QUINT Observation System Seminar: April 4, 2022

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Welcome to the QUINT Observation Systems Seminars (OBS seminars).  This series will discuss classroom observation systems as a tool for understanding and improving teaching quality.

This and upcoming OBS seminars are open for all interested parties.  We want it to become a meeting arena for scholars genuinely interested in observation systems and related issues. Therefore we recommend that you join our network by subscribing to the network mailing list. You must confirm your email address in the confirmation email you receive to complete signing up to the mailing list. 

If you are interested in presenting your research or have questions, please contact the organizer, QUINT Postdoctoral Fellow Mark White.

Program

In this seminar, taking place on April 4th, 2022 at 8am ET/ 14.00 CET, Jennifer Gore, Drew Miller, Jess Harris, Leanne Fray and Sally Patfield from the University of Newcastle in Australia will present work on using an observational model within an approach to teacher professional development known as “Quality Teaching Rounds.” The title of their talk is Using an observation system to enhance teacher and student outcomes

Abstract

With the growth of observation systems for analysing and addressing the quality of teaching, it is critical to attend not only to their surface features but also their underlying mechanisms. In this presentation, first we outline the origins and measurement properties of the Quality Teaching Model, an observation tool that is applicable to all grades and subjects while honouring the complexity of teaching.  

Next, we argue that observation tools are insufficient for improving teaching practice and student outcomes. However, such tools can be powerful in demonstrating the kind of measurable improvement sought by governments and researchers alike when embedded within a professional development system that attends to theories of teaching and learning, teachers’ perceptions and priorities, and the power relations among teachers and school leaders. We outline the system we have developed to support the use of the Quality Teaching Model – Quality Teaching Rounds – and the 20-year program of research demonstrating its efficacy and effectiveness through multiple randomised controlled trials and strong qualitative evidence.

Drawing on data from this major program of research, we argue that observation systems can underpin widespread reform and improvement providing they are conceptually rich, methodologically robust, professionally appealing, and thoughtfully integrated in school structures and cultures.

Video Recording:

 
Published Dec. 7, 2021 6:25 PM - Last modified Jan. 9, 2023 1:51 PM