Observation


 * Things to Consider**

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 * What is the focus of your observation?
 * Do you have a clear research question or subquestion that will guide your observation?
 * Have you obtained necessary permissions from the appropriate people (principal, classroom teacher, etc.)?
 * Have you scheduled the days and times you will observe?
 * Did you confirm the observation with the appropriate people the day before?
 * What do you expect to see and what implications does that have for the way in which you will attempt to record what you see?
 * How do you think you will use the information that you collect and what implications does that have for the kinds of data you collect and the way that you record it?
 * Will you take notes on a clipboard, in a notebook, or on a laptop computer?
 * Will you take notes on a template of some sort?
 * Will the notes that you take consist of codes, description, diagrams, scripting what people say, tally marks or a combination of these? Have you developed some standard abbreviations to make it easier for you to capture information quickly and accurately?
 * Will you audiotape, photograph, or videotape the environment? If so, do you have the necessary equipment (including cables, cords, extra batteries, memory cards, microphones, tapes, etc.)?
 * Have you thought about how you will handle a person who comes to talk with you while you are doing the observation?


 * Things to Observe**

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 * Actions, Activities, and Events - The things that happen or that people do and their relationships to one another
 * Chronology - What happens, when it happens, the order in which it happens, and how long it takes
 * Emotions - The emotions you see expressed by the people, regarding the activities, environment, events, people, or things with which they interact
 * People - The people involved
 * Places - The environment in which the actions, people, and things interact
 * Things - The items that are present in the environment


 * Observation Process**

[|Observation How-to] - Offers several examples of ways to record observation data, as well as information regarding strategies for conducting observations and using the data. The page from the University of Texas at Austin is designed for K-12 practitioners interested in conducting research to improve instruction, to evaluate programs, or for publication.


 * Resources**

Udall, Anne J. & Daniels, Joan E. (1991). //Creating the thoughtful classroom: Strategies to promote student thinking.// Tuscon, AZ: Zephyr Press. ISBN 0-913705-62-4.

This outstanding book provides lots of lesson activities that will give teacher-researchers ideas for involving students as participant-researchers in action research projects, and templates that teachers can use to involve students in helping them to observe and evaluate their teaching in ways that are likely to directly impact students' thinking. The templates can serve as models for teacher-researchers seeking to create their own observation instruments.