Observation is the most effective method for assessing the quality of student-teacher interactions. However, our understanding of best observation practices needs improvement. This research will tackle several issues, including the need for information on reliable and valid measures of classroom processes; the expense of conducting observations; the appropriate length of observations, units of measurement, and ways to mitigate rater differences; and how best to use technology such as video and the web to address issues of scale and capacity. The team will use literature reviews and a series of targeted analyses of classroom observation data from previously published studies as the basis for the work.
Research shows that certain classroom relationships and certain types of student-teacher interactions predict achievement gains.
