Classroom observations are an integral part of qualitative educational research. Traditionally, classroom observations have been done in-person, with one or more researchers being physically present in a classroom to observe and take field notes. With the proliferation of video technology, researchers are now able to conduct classroom observations…

Accurate, reliable, and scalable measurement of classroom quality represent a critical tool for ensuring that young children benefit from early learning programs. The Early Childhood Classroom Observation (ECCO) study was designed to better understand how video recordings can support high-quality measurement of pre-kindergarten (pre-K) classrooms,…

Third-party observations using validated observation protocols (OPs) provide a reliable way of recording teacher and student behaviors across different classrooms and institutions, which can then be used to identify what pedagogical strategies geoscience faculty use and how they are tied to learning outcomes of importance to the field. We examined…

Rubric-based observations of pre- and inservice teachers are common practice in schools. Popular observation tools often result in minimal variation in ratings between teachers, require extensive training and time demands for raters, and provide minimal feedback for professional development. Alternatively, direct observation methods are evidenced…

Measuring classroom behavior among young children is important to guide assessment and intervention decisions, yet there is limited literature on appropriate direct observation tools for this purpose. This article describes the psychometric properties of the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Student Observation System (BASC-3 SOS) with 135…

When classroom observations are increasingly used for accountability and evaluation purposes, a deeper understanding of the psychometric properties of such measurement tools is needed. The present study took a unique approach to examine the psychometric properties of a commonly used classroom observation measure by testing the reliability of…

This three-paper dissertation systematically investigates the methodology issues related to using observational systems to observe, analyze, and interpret teachers' reformed teaching practices within the K-12 classroom context. Each paper contributes a distinct perspective to evaluate instructional practices accurately, consistently, and…

Observation protocol scores are commonly used as status measures to support inferences about teacher practices. When multiple observations are collected for the same teacher over the course of a year, some portion of a teacher's score on each occasion may be attributable to the rater, lesson, and the time of year of the observation. All three of…

Researchers and policymakers in the US and beyond increasingly seek to identify teaching qualities that are associated with academic achievement gains for K-12 students through effectiveness studies. Yet teaching quality varies with academic content and social contexts, involves multiple participants, and requires a range of skills, knowledge, and…

The design, flexibility, and iterative nature that is inherent to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) makes it difficult to consistently measure. With federal policy encouraging the implementation of UDL, there is an increased need for practitioners to reliably measure the occurrence of UDL. The UDL Observation Measurement Tool (UDL-OMT) was…

This review examines a range of lesson observation frameworks designed for and used in the observation of teaching in mathematics. This includes frameworks specifically designed for international comparisons of teaching practices and teacher effectiveness, as well as those used for teaching development. Five chapters focus on: (1) Introduction…

We examine whether one of the most popular observation systems in teacher evaluation--the Framework for Teaching (FFT)--captures the range of instructional skills teachers need to be effective. We focus on the case of special educators, who are likely to use instructional approaches that, although supported by research, are de-emphasized in common…

Using a newly created teacher evaluation instrument, Inter-rater Reliability (IRR) analyses were conducted on four teacher videos as a means to establish instrument reliability. Raters included 42 principals and assistant principals in a southern US school district. The videos used spanned the teacher quality spectrum and the IRR findings across…

This paper aims to describe the development process of the Observation Protocol for Teaching Activities in Mathematics (POAEM) and to report the findings from the qualitative and statistical analyses used to provide evidence of validity and reliability of the information collected with the first version of the POAEM. As part of this development…

Children have mathematical understanding beginning from the early years of life. Mathematics education during these years has a significant effect on children's future lives. Play is a significant issue in children's lives and can be used as a way for teaching and learning. It presents a rich learning environment. In this study, therefore, we…