Faculty of Science Learning, Teaching and Assessment Information and Resources
Home Good practice sharing Walkabout Weeks
The Faculty encourages all colleagues to request and consent to informal observations with peers, such activity offering developmental opportunities for observer and observee alike; When one observes, two learn. Walkabout Weeks celebrate this activity by providing enhanced visibility and an abundant source of observation opportunities during periods where there is no Faculty-wide teaching observation scheme. The emphasis here is on observing and learning from taught sessions, not observing staff. When operational, Walkabout Weeks are normally scheduled for the week after Curriculum Enhancement Weeks in each Semester. At the start of each term, all SCS academic staff are invited to complete an online form showing those one-hour slots in Walkabout Week when they are teaching and where they would be happy for colleagues to drop-in to informally observe the session. Participation is optional for SCS academic staff, although new and inexperienced staff are strongly encouraged to participate in Walkabout Week as observers. Technical and Administrative staff are welcome and encouraged to attend advertised sessions. Prior to each Walkabout Week, staff are invited to add their name to an online schedule, example below, to indicate that they intend to attend, this been needed so that staff may (quite reasonably) effect a cap on staff attendees. During Walkabout Weeks, colleagues attend the sessions that they signed up to for 50 minutes or until the class ends, whichever is the sooner. Unlike the formal schemes, there is no requirement for pre-/post- observation discussions and formal reporting although post-session informal conversations may be stimulated. At the end of the Week, staff are invited to complete a short anonymous survey on their experiences. Walkabout Week: Excerpt from example online schedule

Type	Size	Day	Time	Room	Module	Tutor	Topic	Notes	Cap	Colleagues (School/Dept)
Lecture	80	Mon	1000	BS/137	3403FNDSCI	J Bloggs	Chemical kinetics	Using Meetoo	N/A	AN Other, BES	P Body, SPS
Workshop	15	Mon	1000	BS/311	7403PHASCI	AN Other	Drug discovery	Group working	2	J Bloggs, Estates	J Doe, PBS
Phil Denton, Associate Dean (Education) Endorsed FEC 12/9/18 and Subject Leaders (virtual) 21/09/18 Approved by FMT 3/10/18 Maintained by SCSADE@ljmu.ac.uk. Last Update: 10/10/2023.