Peer-supported Teaching Practice: Embodying a Relational, Practice-Led Approach to Enhancing Educator Wellbeing and Practice

Abstract

Peer review of teaching (PRT) programs have the capacity to address the practice imperative of evaluating and enhancing teaching practice, and the ethical imperative of safeguarding and promoting educator wellbeing, which is intrinsically linked to student wellbeing. This article outlines the practice-led development of an institution-wide, embedded and contextualised PRT program, which we conceptualise as Peer-supported Teaching Practice (PTP). In contrast to traditional PRT, our working framework is built from the ground up and situates the educator as the driver of a relational peer-review process informed by psychological wellbeing literature. By incorporating peer reflection as a core function of the model, we seek to ensure all staff can access growth-fostering peer relationships regardless of their role, discipline or existing social capital. Rather than position academic developers as the facilitators of these conversations, we argue that peers are best equipped to support each other to explore, interrogate and mutually develop the embodied 'self-in-practice'.