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,…

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…

A foundational strategy to promote implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) is providing EBI training to therapists. This study tested an online training system in which therapists practiced observational coding of mock video vignettes demonstrating family therapy techniques for adolescent behavior problems. The study compared…

Background: Speech is the most common method of communication. Video-based clinical communication evaluation is a requirement for children with speech-language impairments living in rural areas, and those who have limited mobility. Aims: To determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Viking Speech Scale (VSS-T) via live…

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…

This study describes the development of a special education teacher observation protocol detailing the elements of effective decoding instruction. The psychometric properties of the protocol were investigated through many-facet Rasch measurement (MFRM). Video observations of classroom decoding instruction from 20 special education teachers across…

When conducting classroom observations, researchers are often confronted with the decision of whether to conduct observations live or by using pre-recorded video. The present study focuses on comparing and contrasting observations of live and video administrations of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System-PreK (CLASS-PreK). Associations between…

Caregivers' warm, sensitive, and attentive interactions with their children have been widely considered key indicators of infant-caregiver interaction quality in childcare contexts. The primary purpose of this study was to explore infant's daily experiences and the characteristics of relationship-based supportive care practices in a childcare…

Previous research shows inconsistency in clinician-assigned diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We conducted an exploratory study that examined the concordance of diagnoses between a multidisciplinary assessment team and a range of independent clinicians throughout Australia. Nine video-taped Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)…

Background & Aims: This study ran within the framework of the Thales Aphasia Project that investigated the efficacy of elaborated semantic feature analysis (ESFA). We evaluated the treatment integrity (TI) of ESFA, i.e., the degree to which therapists implemented treatment as intended by the treatment protocol, in two different formats:…

The University of Kentucky provides an alternative certification program to prepare teacher candidates in moderate and severe disabilities. Observations occur every semester that candidates are in the 2-year program and must be conducted all across Kentucky, often many miles away from campus. University researchers placed cameras in the classrooms…

Research with typically developing children suggests a strong positive relation between early gesture use and subsequent vocabulary development. In this study, we ask whether gesture production plays a similar role for children with autism spectrum disorder. We observed 23 18-month-old typically developing children and 23 30-month-old children…

Observational methods are increasingly being used in classrooms to evaluate the quality of teaching. Operational procedures for observing teachers are somewhat arbitrary in existing measures and vary across different instruments. To study the effect of different observation procedures on score reliability and validity, we conducted an experimental…

As the education reform movement increasingly focuses on teachers and teaching, educators, policy-makers, and researchers need valid and reliable measures that can be used to evaluate individual teachers, provide guidance for improving teaching performance, and support research in ways that advance instruction and classroom dialog and practice. A…