The Role of the Formal Observation in Promoting Reflective Practice

<p>Acheson and Gall (2011) wrote about the tension between teacher evaluation and clinical supervision. In their research they discuss the intent of clinical supervision to be a model for coaching and supporting professional growth as compared to more traditional models of teacher evaluation that were often associated with fear as a motivator. This program evaluation examines the nature of the formal observation in the teacher evaluation process and seeks to explore its role in developing reflective practitioners and promoting professional growth. This study involved researching the perspectives of teachers and administrators regarding their perceptions of the value of the formal observation process in improving teaching and learning. The data was collected through surveys and interviews and analyzed for patterns in responses.</p> <p>As a result of the research from this program evaluation, it was determined that the current formal observation process mandating an in-person observation of instruction is limited in its ability to foster the development of reflective practitioners. Several factors create a context that devalues what should be an optimal opportunity for professional growth. The passive role of teachers in the process, the high stakes nature of the observation as the central component in the larger evaluation process, the lack of a collaborative structure and the administrator-driven nature of the experience result in a process that has little impact on improving instruction in this study. The recommendations from this program evaluation include the exploration of alternative models for the current structure of the formal observation in the teacher evaluation process in Illinois.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation - Public Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Leadership

Year dc:date.available

2018

Author dc:creator

• Brownlow, Merryl B

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Elizabeth Minor
• Dr. Gloria McDaniel
• Dr. Harrington Gibson

• Formal Observation
• Teacher Evaluation
• Videotaped Observations
• Reflective Practice
• Educational Administration and Supervision
• Educational Leadership
• Elementary Education and Teaching
• Teacher Education and Professional Development

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/305

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.nl.edu:diss-1313