Teaching TRIOs: Using Peer Observation to Initiate Department Change

Abstract

ABSTRACT An important step to achieving a sustainable department culture that encourages innovation in teaching is the alleviation of the isolation that teaching faculty experience. Decreasing this isolation should be accomplished in a manner that respects all instructors’ classroom practices while simultaneously exposing faculty to new ideas. In this article, we describe the initial design and evolution of Teaching TRIOs — a Time-sensitive, Reciprocal, Inclusive, and Operative process of peer observation intended to respect all teaching practice while promoting a culture of sharing, dialogue, and innovation in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Middle Tennessee State University.