Peer Review of Teaching to Promote a Culture of Excellence: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Background and Purpose. A main component of the conceptual model of excellence in physical therapist education, introduced by Jensen et al, is a culture of excellence. A culture of excellence relies on identifying accountable faculty who set high expectations and execute systems toward ongoing improvement. Peer review of teaching (PRT) is an established system that cultivates a culture of collaboration, reflection, and excellence through feedback and collegial discourse. The purpose of this scoping review was to understand PRT implementation by 1) summarizing the program development process, 2) identifying program characteristics, 3) identifying review instruments, and 4) determining program evaluation strategies. Methods. A scoping review was conducted using a methodological framework. With library scientist counsel, search terms were established, and 3 databases were queried for articles describing PRT programs in health care education. Articles were managed in the Covidence Systematic Review Management Software. Researchers independently screened search results for article inclusion and extracted data from included studies. Descriptive data analysis was conducted. Results. Thirty-five articles met inclusion criteria. Seven different health care professions have published PRT articles; however, none in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) education. Results indicated that most programs underwent a systematic development process, included faculty input, and sought to ensure consistency between the program purpose and characteristics. A 3-step formative process was most common. Faculty were paired systematically or used self-selection. Evaluative instruments were often program specific, guided by core competencies of teaching excellence or previously published tools. Program outcomes commonly reported positive faculty opinion of PRT and teaching improvement. Only 2 articles evaluated student metrics to assess PRT impact and effectiveness. Discussion and Conclusion. Peer review of teaching has been successfully adopted by health care education faculty to promote teaching excellence and could be a foundation for creating a culture of excellence in DPT education. These results provide an understanding of the processes for implementing PRT to guide DPT educators establishing PRT programs.