At CTE, we see peer review as a powerful tool for driving teaching innovation and fostering meaningful professional growth. This process goes beyond evaluation—it fosters dialogue and makes the intellectual and reflective work of teaching visible. Peer review provides instructors with collaborative opportunities to explore many aspects of their teaching and gain insights that inform both immediate refinements and long-term pedagogical development. 

CTE supports peer review of teaching through two pathways. Peer review is usually handled within a department or a school, and we have developed a set of resources to support this process. In some cases, though, an instructor can request CTE to lead a peer review. Please keep in mind though that the center isn’t set up to handle large numbers of requests and does not provide feedback based on visits to a single class. You can learn more about these two pathways for supporting peer review of teaching below:  

1. CTE Guidance & Resources for Peer Review 

Faculty can use CTE’s guiding framework and peer review tools to organize a peer review. 

• This approach allows faculty to engage inpeer review for either teaching development (e.g., supporting self-reflection and improvement)or formal documentation of teaching effectiveness (e.g., an evaluation letter for the reviewee’s personnel file). 
• CTE provides resources, guiding questions, and structured tools aligned with the Benchmarks for Teaching Effectiveness framework to support the process.  
• Visit our Guidance for Peer Reviews page to explore the tools and strategies that can help you plan and carry out the peer review process. 

2. Peer Review with a CTE Faculty Affiliate 

In some cases, faculty may need an outside perspective on their teaching. This process involves collaborating with a CTE faculty affiliate and engaging in a structured dialogue about teaching. 

• This approach is best suited for faculty seeking constructive feedback and professional growth. 
• Outcomes include a self-reflection that outlines how the process supported your ongoing development as an instructor. 
• After changes are implemented, faculty can request a follow-up conversation and potential formal documentation for their personnel file. 

Peer Review with a CTE Faculty Affiliate: Process 

A peer review with a CTE faculty affiliate involves a collaborative, multi-step process designed to support your growth as an instructor and provide useful documentation for professional development or review. 

You’ll begin with a conversation to clarify your teaching goals and share relevant materials—such as your syllabus, assignments, student feedback, or personal reflections. Depending on your focus, the process may also include a classroom observation to gather insights on student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom climate. 

Following the review, the faculty affiliate will provide formative feedback that highlights teaching strengths, identifies opportunities for growth, and offers constructive suggestions and resources aligned with the Benchmarks for Teaching Effectiveness. 

Within one month of the review, faculty will submit a brief (1–2 page) written reflection summarizing key takeaways, planned changes to their teaching, and next steps for professional development. Our Instructor Self-Reflection Guide can be used to support this step. 

After changes are implemented, the faculty may request: 

• A follow-up conversation to discuss implementation, adjustments made, and their impact on student learning 
• Formal documentation of the process and teaching enhancements, suitable for inclusion in their personnel file 

For tools, templates, and detailed guidance on each step of the process, visit our Guidance for Peer Reviews page.