Peer supported development scheme

Find out more about how to get involved with our cross-departmental peer observation scheme.

Peer Supported Development (PSD) offers a supportive framework for teaching staff

The PSD allows staff to reflect on and enhance their educational practices. Colleagues can choose the type of peer-supported development that best suits their teaching context, such as observing synchronous teaching or discussing pedagogical practices like assessment and resource design. The program can be structured thematically at the program level or involve collaboration with colleagues from different disciplines for cross-pollination of ideas. Additionally, PSD serves as a platform to capture and formalize existing informal peer-support activities, which can serve as models and support the growth of expertise in teaching and assessment.

Learning from each other is a core principle to the PSD Scheme

The peer-supported activity in PSD operates on an equal partnership, promoting collaboration and providing an opportunity for mutual enhancement and learning. The process values both learning through observing and discussing a colleague's work and having an independent perspective. It is non-hierarchical, not tied to appraisal, and ensures anonymity by not sharing forms upwards. The focus is on teaching, learning, assessment, and other pedagogical practices, rather than specific content.

PSD provides a variety of opportunities and benefits

Elevates status and importance of teaching
Collaborating with a colleague is a great opportunity to think about our own practice
Builds teaching confidence and self-efficacy
Offers a chance to experiment and innovate
Can connect educational theory to practice
Supports a sharing, collegiate culture
Provides opportunities to challenge conventional wisdom
Provides opportunities to consider and develop case studies for the GOLD scheme and/or to carry out pedagogical research.

The choice of thematic Peer-Supported Discussion is up to you

If you're stuck for ideas, then try using one of the suggested areas below:

Authentic assessment
Embedding generative AI in teaching and learning
Developing students’ transferrable skills
Practice-based / Inquiry-based learning
Student-led practice

All teaching staff are encouraged to complete the PSD Scheme

We aim for 100% engagement in PSD from all academic staff (with HPLs being optional), as a way to capture and enhance your academic practice.

Those undertaking PGCert, APA and ALTHE programmes are exempt from doing this in the year of their study.

Complete the scheme in 4 easy-steps

Find yourself a partner for the process
Attend one of the Good practice in peer-supported development CPD sessions
Use the Planning and Discussion Form to document your activity and discussion (found in Useful Resources below)
Track your engagement by completing your faculty's PSD Completion Form:

For full details of this process, follow the guide on How to take part in the PSD scheme here