Discusses a workshop designed to explore and develop concepts and practices in the use of effective peer observation for professional development. Notes that seminar leaders established micro-goals, e.g., developing a personal and professional understanding of peer observation, examining affective and power issues, and learning objective…

An early childhood education professor humorously recalls his first day observing 3 year-olds as part of his university practicum. Intimidated by the sight of 15 lively youngsters roaming about, he manages okay, but injures a child when helping with a zipper. Saved by Bactine and Dumbo Band-Aids, he nonetheless worries about the accident report!…

Focuses on the study of geographies of children, offering advice on how to consult with children. Provides information on how to make contact with different groups of children, how to conduct the data collection process, and how feedback will be given. Includes references. (CMK)

Preservice teachers (n=22) observed 45 elementary students' use of instructional CD-ROMs and evaluated the software. Pre/post data indicated that their initial unproblematic views of instructional software modified somewhat. They became more aware of issues in technology use in education. (Contains 19 references.) (SK)

Describes the changing ways child observation is being used by preschool teachers in the United States and Australia in relation to the accountability movement pressuring young children and their teachers in both countries. Explores the costs of the accountability movement in early childhood education. Calls for genuine accountability based on…

Discusses the importance of considering theory to be rooted in observation and suggests that no observation stops with itself but instead yields another observation. Suggests that what must occur is that teachers become prepared to observe their observations: to look and look again. (MG)

Results from an experimental study suggest that (a) participation in classroom management workshops enhanced teachers' (N=29) organizational and management skills; (b) district personnel could be trained to deliver the workshops and conduct classroom observation; and (c) training procedures that were successful with secondary classrooms were also…

Long's article "Inside the Black Box" postulated that what happens inside the classroom is the most important factor in student performance. Here, Long's findings are reexamined, the benefits of more naturalistic inquiry are discussed, and a balanced qualitative and quantitative approach toward classroom foreign language learning research is…

Explores the street life of an adolescent subculture through field study of the Canadian West Coast punk rock subculture. Demonstrates through observation of the members, their behavior and attitudes, and the reactions of others to them, that their activities both represent, and are consequences of, resistance to the dominant order. (Author/JS)

High school principals cannot effectively lead their schools from principal's office, nor do they need more formal structure or unctuous human relations approach. Experienced principals have learned to get out of their offices and spend more of school day where 9ction is. Schools must not compromise their vitality and humanity to fit some…

The attempt to reduce teaching to discrete, observable behaviors is impractical. Checklists fail to capture the intangible qualities (sense of humor, enthusiasm, compassion) differentiating an effective teacher from an ineffective one. For skilled supervisors, the ultimate observation instrument is a blank sheet of paper accompanied by informed…

This article describes: (a) a model of behavioral events likely to occur during team sport coaching practice; (b) three interrelated systematic observation instruments, microcomputer-based, used to record behaviors. Collected data can be analyzed and processed to assess coaching effectiveness. Model and instruments have been tested on basketball…

A description is given of how an art teacher increased childrens' observational skills by teaching them to focus on the subtle visual details of natural objects. A brief list of helpful books is provided. (JD)

An exploratory study of adult learning resulting from locally initiated community group programs illustrates approaches to qualitative and, more particularly, naturalistic evaluation. The use of a proxy list and the blending of independently derived abstract and concrete initial category labels proved particularly useful in the categorization…

Reorganization of data from a 1986 study of home care client placement for the elderly (N=18) allowed for user-specific reports to a variety of interested groups in the affected community. The techniques used to adapt and present the data are outlined. A short bibliography is appended. (TJH)