Become a TOP Observer
In the CFE, our vision is a culture of peer observation of teaching at UCSF through an accessible Teaching Observation Program (TOP).
TOP is a program to enhance teaching at UCSF through volunteer peer observers. Our goal is to facilitate connections between teaching faculty and their peer observers across departments and schools to create a culture of peer assessment at UCSF. Already, more than 80 trained faculty are available as observers
The Holistic Approach to Evaluation of Faculty Teaching is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Upcoming Workshops
To be determined for 2023 - 2024. CFE offers workshops throughout the year for in-person TOP Observer training.
What are the next steps after the TOP Training?
Expand your expertise in peer observation of teaching by practicingT what you have learned through these 3 steps:
Request an observation by a TOP Trained colleague. See the list to choose from http://tiny.ucsf.edu/TOPPORTAL NOTE: Many TOP observers have expressed willingness to conduct observations over Zoom.
Arrange observation of a colleague. Help another TOP Trained colleague from the list become a TOP Observer. Find observation forms here: https://tiny.ucsf.edu/PeerAssessment
Request TOP confirmation letters. This can be used to update your CV in Advance. No actual feedback is included in
the letters: http://tiny.ucsf.edu/TOPobserved
Once you have completed the three steps, you will be listed as a TOP Observer. Your information is protected from public view and only shared with confirmed UCSF participants who may contact you for observation.
Resources for TOP
TOP Observers need easy access to observation forms to streamline the teaching observation and feedback process. The forms and related materials are posted at https://tiny.ucsf.edu/PeerAssessment
- Online Observation Forms
- Paper Observation Forms
- Holistic Approach to Evaluation of Teaching Feedback Loop (PDF)
Need a TOP Training refresher? Review the online TOP module
If you have specific department needs or any questions regarding the TOP Observer program, please contact us at [email protected].
