ENHANCING QUALITY ASSURANCE AND BEST PRACTICE CONTRIBUTION IN TEACHING THROUGH PEER REVIEW: SELF- REFLECTIVE EXPERIENCE

Introduction:
Peer assessment is the fundamental tool for evaluation and development of teaching towards quality assurance and best practice. It provides practice of colleagues giving feedback on one another’s teaching which makes an excellent opportunity to enhance learning development and teaching quality for both reviewee and reviewer.

Rationale:
Continuous evaluation and assuring quality of teaching is utmost important for the institutions of higher education. Through peer evaluation, the learning and teaching process of academics are successfully enhanced. This paper focused on the reflection of a peer review exercise in the Malaysian private university which offered invaluable experience making positive and effective inputs for better teaching towards quality assurance and best practice in teaching and learning.

Objective:
This paper aims to present the benefits of peer review exercise focusing on self-reflective experience in both views of reviewee and reviewer.

Methodology:
A review of quality assurance and best practice especially based on peer review assessment in higher education was systematically studied and the experience of peer review exercise by using the instrument known as Dunseath and Thomas P.R.T.I. (Peer Review Teaching Instrument) in both positions of reviewee and reviewer were discussed through self-reflection.

Results & Discussion:
The paper highlights the importance of peer review evaluation, self-reflections and feedback of the peer review assessment on various areas such as employing active learning techniques, encouraging students’ engagement, time management, accommodating diverse learning styles, communicating expectations and providing prompt feedback.

Conclusion:
The peer review of teaching was a mutually beneficial learning experience by being in both positions of reviewee and reviewer. It helps to upgrade the personal and professional development of academics towards best practice contribution and enhancing quality assurance of the institution.