Peer review of course content for the evaluation and improvement of university courses
Summary
Evaluating university courses is a challenging task. Next to
student evaluations, the review of courses by knowledgeable
colleagues (i.e., peer review) could be used as an evaluation
instrument. Peer review has already been used for the
accreditation of study programs and didactical purposes, but less
for improving course content. Therefore, this qualitative study
explores the potential of peer review for the evaluation and
improvement of course content . Since the content of university
courses depends on the expertise and interest of faculty staff, the
input of peers from other universities could be a means to
stimulate reflection and broaden the scope of faculty members.
Ten interviews with faculty members of a Dutch university for
life-sciences were conducted to identify crucial aspects for the
effectuation of this type of peer review. The results show that the
peer should have in-depth knowledge about the content of the
course and the ability to oversee the developments in the
respective field and educational sector to provide feedback on
scientific depth, teaching methods, and whether a course is state
of the art. All original course materials are useful for the review
provided that they are supplemented with information about the
study program and student population. The peer feedback can be
used as input for changes in the course and reflection and
discussion within chair groups. Finally, it is important to provide
a clear institutional framework for the execution of peer review,
since a more summative or formative focus influences the way
the review should be organized.