The Points of School Directors on Peer Observation as a New Professional Development and Supervision Model for Teachers in Turkey

Abstract

The aim of the study is to determine the views of school managers’ towards peer observation as an alternativeteacher professional development and complementary supervision model. The study was conducted through a mixresearch model which combines quantitative and qualitative methods based on convergent parallel design. 121school managers voluntarily joined the study at the end of the conference to which the researcher was invited asguest speaker. The results of the study in quantitative dimension indicated that peer observation was considered byschool managers as an alternative teacher development model to promote cooperation among teachers;self-awareness of teachers; motivation; solving their problems cooperatively; learning new methods. The qualitativeresults also indicated that majority of the participants were in favour of peer observation as an alternative personaldevelopment method for teachers; the participants recommended that it should be carried via volunteers betweendifferent schools; just friendly and positive feedback should be given to the teacher who teaches the same subject;should be carried in a friendly school climate where there is no rivalry among teachers. On the other hand, someparticipant expressed their negative concerns as there wouldn’t be enough teachers and time; the teacher wouldhesitate to be observed because of political and professional rivalries, lack of confidence and trust among teachers.