Peer observation of classroom and clinical teaching has received increased attention over the past decade in schools of nursing to augment student ratings of teaching effectiveness. One essential ingredient is the scale used to evaluate performance. A five-step systematic procedure for adapting, writing, and building any peer observation scale is described. The differences between the development of a classroom observation scale and an appraisal scale to observe clinical instructors are

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... . Psychometric issues peculiar to observation scales are discussed in terms of content validity, eight types of response bias, and interobserver reliability. The applications of the scales in one school of nursing as part of the triangulation of methods with student ratings and the teaching portfolio are illustrated. Copies of the scales are also provided. Date:___________________ PURPOSE: This scale is designed as an evaluation tool to rate each clinical faculty member. It is intended to provide a diagnostic profile for teaching improvement. PROCEDURES: Course coordinator will visit new clinical faculty at least once during the semester to evaluate clinical instruction methods. Additional visits may occur as necessary. Following the initial evaluation, course coordinators will evaluate faculty at least bi-annually. Clinical faculty member will complete a self-evaluation using this tool, including the two open-ended responses. A meeting will be scheduled between the course coordinator and the faculty member to discuss the results following the clinical site visit. The meeting should occur as soon as possible after the site visit. The self-evaluation form will be used in conjunction with the course coordinator's appraisal to analyze faculty performance and suggest areas for improvement. DIRECTIONS: Check ( ) your rating of AGREE (A) or DISAGREE (DA) for each of the teaching behaviors listed below. For each DA response, please explain in the comments section to the right. For any behaviors NOT APPLICABLE (NA) or NOT OBSERVED (NOB), check as appropriate.