CLASSROOM OBSERVATION

CLASSROOM OBSERVATION

1. Observations is known as the act of gathering information through a real teaching and learning environment

2. PURPOSE

   • "to investigate what happens inside the classroom when learners and teachers come together" (ibid.)

3. WHAT IS IT?

4. APPROACHES

   • Three basic approaches to documenting classroom interaction are:
     • (1) The use of observation systems to code data :
       • It involves some categories designed by the researcher in order to document student's and teachers' behaviors and speech during lessons.
       • (2) Recording and transcribing classroom interactions:
         • It consists of transcribing both audiotapes and videotapes. This procedure involves identifying selected bits of data as belonging to a certain class or category of behaviors.
         • (3) Producing ethnographic narratives.
           • It is the narration of lived experience gathered through the process of observation in order to analyze and get a complete view of teacher and student interaction.
   • PROCEDURES
     • According to Jeremy Harmer (2001) ‘procedures are “an ordered set of techniques. They are the step-by-step measures to execute a method. These procedures can be both electronic and natural in nature.
       • Field notes
       • Observation schedules
         • SCORE data
           • Classroom Maps
       • Video-Recordings
       • Audio-Recordings
       • Synchronous and asynchronous chat records
       • Stimulated recalls
       • Transcripts

5. OBSERVATIONAL ROLE

   • PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION
     • It is centered on the active role taken by the observer as they have the opportunity to interact and interfere with the nature of the classroom
   • NON-PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION
     • The process throughout the researcher observes what is going on inside the classroom taking a non-active role