Peer review of course content for the evaluation and improvement of university courses

Abstract

Evaluating university courses is a challenging task. Next to student evaluations, the review of courses by knowledgeable colleagues (i.e., peer review) could be used as an evaluation instrument. Peer review has already been used for the accreditation of study programs and didactical purposes, but less for improving course content. Therefore, this qualitative study explores the potential of peer review for the evaluation and improvement of course content . Since the content of university courses depends on the expertise and interest of faculty staff, the input of peers from other universities could be a means to stimulate reflection and broaden the scope of faculty members. Ten interviews with faculty members of a Dutch university for life-sciences were conducted to identify crucial aspects for the effectuation of this type of peer review. The results show that the peer should have in-depth knowledge about the content of the course and the ability to oversee the developments in the respective field and educational sector to provide feedback on scientific depth, teaching methods, and whether a course is state of the art. All original course materials are useful for the review provided that they are supplemented with information about the study program and student population. The peer feedback can be used as input for changes in the course and reflection and discussion within chair groups. Finally, it is important to provide a clear institutional framework for the execution of peer review, since a more summative or formative focus influences the way the review should be organized.