6. Department Summary and action plan
It is helpful to find a way of summarising the outcomes of the process to inform future staff development and provide evidence to QAA that the process has taken place and is embedded in the department's procedures.
It is essential to acknowledge that any process of observing teaching involves sampling from a much longer and more complex process - namely the students' learning experience with the department. Only a small part of this process (i.e. teaching and learning activities within contact hours) is amenable to observation and only a small number of instances of teaching will be observed. For this reason alone it is necessary to be cautious about judging the teaching standards of the department.
Any summary report will therefore need to be written in general terms, giving a descriptive account of the sessions observed and an indication of the strengths and examples of good practice observed, and some 'points for consideration'. This latter section will suggest any issues that the team of observers believe, on the limited basis of the classes observed, the department should reflect on and consider whether there are indeed grounds for development in relation to these issues.
Particular care will be given to focusing the report on issues which the QAAHE assessors are known to be looking for, as identified in the QAAHE Guidelines.
No individual lecturers should be named in the report and there should be every effort to phrase the report in a way which does not enable individual lecturers to be identified.
The purpose of the report is to facilitate the department's preparation for Subject Review and HEFCE Assessment, to encourage reflection on teaching and learning, and professional development - not to pass judgement.