Office of the ProvostTransformational Change InitiativePeer Observation in Support of Instructional Excellence (POSIE) program

Peer Observation in Support of Instructional Excellence (POSIE) Program

The university-wide Peer Observation in Support of Instructional Excellence (POSIE) program launched in fall 2023 to boost participants’ teaching by changing the culture of peer observation from critical observation to supportive mutual mentoring. It is supported by the Transformational Change Initiative in the provost’s office.

Twenty faculty across all campuses can participate in each of academic years 2023-2024, 2024-2025, and 2025-2026 to learn about the research and scholarship of peer mentoring and teaching observations, and to infuse that knowledge and experience into their own teaching.

Each semester, up to 20 participants can work in pairs, and observe each other’s classes and discuss their observations with their partners and the program coordinators. Those who complete the program can go on to inform, inspire, and mentor other educators by sharing their experiences with their departments in future semesters. Ultimately, the main benefactors will be WSU students.

Apply to participate in the spring 2026 program

Fall 2025 Program Orientation Sessions

Participants in the fall 2025 orientation are required to attend one of the two following 90-minute orientation sessions.

Introduction to the POSIE Program

Watch a recording of the Oct. 4, 2023 PIT Stop session that introduced and discussed the program:
Watch a recording of the Oct. 4, 2023 PIT Stops session on YouTube. The session was titled “Peer Observation and Co-mentoring Program.”

Collaborative Effort

The program is a collaboration between the Transformation Change Initiative (TCI) and the WSU Teaching Academy. The program springboards from a two-year pilot that involved participants from the academy and was led by fellows Kathleen Cowin, WSU Tri-Cities educational leadership professor, and Theresa Jordan, WSU Pullman history professor. Cowin and Jordan are project coordinators for the new WSU-wide initiative.

Program Goals

The Peer Observation and Co-mentoring Program is designed to:

  • Inform participants about the research and scholarship of peer mentorship and teaching observations, and share experiences with their departments and other educators.
  • Improve participants’ teaching by changing the culture of peer observation from critical observation to supportive mutual mentoring.
  • Share effective teaching strategies and resources among participants. This could include whole group and small group strategies; cooperative learning strategies; discussion strategies; “critical friends” approaches; universal design; classroom group agreements; assignment and activity design; teaching to a learning target/goal and objective; and more.
  • Enhance teaching for educators and learning for students.

POSIE Program Community Group Agreements

All participants of the program agree to and practice the following POSIE community group agreements.

  • This is a safe space
  • Be kind, caring, & supportive of each other’s learning
  • Practice attentive listening
  • Use inquiry; hold a curious stance; turn to wonder and reflect
  • Gently stretch each other’s thinking
  • Shared understanding that teaching is “messy”
  • This is not a high-stakes, evaluative approach

“TCI is pleased to support the scaling up of this successful pilot program over the next three years offering it to faculty on all WSU campuses. This immersive experience will be valuable to faculty as they continue to reflect on and refine their pedagogical skills.”

Erika Offerdahl, TCI Director