Theme: observation for developmental purposes and classroom research contents: introduction

Theme: OBSERVATION FOR DEVELOPMENTAL PURPOSES AND CLASSROOM RESEARCH

CONTENTS:

1. 
   INTRODUCTION
   

2. 
   MAIN PART:
   
   1. 
      Becoming a Skilled Observer
      
   2. 
      Observations can be Spontaneous or Planned
      
   3. 
      Questions you may want to ask yourself as you plan your next observation
      
   4. 
      The Role of Documentation
      
   5. 
      Objective versus Subjective Observation Evidence
      
   6. 
      Recognizing Your Biases
      
   7. 
      Ethical Guidelines when Observing Children
      
   8. 
      Observation and Documentation Dos and Don’ts
      

3. 
   CONCLUSION
   
4. 
   REFERENCES………………..
   

INTRODUCTION

To provide children with a safe and nurturing learning environment and to maintain program effectiveness, teachers must incorporate observation, documentation and assessment into their daily routines. To truly be effective, teachers must develop skills and strategies that are grounded in best practices. In this chapter you will be presented with information that highlights how observation and documentation can be used as a key strategy to ensure intentional teaching. You will examine the initial steps to take to becoming a skilled observer, and you will reflect on how to objectively document the interactions that you see and the conversations that you hear. It is important to note that becoming a skilled observer takes time and practice, and that learning how to incorporate observation, documentation and assessment into your regular routines and daily duties requires some thoughtful consideration.
Classroom observation can play an essential role in improving teachers' performance. Many researchers in the field of education mentioned that classroom observation is a tool for professional development, although this mainly depends on the way observations are carried out. In fact, classroom observation can also be a real concern and a cause of failure for many teachers if it is not applied effectively. A high level of anxiety negatively affects teachers' performance and extends its impact on the learning process in general. Therefore, it is important to make sure that those who perform the classroom observation are competent and able to perform this task professionally without causing negative feelings such as anxiety or fear.
Historically, classroom observations have been conducted in educational establishments for different purposes such as evaluation of teachers, promotion, curriculum design, or professional development. In this study, the researchers aimed to improve the effectiveness of the classroom observation process in an English Language Center based in a College of Technology in the Sultanate of Oman. The study adopted a qualitative research methodology and semi-structured interviews as the data collection tool. In the first stage, observers and teachers were interviewed to understand the existing classroom observation process. Based on the initial data, a training program was developed with materials from international good practice projects. Finally, the changes were identified through the second set of interviews with the participants. The major results of this study suggest that the training program contributed positively to the perceived effectiveness of the classroom observation process, reduced anxiety related to this process, and led to more balanced participation from both the observers and the teachers. Moreover, the implementation of the pre-observation conferences started taking place and post-observation meetings included more constructive feedback. This study adds to the literature on the importance of classroom observation training with a practical training program. This practical approach can be adopted in similar contexts with some adaptation to meet the specific needs of educational institutions. The researchers suggest a qualitative research approach to accompany any such future training to measure the effects of the training program.