Observing Classes at Técnico (2010-2019): Do observations impact on the quality of teaching?

The main objective of the observation of classes project is to promote and improve the pedagogical skills of professors and their professional development. This paper refers to three existing contexts of observation and aims to understand how the class observation process is reflected in the pedagogical performance of teachers over time, using the Quality of Curricular Units (QUC) results in order to provide details about the performance of the teachers in a certain semester. This study focuses on the universe of more than 700 teachers evaluated by QUC, from 2010/2011 to 2019/2020 at Técnico. The statistical analysis demonstrates evidence that there are differences between the pedagogical performance of teachers over the years, namely with an emphasis on moments after the observation of classes has occurred. Qualitative results from the feedback meetings, after every observation process, reveal that class observations are seen as an appropriate means to promote the quality of teaching and the pedagogical development of teachers. More work needs to be done in this area, on the one hand to continue monitoring the professors' achievements and their performance over the years at Técnico, and on the other hand, to identify other variables that influence the pedagogical skills of professors, assessing and improving the positive impact of the classroom observations done by non-peer professionals.