The potential of classroom video recordings in detecting the TA-to-pupil, teacher-to-TA and peer interactions: An overview

Abstract

Technology in the classroom comes in many shapes to differentiate instruction, create meaningful learning experiences, actively engage the learners, or inform about classroom exchanges. Video recordings are no exception. They facilitate the investigation of classroom interactions and the collection of audio-visual data that provide further insights into the teaching practice and classroom dynamics. Previous education research has almost turned a blind eye to uncovering the intricacies of elementary classroom behavior and interactions through the medium of modern technologies. Only scattered attempts have brought to bear the issue. To this end, this paper presents an overview of the salient role of digital technologies, mainly video materials, in clarifying the different interactions that take place within the confines of the classroom, including teacher-to-teaching assistant (TA) relationships, teacher-aide-to-pupil interactions, and peer-to-peer interaction drawing on an ongoing data collection from elementary schools around Hradec Králové (HK) region in the Czech Republic. Classroom recordings might be a fountainhead for detailed, reflective analysis, enhanced communication among all participants, and better teaching-learning practice if used properly. The first part of the paper reviews some related definitions based on several previous theoretical grounds. Then, it highlights the peculiar classroom interactions aided by various analytic angles. Deeply rooted in education research, these dynamics are indebted to the presence of audio and visual records. Most importantly, the paper is built around the research endeavor by researchers at the University of HK, mainly the Faculty of Education, that aims at getting down to brass tacks of TAs interactions by means of technological intervention in data collection (video recordings) and measurement (Flanders et al. – FIAS). Keywords: Video recordings, TA-to-Pupil interaction, Teacher-to-TA interaction, elementary schools, Flanders Interaction Analysis System