title: Paired peer review of university classroom teaching in a school of nursing and midwifery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Peer review of university classroom teaching can increase the quality of teaching but is not universally practiced in Australian universities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report an evaluation of paired peer-review process using both paper and web based teaching evaluation tools.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty university teachers in one metropolitan Australian School of Nursing and Midwifery were randomly paired and then randomly assigned to a paper based or web-based peer review tool. Each teacher reviewed each other's classroom teaching as part of a peer review program. The participants then completed an 18 question survey evaluating the peer review tool and paired evaluation process. Responses were analyzed using frequencies and percentages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regardless of the tool used, participants found this process of peer review positive (75%), collegial (78%), supportive (61%) and non-threatening (71%). Participants reported that the peer review will improve their own classroom delivery (61%), teaching evaluation (61%) and planning (53%). The web-based tool was found to be easier to use and allowed more space than the paper-based tool.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implementation of a web-based paired peer review system can be a positive method of peer review of university classroom teaching. Pairing of teachers to review each other's classroom teaching is a promising strategy and has the potential to improve teaching in teaching universities.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing & Midwifery, Deakin University/Southern Health, Victoria, Australia. p.bennett@deakin.edu.au
authors.forename: Paul N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smigiel
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education*; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010209:Paper; D010380:Peer Review / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012579:Schools, Nursing; D013663:Teaching / Q000592:standards*