Classroom+Observation+Tools

**Classroom Observation Tool **

Bielefeldt (2012) wrote in his study, “Guidance for Tech Decisions from Technology Observation,” that technology is appropriately utilized when it helps students put into practice acquired knowledge, encourages the learner to construct knowledge from previously and newly acquired knowledge, promotes higher order thinking, and leads to attaining 21st century skills. These skills, he observed, are needed in “modern work environments for information acquisition, analysis, and sharing” (Bielefeldt, 2012, p. 207). Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2011) defined 21st century skills to include core subjects coupled with the 21st century themes of learning and innovation skills, information, media, and life and career skills.

Bielefeldt contends that it is critical to evaluate what is being practiced within the classroom and that students are learning. There must be “visible evidence that new practices are in effect” (Bielefeldt, 2012, p. 205). He added that observation documents the extent to which teachers and students implement new practices. It reveals how effective a technology program is when evaluated against the goals set by the school district. It also should be noted that although teacher preparation and technology support are an important aspect of implementation, they are difficult to directly observe.

This flow chart is adapted from Bielefeld’s study (2012, p. 206). It shows the steps needed to implement a new practice and at what point observation should occur.

The International Society of Technology Education (2000, 2002, 2007, & 2008), commonly known as ISTE, observed that true implementation includes “alignment with curriculum and instruction, active interaction with technology tools, and the use of technology to promote a range of important cognitive skills” (as cited in, Bielefeldt, 2012). These are criteria are found in ISTE’s National Educational Technology Standards (NETS). However, the standards themselves do not describe what educators need to accomplish to achieve these conditions. Bielefeldt (2012) described seven learning attributes that can be observed when using the ISTE Classroom Observation Tool (ICOT) (2011).


 * 1) Student grouping (individual, groups of varying sizes, whole class)
 * 2) Teacher roles (lecturer, moderator, facilitator, role modeler)
 * 3) Learning activities
 * 4) Technology utilized by teachers and by students
 * 5) Amount of time technology is used
 * 6) Number of students engaged (Bielefeldt, 2012, pp. 206 & 207).

Since ICOT has been used in various educational setting by several observers, it is a reliable and valid tool for classroom observation (Bielefeldt, 2012). To access the free 2010 version of the observation tool, go to the [|ISTE website] and set up an account. In the search bar, type [|ICOT]. From the results, choose ISTE Classroom Observation Tool (ICOT). A [|Revised ICOT Form] (2008) is also available.

The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) is a useful model for adopting change (Loucks-Horsley, 1996). CBAM has conveniently identified seven Levels of Use that influence professional development. These same stages can be used to evaluate the use of technology after staff development opportunities.


 * Level 0, None-use: ** The educator has no knowledge or involvement with using a technology.
 * Level 1, Orientation: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> The educator is exploring and acquiring information about a technology.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Level 2, Preparation: **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> The educator is getting ready to use a technology for the first time.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Level 3, Mechanical Use: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> The technology is used superficially with little reflection.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Level 4a, Routine: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Technology use is mastered but little effort is made to improve its use.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Level 4b, Refinement: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> The educator now varies technology use to increase the benefits.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Level 5, Integration: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> The educator combines their efforts with their colleagues to improve benefits.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Level 6, Renewal: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> The educator reevaluates quality of use to increase impact and explores new personal or community goals.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Amankwatia (2008) in her doctoral study, //Teaching with Technology for 21st Century Learning//: //A multiple-case study of a school district's high school laptop initiative//, cited Burns and Polman (2006) that wireless laptops in a one-to-one environment helps with the shift from passive to active learning where students are engaged in knowledge construction (p. 7). This environment, Hastings and Tracey (2005) noted, provides teachers and students ubiquitous access to networked instructional resources whenever they need it (as cited in Amankwatia, 2008). Beasley, Dobda, and Wang (2005); Niles (2006); and Varden (2002) observed that simply providing laptops to each child does not promise effective classroom implementation to increase student learning (as cited in Amankwatia, 2008). This is because even though 21st century skills are promoted, teachers still have not adjusted their methods to match the theories and reforms.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Ely (1990) held that certain environmental conditions must be in place before technology implementation is successful. Ely provided eight preconditions, and they are “1) dissatisfaction with the status quo, 2) existences of knowledge and skills, 3) availability of resources, 4) availability of time 5) rewards and incentives, 6) participation, and 8) leadership (2008, pp. 10 – 13). These eight conditions should be in place for implementation to occur. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Amankwatia offered the use of her validated and reliable observation instrument from her doctoral dissertation, which was adapted from Ward Mitchell Cates’ Classroom Technology Observation Protocol (pp. 265 – 269). She utilized his observation tool in multiple school districts during her course of work for her doctoral dissertation.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Since SLSD has been a recipient of Classrooms for the Future (CFF), the District has been moving towards becoming a School 2.0.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(PDE, 2012)
 * **<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">School 1.0 ** || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">School 2.0 ** ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Teacher centered || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Learner centered ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Content coverage || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Learning and doing ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Memorizing information || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Using information ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Lecturer || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Facilitator and co-learner ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Whole group configuration || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Flexible group configuration ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Single instructional and learning modality || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Multiple instruction and learning modalities to include all students ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Memorization and recall || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Higher order thinking skills and creativity ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Single discipline || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Interdisciplinary ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Isolated || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Collaborative ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Textbook dependent || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Multiple sources of information ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Teachers teaching to one learning style || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Teacher addressing multiple learning styles ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Learning content || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Learning how to learn ||
 * <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Learning isolated skills and factoids || <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">Completing authentic projects ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">An additional observation tool created by Apple called “[|Technology Use Lesson: Observation Tool]” that was used by Apple Classroom of Tomorrow (ACOT).

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Reflection **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">This activity fulfills the requirements for
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">I. A. Identification, selection, installation and maintenance of technology infrastructure, and hardware and software applications for school administration and instruction including: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Assessment of educational and administrative technological needs
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">B. Integrating technology into curricular planning and instructional design including: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Research on and evaluation of existing and emerging technologies

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The activity was to meet and “work with Building Level Technology Coaches and Facilitators to monitor student and teacher use of technology.” The activity involved assessing educational technological needs (I.A.) and evaluating existing technologies (I.B.). To begin this project, I researched the need for observational tools in the classroom to document the implementation of technology within classrooms. The ICOT and Cates’ observation tools was used to document individual differences as related to the use of instructional technology resources, instructional effectiveness, student groupings, and more (ISTE, 2011; Amankwatia, 2008). The observation tools were documented to be valid and reliable because they had been used multiple times in various settings over extended times.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">I met with two Technology Facilitators and a Technology Coach on three occasions (May 14, May 23, and June 6, 2012). I asked if SLSD had an observation tool that would help me monitor teacher and student use of technology and since they did not, I used ICOT and Cate’s observation tools at the first two observation sites. My use of the observation tools was informal since I never observed an activity or a classroom for more than a few minutes. However, I was able to talk to some teachers, students, and tech coaches and was able to learn about technology use in various settings.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Observation tools should be used at regular intervals to document the progress of implementation. The initial observations will set a baseline, but the baseline must be compared to new observations so that the school district can see if the technology plan, investment, staff development, and implementation are progressing as planned or not. If not, what needs to be reexamined and what new goals need to be set?

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Resources **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Amankwatia, T. B. (2008). //Teaching with technology for 21st-century learning: A multiple-case study of a school district's high school laptop initiative// (Doctoral dissertation). Available from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Bielefeldt, T. (2012). Guidance for technology decisions from classroom observation. //Journal of Research on Technology in Education//, //44//(3), 205-223.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Ely, D. P. (1990). Conditions That Facilitate the Implementation of Educational Technology Innovations. //Journal Of Research On Computing In Education//, //23//(2), 298-305.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">ISTE. (2008). //Revised ICOT tool.// Retrieved from http://onlinetools.pbworks.com/f/ICOT+obs+form.doc

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">ISTE. (2011). //ICOT.// Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/research/icot.aspx <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Loucks-Horsley, S. (1997). Professional development for science education: A critical and immediate challenge. In R. Bybee (Ed.) //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">National standards & the science curriculum. //<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Dubuque, Iowa: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co. Retrieved from http://www.mdecgateway.org/olms/data/resource/3712/CBAM.pdf

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2011). //Framework for 21st century learning.// Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/1.__p21_framework_2-pager.pdf

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">PDE. (2012). //Classroom for the future//. Retrieved from http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/classrooms_for_the_future_(ed_hub)/8911