Scholarship of Teaching
& Learning:
Teaching Triangles & Squares
What are teaching triangles & squares?
Teaching triangles (3 people) and squares (4 people) are opportunities for self-directed peer-to-peer professional learning through guided observation and feedback dialogues. In either scenario, a small group of peers engage in a structured, non-threatening process of planning, conducting, and reflecting upon formative (low-stakes, learning-oriented) teaching observations to improve your teaching practices.
Image credit: Microsoft Copilot
Why Engage?
While observing colleagues in action can be uncomfortable to many (spurring feelings of uneasiness and discomfort, which often accompany vulnerability!), we encourage you to view teaching triangles and squares as a developmental opportunity to learn about self while also helping peers. Educators have argued that teaching, like research, needs to be treated as a scholarly activity that is visible, discussed, and open to peer review and constructive feedback (e.g., Shulman, 1993).
*There is no managerial or quality improvement oversight to this process.
Image credit: Microsoft Copilot
What are the aims of teaching triangles and squares?
To establish peer support networks for sharing and collaboratively learning from our teaching practices
To discuss common teaching/learning strengths and challenges between individuals, both within and across academic disciplines
To promote active sharing of successful and innovative approaches to teaching and learning
To develop comfort with being observed while we teach
To actively engage in direct observation of peer teaching
To practice providing focused written feedback to peers on their teaching practices
To practice using peer feedback to advance our action plans for ongoing professional learning
To foster a culture of ongoing reflection and improvement to our teaching practices
Top row, from left to right: Liliana Simion, Carolyn Reed, Allison Taylor.
Bottom row, from left to right: Carla Kingston, Denise Nielsen, Victoria Workman.
Photo credit: Paul Modderman
Faculty Spotlight; Teaching Triangles Pilot with Faculty on Cornwall Campus (Fall, 2023)
“Participating in this voluntary professional development opportunity with other mid-career educators reignited my passion for learning and teaching. It’s like being in a book club: you can read a book by yourself, but it’s so much more rewarding when you have like-minded people with whom you can further explore and discuss key themes and ideas.
This was exactly what I was looking for when I engaged with this group. As colleagues, we already knew each other well, and we were able to build on mutual friendship and trust, as well as our individual strengths to provide feedback and conversation about teaching and pedagogical practices. Observing other professors, and the way they engage in the classroom was as valuable to me as any other professional development I have ever taken, while having my peers observe and give feedback on my classes, allowed me to take a step back and re-vision my classes through their eyes. Upon completion of the formal triangles, there’s also the informal opportunity to gather and discuss some of the common themes that emerged and I look forward to ongoing dialogue with this team of passionate, inspired educators.”
-Denise Nielsen