Classroom Observation Tool Research Articles

Selection of a classroom observation tool for disability inclusion in Uganda.

Obuntu Bulamu is a Ugandan intervention promoting inclusive education for children with disabilities. This culturally appropriate approach, based on the Ubuntu philosophy, utilises peer-to-peer support activities for children, parents and teachers. To effectively measure the intervention's impact on disability inclusion, the study aimed to select, adapt and test classroom observation instruments suitable for the Ugandan context. Three structured classroom observation tools were selected and piloted in 10 primary schools in Wakiso District: The Classroom Observation Checklist (CoC), the Teacher-Pupil Observation Tool (T-POT) and the Interaction Engagement Scale (IES). These tools were adapted to ensure cultural relevance and applicability within Ugandan school settings. Factors like class size, teaching methods, cultural relevance, language and ease of use influenced the suitability of the selected tool. The CoC emerged as a more effective tool with a strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of 0.80) for capturing inclusiveness and peer-to-peer support in the classroom compared to the T-POT and IES. The study findings emphasise the significance of adapting and testing tools in specific cultural contexts and low-income country settings and considering culturally contextual factors like class size, teaching methods, language complexity and ease of use when measuring disability inclusion in primary schools. The selection of a classroom observation tool for the Obuntu Bulamu randomised control trial contributed to African disability knowledge and practices designed on and for the continent.

Leveraging Classroom Observation Tools (COT) for an enhanced instructional supervisory practice

Leveraging Classroom Observation Tools (COT) for an enhanced instructional supervisory practice

The quality of universal language supporting provision in maintained nursery classrooms in economically disadvantaged areas of England: Identifying strengths and areas for development

Background: Oral language competence provides children with an essential foundation for academic achievement and emotional well-being, yet many children enter school with delayed language and those living in economically disadvantaged areas are at disproportionate risk of experiencing language difficulties. A tiered system, offering high-quality language teaching for all children in early years classrooms, is widely acknowledged as an appropriate means of supporting language learning need. An understanding of the current quality of language supporting practices in English early years settings is essential to inform teaching practice and professional development, but evidence is limited. Methods: This study employed the Communication Supporting Classroom Observation tool in 39 nursery classrooms in economically disadvantaged areas of England to identify strengths of practice and key areas for development. Results: Observations revealed well-equipped physical learning environments and responsive teaching practices, but few structured opportunities for language learning and development. Variation in quality was observed across the nursery session. Conclusions: Findings suggest a need for adaptive professional development programmes supporting the more consistent use of structured language learning opportunities, the enhanced use of interaction promoting strategies and the provision of more complex and contingent language models. Further investigation of language supporting practice at a fine-grained level is desirable.

Examining Grade 6 Teachers’ Knowledge and Understanding of Differentiated Instruction in O.R. Tambo Inland District in South Africa

It is essential to ensure differentiation in curriculum delivery to give all learners access to learning while also meeting the diversity of learner needs in the classroom in line with the Republic of South Africa’s inclusive education policy. This mixed methods study sought to examine grade 6 teachers’ knowledge and understanding of differentiated instruction to respond to the diverse needs of learners in OR Tambo Education District in the Eastern Cape. Data was collected from three randomly selected primary schools using interviews, questionnaires, and classroom observation tools. Four grade 6 teachers for mathematics and reading-to-learn were selected from each school (N 12). Key findings revealed that teachers lacked knowledge and understanding of differentiated instruction, and how it should be implemented in the classroom. This implies that all teachers should be trained or in-serviced (during and after training respectively) on how to respond to learners’ diverse needs during teaching and learning. This study contributes to knowledge in the field of inclusive education. The results of this study may influence universities to design teacher education programmes, methods, and/or interventions, which will enhance responses to learner diversity through differentiated instruction. This study could help researchers uncover the critical areas of differentiated instruction, its importance and its application in the classroom, its benefits for teachers and learners, and its impact on student learning. Keywords: Curriculum Delivery, Differentiated Instruction, Learner Diversity, Pedagogical Knowledge.

IMPACT OF CLASSROOM OBSERVATION TOOL AND RESULTS-BASED PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER PERFORMANCE

This literature review explores the implications of utilizing the Classroom Observation Tool (COT) and Results-Based Performance Management System (RPMS) on teaching performance among educators in public elementary schools. The COT serves as a structured instrument for assessing classroom activities, while the RPMS provides a framework for evaluating teacher performance based on professional standards. Through a comprehensive analysis of existing research and policy documents, this review examines the impact of these systems on teaching effectiveness and student outcomes. Research indicates that the systematic use of the COT allows educators to identify areas of strength and growth in their teaching practice, leading to targeted professional development interventions. Additionally, the integration of the RPMS ensures alignment between teacher assessments and professional standards, promoting accountability and continuous improvement in teaching practice. Studies have shown that educators who participate in regular classroom observations and performance evaluations experience enhanced job satisfaction and morale, leading to greater retention and commitment to their profession. Moreover, the implementation of these systems has been associated with improvements in student learning outcomes, as teachers are better equipped to meet the diverse needs of their students. However, challenges such as resource constraints and resistance to change may hinder the effective implementation of these systems. Moving forward, further research is needed to explore the long-term impact of the COT and RPMS on teaching performance and student achievement. Overall, this literature review highlights the importance of incorporating systematic observation and performance evaluation mechanisms into teacher professional development initiatives to promote continuous improvement in teaching practice and enhance student learning outcomes in public elementary schools.

The Role of Classroom Observation, Its Impact on Improving Teacher's Teaching Practices

Classroom observations are part of any classroom environment. Observations are part of a teacher's entire career, regardless of whether they are part of routine supervision or monitoring by school leaders. Providing a positive critical framework for evaluating one's practice, improving skills and developing strengths can be considered advantages of conducting classroom observation. At worst, they can create stress and test the confidence of the person being observed. Teacher observation is one step in the process of identifying changes that teachers may want to make. Measuring Teacher Professional Growth Observation requires specific tools that align with the professional growth and effectiveness framework. These tools facilitate the observations of the Head of the school, and bring the documentation protocol to collect the data during the observations. The analysis of teaching observation relies on structured national and international instruments. The aim of the study is to analyze teachers' perception of standardized classroom observation tools. Methodology used: the main instrument of data collection is the questionnaire, focusing on the collection of quantitative and qualitative data. The survey questionnaire for the interviewed teacher consisted of six questions to know their perception of the observation tools and process in class, choosing the answer in the desired column based on the Likert scale (strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree). Statistical analysis used Microsoft Excel in tabulating and analyzing the data collected. The study concluded that a standardized classroom observation tool serves as a guide for teachers to evaluate their performance and plan for their improvement, thereby increasing teacher preparation and competence. Results and relevant recommendations for professional development accompany the paper.

UTILIZATION OF CLASSROOM OBSERVATION TOOL AND TEACHERS’ TEACHING PERFORMANCE IN THE NEW NORMAL EDUCATION

This study aimed to find out the teaching performance of teachers through the utilization of Classroom Observation Tool (COT) in Pikong Elementary School. The needed data of this study were gathered using a survey questionnaire on challenges encountered by teachers in the new normal education, and teachers rating in teaching through the use of Classroom Observation Tool (COT) as basis in formulating technical assistance plan. Generally, challenges encountered by teachers in teaching obtained a weighted mean of 4.06, described as agree. Moreover, teachers teaching performance got the average score of 5.33, described as satisfactory. This means that the teachers in Pikong Elementary School demonstrate a range of associated pedagogical aspects of the indicator that usually are aligned with the learners developmental needs. However, teachers have to be provided with different technical assistance to increase their teaching performance from satisfactory to outstanding level. KEYWORDS: Classroom Observation Tool; Teaching Performance, Challenges

Validation of a Mathematics Teaching Assessment Scale for K-12 Basic Education: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Approach

Mathematics teaching in the K-12 Basic Education Curriculum encourages educators to adopt student-centered approaches and emphasize the development of 21st-century skills. Assessing the pedagogical practices of mathematics teachers using a specific tool validated through quantitative approaches is essential to ensure the effectiveness and quality of mathematics instruction. While previous research has focused on instrument validation in various areas, including self-efficacy of math teachers, mathematics teachers’ anxiety, and online education, existing classroom observation tools have limitations, particularly in assessing public school teachers' performance specifically intended for mathematics teachers. This study aimed to validate a mathematics teaching assessment scale. The scale, constructed based on the Department of Education's classroom observation tool, initially comprised 22 items across four constructs: Mastery of the K-12 Mathematics, Teaching Methodologies, ICT Integration, and Assessment of Learning. The scale was validated through content validation, reliability testing, inter-item correlation, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent validity, and discriminant validity. A total of 687 mathematics teachers from four public schools in each of the five municipalities of the National Capital Region participated. Content validity was established by eight experts using the Scale Content Validity Index and Item-Content Validity Index, with indices exceeding 0.833, indicating validity. Each construct demonstrated desirable reliability indices based on Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability coefficients. Confirmatory Factor Analysis removed six indicators, resulting in a final scale of 16 items across four constructs. The validated instrument can effectively evaluate mathematics teachers' classroom teaching, focusing on 21st-century skills and student-centered approaches.

IMPACT OF CLASSROOM OBSERVATION TOOL (COT) ON PERFORMANCE OF PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

The main aim of the study was to identify the Effect of Classroom Observation Tool (COT) on Teachers Performance. The main objectives of the study were to find the difference in Classroom Observation Tool (COT) on teachers’ performance regarding demographic variable (gender, qualification, experience). Data was collected through survey method and study was quantitative in nature. The population of the study were consisted all public elementary Schools in district Nankana Sahib. From total population of District Nankana Sahib Tehsil Sangla Hill and further Male Elementary Education Wing was selected randomly. The sample was selected using a random sampling procedure. As a sample for the study, teachers from District Nankana Sahib were chosen. 300 instructors were chosen as the study's sample. Data were gathered using a questionnaire that was self-developed. The questionnaire had two sections. Demographic factors (gender, education, and experience) made up the first half of the study, while classroom observations and instructor performances made up the second. The SPSS (Statistical Packages for Social Sciences) programme was used to analyse the data. The independent samples t-test was employed in inferential statistics to determine the significance of the difference between demographic variables (gender). To examine the differences between demographic factors (experience and qualification), one-way ANOVA was used.

Examining the child observation in preschool and teacher observation in preschool in community-based child care centers

Previous research indicates that the Child Observation in Preschool (COP) and Teacher Observation in Preschool (TOP), a companion set of observational tools used to assess the quality of preschool classrooms, capture important aspects of the preschool environment that are associated with children's growth (Farran et al., 2017; Nesbitt et al., 2015; Spivak & Farran, 2016). This study is the first to assess the convergent and predictive validity of these tools in community-based child care centers and compare the tools to the Classroom Assessment Scoring System Pre-K (CLASS Pre-K), a widely used classroom observation tool. We collected COP-TOP and CLASS Pre-K data in 138 classrooms in Georgia as part of a validation study of Georgia's Quality Rated and Improvement System. We also collected child assessment data from 583 preschool-aged children in those same classrooms. Over half of the COP-TOP classroom processes were moderately correlated with at least one of the three CLASS Pre-K domains. COP-TOP classroom processes related to time spent in transition, time spent engaging in sequential activities, involvement in learning activities, and opportunities for math learning were associated with children's math skills, preliteracy skills, and socioemotional development at the end of the year, after controlling for their scores at the start of the year and demographic characteristics. All three CLASS Pre-K domains were significantly associated with children's socioemotional development. We discuss the implications of these results for assessing quality in early care and education programs.

THE IMPACT OF CLASSROOM OBSERVATION IN EARLY EDUCATION ON CHILDREN’S OUTCOMES

Educational practices and all that happens in the classroom are essential to children’s learning progress and their development. Despite the importance of teachers’ educational practices, in the low- or middle-income countries the practices are hardly ever measured, partly because of a lack of access to classroom observation tools and the high costs of their administration. As a result, the present research undertook the aim to analyze the improvement of educational practices on the dimensions that are comprised in the observation tool we used: classroom climate, instruction and social and emotional skills by means of classroom observation and providing feedback using the Teach observation tool. Thus, we assume that early childhood education teachers who participate in observation and feedback processes based on the Teach observation tool develop educational practices more adapted to the children’s social and emotional and cognitive needs. The study consisted of conducting a quasi-experiment with three repeated applications of the Teach observation tool on a sample of 19 kindergarten teaching staff. The 19 kindergarten teachers were from the same kindergarten in Braşov city, Kindergarten no.11, “House of joy”. The study was carried out during the 2020-2021 school year. Following the implementation of the Teach observation tool, we can conclude that its role is to facilitate the measurement of quality in early childhood education. Teaching can be a starting point for understanding, measuring and discussing the quality of teaching practices in early childhood education, leading to improved support for teachers and ultimately better learning experiences and higher outcomes for preschoolers. Also, in the future, the Teach observation tool can provide policy makers and stakeholders with the information they need to design and implement policies and programs in early childhood education.

Primary school teachers’ patterns in using communication-supporting strategies following a professional development program: lessons learned from an exploratory study with three teachers

Oral language skills underpin later literacy achievement and life prospects, and many children struggle with oral language for various reasons. Hence, it is crucial for teachers to provide a learning environment with rich opportunities for all children to practice their oral language. The aim of this exploratory study was to explore a professional development (PD) program designed to coach teachers in using communication-supporting strategies during verbal teacher-child interactions in regular classrooms. In focus were five strategies from the Communication Supporting Classroom Observation Tool. The study used a mixed-method case design with multiple observations across four time points over 10 weeks and a follow-up observation after two months. Outcome measures were collected at pre-and, post-intervention and at follow-up. The cases were two intervention teachers and one comparison teacher in second grade in Swedish primary schools. The teachers were directly observed and video-recorded during teacher-child structured small group conversations while discussing different texts with two groups of children each. The groups were mixed and comprised both children struggling with oral language as well as more typically developing children. To further understand the verbal interactions, the teachers’ amount of talk in relation to the children was analyzed in terms of the percentage distribution of the total number of words per minute. The overall patterns of strategy use showed that the two intervention teachers applied more varied strategies from the PD program during the intervention period, but this was not maintained at the follow-up. The amount of teacher talk appeared stable over time, with individual differences in the three teachers. We also discuss the teachers’ own insights and our experience in the design of the PD program, which may guide future research and applications of the PD program.

When Only White Students Talk: EQUIP-ing Prospective Teachers to Notice Inequitable Participation

We introduce a teacher learning practice called EQUIP-ing, which aims to foster sociopolitical noticing by leveraging EQUIP, an equity-oriented classroom observation tool. We detail our iterations of EQUIP-ing to a field-based Number Talk experience in a secondary mathematics methods course with 25 White prospective teachers (PTs). We offer empirical accounts of how EQUIP-ing empowered PTs to connect their teaching practices with racialized and gendered patterns of student participation; as a result, PTs began to reconsider taken-for-granted practices. However, we also found that PTs demonstrated potentially detrimental ways of attributing marginalizing patterns to minoritized students without actionable plans to redress the inequity. We conclude by inviting mathematics teacher educators to apply EQUIP-ing while emphasizing purposeful support for asset-based noticing.

Outstanding Mathematics Teachers’ Teaching Practices: A Collective Case Study

This collective case study explored the teaching practices of outstanding mathematics teachers who were purposely chosen using a selection guide by a team of mathematics administrators in Panay Island, Philippines. Researcher-made classroom observation tools (COT), interview protocols, field and reflection notes, lesson plans, and focus group discussions from students were used to gather multiple sources of data. Analyses of pedagogical strategies, including the interactive classroom collaborations, and explanations for those decisions from the teachers were included in the within-case analysis and cross-case analysis. The study depicted detailed verbatim interactions between the teachers and the students during actual teaching episodes to give the reader naturalistic examples of the explanation patterns and strategies that the outstanding teachers used to further students’ understanding of mathematical concepts and procedures. The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) framework was used as guide in the analysis, interpretation, and presentation of the results. These outstanding teachers were noted to be exemplary in planning the teaching and learning process, proficient in using teaching and learning resources including ICT, and excellent in managing the classroom; applied successful teaching strategies in the development of critical and creative thinking as well as of higher-order thinking skills; used appropriate formal and non-formal assessment tools; provided feedback to their learners to rationalize and to improve learning; and constantly communicated their learners’ progress and achievements to parents. Keywords: teaching practices, outstanding mathematics teachers, collective case study DOI: 10.7176/JEP/14-12-07 Publication date: April 30 th 2023

The Development of the Protocol for Advancing Inclusive Teaching Efforts (PAITE)

Inclusive teaching is instruction that fosters a sense of belonging, is equitable for a diverse student body, and shows students that they matter. Inclusivity is associated with positive student outcomes and is critical at institutions of higher education given the diversity of student populations. While there are a number of recommended practices for inclusive teaching, valid and reliable classroom observation tools that provide instructors with formative feedback on their instructional efforts are lacking. This article describes the development of the Protocol for Advancing Inclusive Teaching Efforts (PAITE). The PAITE was developed for formative purposes to provide higher education instructors with formative feedback on observable inclusive teaching practices. The protocol can be used by peer observers, educational developers, student pedagogical partners, and educational researchers in higher education classrooms. We describe the creation of the protocol, how to prepare observers to use it within classrooms, and how instructors can use the feedback to monitor and improve their inclusive teaching approaches.

An Empirical Study on the English Classroom Teaching Evaluation Combined with the Concept of Key Competency in Chinese Senior High School

With the sweeping of the new curriculum reform, new changes and requirements in English teaching stress the development of students' key competencies and require teachers to carry out teaching activities based on key competencies. As an important part of teaching, however, the evaluation in traditional English classes in senior high school lacks diversity and innovation and ignores the main role of students. Many explorations on classroom teaching evaluation have been conducted, but most of them are theoretical research, focusing on the compulsory education stage. This paper studies the evaluation of high school English classroom teaching combined with key competencies and explores the impact of the evaluation on English teaching and learning. The author selected two classes in a senior high school as the experimental class and the control class to conduct a two-month comparative experiment using classroom observation, testing and other experimental tools. It is found that the English classroom evaluation based on the key competencies can promote teaching effect as well as learning effect. Therefore, in the classroom evaluation, it is important for teachers to implement key competencies in the classroom teaching evaluation, use diversified teaching evaluation to arouse students' enthusiasm for learning, and improve students' comprehensive English learning ability.

Cultural Considerations in Defining Classroom Quality: Ghanaian Preschool Teachers’ Agreements and Disagreements with Standards-Based Instruments

Early childhood education (ECE) programs are expanding across sub-Saharan Africa. But the quality of these programs, and their effectiveness when implemented at scale, remains unclear. Defining quality is not simple, as learning environments are shaped by cultural values and societal sociodemographics. Framed within sociocultural theory, this study broadens understanding of ECE classroom quality by examining whether and how Ghanaian educators foster children’s development in ways that are culturally and contextually adaptive but not included in current definitions of quality, using an existing classroom observation tool as a prompt. ECE teachers and school headteachers participated in semistructured interviews and focused discussions of the most widely used standards-based observation tool—the CLASS—highlighting elements of agreements, disagreements, differences, and key features of the teacher-child relationship not captured by the tool. The findings highlight ways in which the sociocultural and educational contexts need to be considered when measuring classroom quality.

Teacher`s ICT training and impact of Teaching-Learning in Primary Education

There is an increasing concern among national as well as international development regarding the implementation Situation of ICT in Primary Education. There is a need to move beyond the accumulated facts and figures generated by using both quantitative and qualitative mixed approach research through semi structured interviews as well as classroom observation tools. To achieve this, the present research focuses on the availability of equipment, using digital content in classrooms and teachers’ skill and their training. This study investigated primary school teachers’ perceptions of the barriers and challenges preventing them from integrating ICTs in primary school and how it impacts on the learning process. The participants of this study were head teachers, ICT trained teachers and all the students of the observing classroom from the 5 schools at Brahmanbaria Sadar Upazila. The objective of this study is: 1. To explore the teacher’s self-assessment of their ICT training skills. 2. To determine the impact of the learning on the teaching and learning activities. 3. To identify the challenges in providing ICT teaching for learners. According to the findings of the study primary school teachers are not yet ready to integrate ICTs into their classrooms due to a number of obstacles that include unavailability of ICT friendly classrooms, equipment and webbased resources in the school. The lack of competence of the teachers in understanding the existing ICT training along with the shortage of technical support and proper technological knowledge on how to integrate ICT into their teaching and learning process altogether have also contributed to the inability to integrate ICT properly into the primary school classrooms. It is therefore needed to extend the duration of the existing ICT training programmes and also introduce refresher training courses for those who have received it earlier. Most importantly, all primary school teachers who have not yet received the training should be given ICT training immediately. The study recommends that partnership with public and private sectors is necessary to enable effective training of teachers, ensure ICT friendly classrooms, equipment, web-based resources, connectivity and overall coverage for quality education.

Teachers and School Administrators' Perception on the Use of Standardardized Classroom Observation Tool

Teachers and School Administrators' Perception on the Use of Standardardized Classroom Observation Tool

Observing Instructor Behaviour in an Active Learning Classroom: A Case Study of an Undergraduate Calculus Course

Active learning classrooms (ALCs) are spaces explicitly designed to encourage collaborative learning, often through the use of technology. To learn more about teaching activity in ALCs, a study was designed to observe an engineering calculus course during the winter 2020 term. A large-scale active learning classroom was selected for classroom observation using the extended Teaching Dimensions Observation Tool (TDOP+). The TDOP+ is a descriptive classroom observation protocol based on the Teaching Dimensions Observation Tool, enhanced with elements from the Active Learning Classroom Observation Tool (ALCOT). 
 This case study compares the class orchestration of different instructors teaching two different sections of the same course at a large, public university. Twenty class sessions were coded for this study: 10 for each section (5 for each instructor). The coded instructor behaviour was analyzed using a conceptual framework described by Nocera (i.e., a version of Activity Theory), focusing on mediating artifacts and instructor goals. 
 While we observed differences in the frequency and duration of active learning activities and in the type and number of tools used in each class session, the results from this case study suggest that flexible space design enables instructors with the same lesson plan (and content) to create different technological frames to achieve their varied pedagogical goals, while encouraging increased adoption of new tools.