To conduct a pilot observation I decided to observe lessons that have been filmed and stored on teachers.tv for public viewing.
I looked at the new OFSTED observation grid and criteria for observing lessons and from there decided what i would be focusing my observation on. I decided to look at how the teacher had adapted the lesson to make it more creative and the childrens' response to what wa being taught.
Observation is time consuming, particulary when you are unsure of exactly what you are looking for or, like me have no experience in observing others. However there are some huge benefits of using observation as an inquiry tool. Observation allows you to create a full picture of what is happening in any given situation. There is no way to 'fake' the information, unlike in a survey or interview. The benefit of using video (or audio-visually recording your observation) means that one can revisit the material many times, this may mean you can obtain information you may have missed the first time.
The limitations of using observation is that it relys on one person, the researcher, interpreting the data. I had to be careful not to let my opinion get in the way of what I was observing and record the facts. It is also easy to get distracted by floods of information. All five senses are engaged in live observation. It is important to stay focussed.
The OFSTED observation grid was complex. I have decided to create my own observation grid highlighting the specific parts of the lesson i want to observe.
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