Abstract

Peer observation of classroom and clinical teaching has received increased attention over the past decade in schools of nursing to augment student ratings of teaching effectiveness. One essential ingredient is the scale used to evaluate performance. A five-step systematic procedure for adapting, writing, and building any peer observation scale is described. The differences between the development of a classroom observation scale and an appraisal scale to observe clinical instructors are examined. Psychometric issues peculiar to observation scales are discussed in terms of content validity, eight types of response bias, and interobserver reliability. The applications of the scales in one school of nursing as part of the triangulation of methods with student ratings and the teaching portfolio are illustrated. Copies of the scales are also provided.

Submitted: April 8, 2004 · Accepted: May 11, 2004 · Published: July 4, 2004

Recommended Citation

Berk, Ronald A.; Naumann, Phyllis L.; and Appling, Susan E. (2004) "Beyond Student Ratings: Peer Observation of Classroom and Clinical Teaching," International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship: Vol. 1 : Iss. 1, Article 10.
DOI: 10.2202/1548-923X.1024
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/ijnes/vol1/iss1/art10