PAROSL

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PEER-ASSISTED REFLECTIONS ON STUDENT LEARNING

EPIC is now supporting an on-going campus-wide initiative from CRESST called the Peer-Assisted Reflections on Student Learning or PAROSL. This UCLA program supports faculty who are interested in (i) incorporating more student-centered, inclusive practices into their teaching and (ii) building their professional teaching portfolios.

PAROSL is different from many peer observation processes in that it is non-evaluative. It is designed to foster collaboration, reflection, and innovation, not to judge an instructor’s practice. Participants receive training in how to conduct a non-evaluative observation and how to support a colleague in authentic reflection about student learning.

Faculty pairs complete their PAROSL cycle over the course of a quarter, meeting several times to observe each other’s lessons, discuss student learning, and develop an instructor-selected pedagogical innovation that is tailored to the course and the instructor’s goals. Each pair works with a dedicated PAROSL facilitator who trains participants, attends meetings, and answers any questions participants have during the process. Upon completion of their PAROSL cycles, faculty summarize their experience, including the innovation they implemented, in a “teaching innovation narrative.” This document is suitable for inclusion in a professional teaching dossier (if the instructor chooses), as is the official certificate of completion awarded at the conclusion of the program

APPLY TO THE PAROSL PROGRAM

Peer-Assisted Reflections on Student Learning or “PAROSL” is a research-based, UCLA program that supports faculty who are interested in (1) incorporating more student-centered, inclusive practices into their teaching and (2) building their professional teaching portfolios.

PAROSL is different from many peer observation processes in that it is non-evaluative. It is designed to foster collaboration, reflection, and innovation, not to judge an instructor’s practice. Participants receive training in how to conduct a non-evaluative observation and how to support a colleague in authentic reflection about student learning.

What are faculty saying about the benefits of participating in PAROSL?

“Hearing what [my partner] observed about my pedagogical practices and how it influenced student learning has made me a more aware educator. While participating in PAROSL I learned a great deal from observing [my partner’s] course, but I also learned how to observe my own teaching practice.” – Fall 2022 Participant

Visit the testimonials tab at the top of this page for more reflections from faculty and sample teaching innovations supported by PAROSL.

What are other benefits of participating?

While PAROSL is non-evaluative by design, the program is aligned with recognized components of UCLA’s appointment and promotion processes: evidence of “development of new and effective techniques of instruction, including techniques that meet the needs of students from groups that are underrepresented in the field of instruction” (see APM 210). Upon completion of the program, participants are also eligible to apply for up to $1,000 in funding to support further teaching-related professional development (see our FAQ for more details).

Ready to get involved?

PAROSL cohorts operate in fall and spring quarters each year. Apply using the button at the top of the page. If our current application window is closed, sign up for CAT’s faculty newsletter to be notified of upcoming opportunities.

Questions? Contact PAROSL Program Director Dr. Beth Goodhue and Program Manager Michelle Chen by emailing parosl@teaching.ucla.edu.

Women Working Together

  • Innovation

    Faculty pairs complete their PAROSL cycle over the course of a quarter, meeting several times to observe each other’s lessons and discuss student learning. The centerpiece of the PAROSL cycle is the introduction of an instructor-selected, pedagogical innovation, one that is tailored to the course and the instructor’s goals. Click on the Faculty Testimonials tab at the top of the screen to explore sample innovations.

  • Support

    Each pair works with a dedicated PAROSL facilitator who is present throughout the cycle. The facilitator trains participants at the start of the program, attends meetings, and answers any questions participants have during the process. Some faculty choose to consult with their facilitator about their innovation. In this case, the facilitator provides whatever support is requested (e.g., suggestions for possible innovations based on the instructor / course context, relevant on-campus or online resources to support the innovation, etc.).

  • Professional Benefit

    Upon completion of their PAROSL cycles, faculty summarize their experience, including the innovation they implemented, in a “teaching innovation narrative.” This document is suitable for inclusion in a professional teaching dossier (if the instructor chooses), as is the official certificate of completion awarded at the conclusion of the program.

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  • UCLA Partners

    PAROSL is a cross-campus collaboration among the following UCLA partners:

    – Center for the Advancement of Teaching (CAT)
    – Center for Education Innovation and Learning in the Sciences (CEILS)
    – National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST)
    – Excellence in Pedagogy and Innovative Classrooms (EPIC)

    • PAROSL was developed by a collaborative working group at UCLA led by Dr. Glory Tobiason (Clinical Faculty in Education at UCLA and a researcher at CRESST). Financial support over the course of the project has been generously provided by former EVCP Scott Waugh, former Dean and Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education Pat Turner (in support of UCLA’s ongoing accreditation by WASC Senior College and University Commission), and by UCLA’s EPIC program (with funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation under grant number 41500604).

    Court of Sciences