Gitomer and Bell will use this grant to test the validity of the CLASS-S—an altered version of the CLASS meant for use in secondary school classrooms. They will also assess different ways to implement the CLASS, seeking to optimize its efficiency. They will gather data in 150 8th and 9th grade algebra classrooms using 3 different strategies for completing the CLASS: the conventional observation by a classroom rater, video recording of classrooms to allow for off-site coding, and teacher self-assessment. For the validity analyses, the researchers will collect measures of teacher and student characteristics, teachers’ math knowledge for teaching (MKT) and teachers’ knowledge of instructional support. The team will compare CLASS and other scores to the changes in student scores on a standardized algebra test.
The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) is a promising observational instrument that measures student-teacher classroom interactions in elementary school classrooms.
