. These responses inform the design of the Master Classes, ensuring they are aligned with what educators need most. Common focus areas include authentic assessment design, strategies for student engagement, active learning techniques, and effective use of digital tools.

Each session is interactive and application-focused, providing practical strategies and frameworks that participants can adapt to their own teaching contexts. The goal is to equip educators with tools they can use immediately to refine and strengthen their practice.

From Observation to Practice Improvement

What makes peer review effective is not just the feedback itself, but the opportunity it provides for focused, structured reflection on teaching practice. The RPTD model supports this by combining peer observation with clearly defined tools and processes designed to guide meaningful feedback and improvement.

Educators are paired and begin by identifying a specific area of teaching to focus on—such as classroom delivery, assessment strategies, or online unit design. A focus template helps guide the initial conversation and establish clear goals. The process includes two flexible observation and feedback templates: one for capturing observations of a colleague’s teaching, and another for self-reflection during the feedback discussion.

These templates prompt educators to examine different elements of teaching and encourage deeper, more purposeful analysis of practice. Toward the end of the program, each participant completes a confidential self-reflection and goal-setting activity, drawing together key insights and identifying one or two actionable goals for continued improvement. Additional resources are also provided—such as guides on evaluating teaching quality and aligning with institutional frameworks—for participants who wish to explore further.

Through this structured cycle of observation, reflection, and feedback, peer review becomes a practical tool for refining teaching approaches and enhancing capability.

Blog contributors:

- Dr Hasti Abbasi, Senior Lecturer, Deakin University,

- Professor Barbie Panther, Director of Teaching Capability at Deakin University

Banner Image: What exactly is peer review? Flickr/AJ Cann, CC BY-SA

References - link to external doc