Examination of Teacher Observation Dynamics: Role of Observer Effort on Teacher Growth

Abstract

This study examined the teacher observation cycle to understand the effect of observer knowledge, observer effort, observer power, and school culture on teachers’ perceptions of whether the observation process helped them grow, implement strategies, or increase student learning. The concepts of power and expertise were defined by blending the definition of expertise of Berliner (2004) with the framework of power developed by Michelson (2001). Surveys and interviews were used to gather data on teacher perceptions and provide additional context and understanding on these perceptions. Linear regression was applied to the survey data to determine the relationship and significance between variables. Interviews were coded originally based on defined variables, but two of these variables had subcomponents that emerged as significant in the final analysis. The results indicate that the effort and the content and pedagogical knowledge of the observer are more significant factors in perceptions of teacher growth and implementation, as well as in perceived student learning, than the factors of observer power or school culture. Therefore, observers and school systems that want to improve teacher quality through the observation process should try to match teacher and observers in like-content areas, train observers on pedagogy and the evaluation process, and prioritize teacher observations over other work demands.