An analysis of peer observation for instructional supervision according to the views of ELT instructors

The aim of the research was to examine peer observation according to the views of ELT instructors working in Schools of Foreign Languages at universities. Peer observation is gradually becoming popular as a professional development tool in Turkey and abroad. When the research literature on peer observation in Turkey is examined, it is seen that some of the studies were carried out on ELT instructors. However, these studies were conducted with a small number of participants who were chosen from a single institution. For this reason, it is thought that determining the views on peer observation of the ELT Instructors from different institutions who have knowledge about peer observation or have applied it before and conducting a study that consists of a large number of people working under different conditions will reveal more realistic results, encourage the use of peer observation, which is an alternative approach to supervision, as a professional development tool in a more efficient and systematic way and contribute to research literature on professional development. In this study, general survey model was used. Target population of the study consists of 392 ELT instructors working at Ege University, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir Institute of Technology, İzmir Katip Çelebi University and İzmir Demokrasi University in the 2018-2019 academic year. The findings relating to the perceptions of the ELT instructors on the positive and negative sides of peer observation were supplied by "Peer Observation Survey" with a five point Likert-type scale developed by the researcher. For the data analysis, techniques of arithmetical average and standard deviation were used in order to determine the levels of the perceptions of the instructors. Moreover, t test and one way analysis of variance were used in order to determine if there were differences among the arithmetical averages in terms of variables. The findings of the research were as follows: 1- While the perception level of the ELT instructors for the positive sides of peer observation of teaching was "I agree", for the negative sides of peer observation was " I partially agree". 2- There was no statistically significant difference among the perceptions of the ELT instructors on the positive sides of peer observation relating to "gender", "undergraduate degree", "seniority" and "educational status". 3- There was no statistically significant difference among the perceptions of the ELT instructors on the negative sides of peer observation relating to "gender", "undergraduate degree", "seniority" and "educational status". 4- There was statistically significant difference among the perceptions of the ELT instructors relating to negative and positive sides of peer observation. In accordance with the results of the study, it is recommended that not only ELT instructors but also academicians from all departments carry out peer observation with the aim of professional development in a more systematic way. In order for peer observation to be more effective, it is also recommended that information gathered from peer observation process remain confidential, academicians be free to choose their partners and have a training on observation and how to give feedback and their schedule be arranged in such a way that they can spare time for peer observation. Key Words: Instructional Supervision, Professional Development, Peer Observation, ELT Instructors