Peer Consultation in Teaching Program

Introduction to Peer Consultation in Teaching (PCT) Program at KFUPM's Deanship of Academic Development (DAD) and Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) Overview and Objectives, Benefits, and Process of Peer Consultation in Teaching (PCT) Program at KFUPM's Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) and Deanship of Academic Development (DAD) Overview and Objectives, Benefits, and Process of Peer Consultation in Teaching (PCT) Program at KFUPM's Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) and Deanship of Academic Development (DAD)

The Peer Consultation in Teaching (PCT) program is an initiative by the Deanship of Academic Development (DAD) at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), managed by the Teaching & Learning Center (TLC), aimed at enhancing the teaching skills of faculty members. The program's primary objective is to provide formative feedback to faculty members on their teaching skills, intended exclusively for their self-development. This feedback is designed to make KFUPM faculty members better and more effective teachers, ultimately leading to the enhancement of student learning. Similar programs exist in about 40% of all higher education institutions in North America, underscoring the importance of peer consultation in academic settings. The Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) at KFUPM plays a crucial role in the implementation and management of the PCT program, ensuring that faculty members receive constructive feedback to improve their teaching methodologies and techniques.

Objective and Benefits of Peer Consultation in Teaching (PCT) Program at KFUPM's Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) and Deanship of Academic Development (DAD)

The main objective of the PCT program is to offer faculty members constructive feedback on their teaching, focusing on the development of their teaching skills. The benefits of participating in the PCT program include:

• Overall improvement in teaching skills and capabilities as a result of peer consultation.
• Positive and constructive feedback on teacher performance, highlighting the effectiveness of the teaching approach and techniques used.
• Specific suggestions on how to improve teaching based on the experience of colleagues in the same or similar fields of specialization.
• Encouragement for faculty members to develop themselves in the field of teaching and to continuously review and update their teaching approaches and methodologies based on new advances in teaching and the expertise of their peers.
• An additional source of feedback complementary to self-assessment and student evaluation.

Overview of Peer Consultation in Teaching (PCT) Program Process at KFUPM's Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) and Deanship of Academic Development (DAD)

The PCT program is managed completely by the DAD and its consultants. The main tool of PCT is class visits by specially trained individuals (peer-consultants) who represent the DAD. These visits take place upon the request of the faculty member interested in receiving consultation (client). Every effort is made to select a peer consultant from a discipline or major close to that of the faculty member. To ensure this, a group of faculty members from various KFUPM colleges and departments have been enlisted as peer-consultants and provided with the necessary training to carry out the class visits effectively.

Due to the voluntary nature of PCT, faculty members requesting visits are assured of complete confidentiality regarding the outcome of the peer-consultant visits. The oral and written feedback that the client receives following the visit will be known only to the client and the visiting peer-consultant. The DAD Director's office will keep records of the visits and the resulting reports for book-keeping purposes only.

PCT Process at KFUPM's Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) and Deanship of Academic Development (DAD)

Application to PCT

Any KFUPM faculty member interested in being visited in class by a peer can apply by contacting the DAD. A special form is to be filled, indicating the faculty member's name, course title and number, number of students, location and time of class, as well as other relevant information.

Pre-Visit Contact

The peer-consultant will contact the client requesting the visit, introduce himself, and discuss all issues relevant to the visit. This contact will be through a face-to-face meeting between the two or through the phone (if a meeting cannot be arranged). The issues discussed will include the specific date of the visit, length of the visit, type of class, role of the peer-consultant, interaction with students, etc. It is also highly recommended that the client identifies at this stage any specific aspects of his teaching on which he needs specific feedback (e.g., tone of speech, engaging students, etc.).

Class Visit

The class visit will take place as agreed upon between the peer consultant and the client. The client may or may not announce to his students the presence of the peer-consultant. However, in either case, the presence of the peer-consultant in the class will be as low-key as possible.

The visit should last a complete lecture, which is typically 50 minutes. During the visit, the peer-consultant will note his observations on issues such as defining objectives, clarity of presentation, effectiveness of the teaching method, teacher enthusiasm, interacting with students, managing the class, as well as any specific issues raised by the faculty member during the pre-visit contact.

The last 20 minutes of the lecture are used by the peer-consultant to gather the opinion of the students about the course. This is done in the absence of the client to ensure that students are comfortable expressing their opinion. The student views are gathered through a methodical process that involves a combination of written and oral comments.

Post-Visit Meeting

After the class visit, the peer-consultant and the client will hold a post-visit debriefing meeting. The meeting should be held as soon as possible, preferably within the first 48 hours after the visit. During the meeting, the peer-consultant will debrief the client about his observations during the class visit. The debriefing typically includes three main components: general observations regarding the teaching skills and techniques of the client; aspects of teaching that were found to be effective; and aspects of teaching that can be improved, along with suggestions on how to improve.

The peer-consultant will also inform the client about the general opinion of the students regarding the course progress. The student opinions will be summarized from individual students, groups of students, and the whole class.

In addition to the verbal discussion, a short report summarizing the feedback will be presented to the client for his records. A copy of the report will be given to the DAD for its records of the PCT program activities.

Responsible Center

The Teaching & Learning Center (TLC) is responsible for the PCT program, ensuring its effective implementation and management to achieve the desired outcomes of enhancing faculty teaching skills and student learning experiences at KFUPM.

Dammam Community College

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Overview:

Dammam Community College (DCC) is a public college located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Established in 2003, it operates under the auspices of King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) and is regulated by the Council of Higher Education. DCC was inaugurated by King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud in 2004.

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Services Offered:

DCC offers a range of services to its students, including:

Academic Programs:

DCC provides various academic programs, including associate degrees and diplomas.

Support Services:

The college offers support services such as academic advising, career counseling, and library resources.

Training Programs:

DCC provides training programs and short courses to meet the needs of the community, government, and businesses.

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Student Life and Campus Experience:

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Key Reasons to Study There:

Quality Education:

DCC is committed to providing high-quality education and training.

Accreditation:

The college's Computer and Information Technology, Accounting, and Marketing programs are accredited by the National Commission for Academic Accreditation & Assessment (NCAAA).

Strong Foundation:

DCC provides students with a solid academic foundation and prepares them for further education.

Ethical Values:

The college emphasizes the development of high ethical and Islamic values in its graduates.

Lifelong Learning:

DCC encourages its graduates to engage in lifelong learning.

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Academic Programs:

DCC offers a variety of academic programs, including:

Associate Degrees:

DCC offers associate degrees in various fields, including Computer and Information Technology, Accounting, and Marketing.

Diplomas:

The college also offers diplomas in specialized areas.

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Other:

Vision:

DCC aims to be a premier college in providing quality educational services and valued training to all stakeholders.

Mission:

The college is committed to motivating students to achieve their educational goals, providing a broad range of programs, and offering education and training according to community needs.

Objectives:

DCC's objectives include preparing qualified graduates, providing a solid academic foundation, training students in communication and teamwork, graduating students with high ethical values, enhancing graduates' ability to engage in lifelong learning, and serving the community through training programs and educational services.