Classroom observation process
From CEITLWiki
Classroom observation is a formative assessment that has the goal of improving teaching and learning. The process should be non-threatening to all parties involved, and it should provide useful feedback to faculty about their teaching practice. In order to align assessment practices with what we believe about good teaching, the Center for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching and Learning team recommends a change in our classroom observation process.
We propose a three-step process to classroom observation:
- A pre-observation "conference" involving the observer and the instructor should be held. The purpose of the meeting is to orient the observer to the class and provide him or her with some context for the observation. The meeting can be a telephone conversation, or at the minimum, the instructor can simply submit the suggested Background for Classroom Observation form.
- The classroom observation itself involves the observer attending the class and making notes as suggested by the double-entry narrative form. The observer should focus on observing how the instructor implements Chickering and Gamson’s seven principles.
- The final debriefing should be held within two weeks of the observation. The purpose of the debriefing is to provide feedback to the instructor for the purpose of improving student learning. The observer’s written comments should address Chickering and Gamson’s seven principles as suggested in the Classroom Observation Report form.
To see how the process might work, see these sample documents.
Observers can download this cover sheet.
