This week's 'Ah-Ha' moment involves reflection and the use of a third party observer. While I feel as if it's nearly impossible to gauge accuracy through scheduled third party observes, I do think hear about other's perceptions are valuable to all facilitators. What one person sees as effective may actually benefit when smashed with another's idea.
"It is amazing how access to credible data about issues and concerns can change the nature and tone of conversation in a school staff. Sometimes the best way to solve a problem that is detracting from the mission of learning is to make the familiar strange" (p. 113).
Making the familiar strange:
Allow others in your classroom
Answer questions about your practice you may not usually ask yourself during self-reflection
Use new ideas/Merge your old ideas with a third-party observer's ideas
How could a third party observation be more creditable and useful than an observation in a traditional classroom?
I feel as if announced observations change the way a teacher preps for a lesson. I'm confident in my skills and believe I use best practices each day. However, I may pay more attention to the verbage of my objective on the board when I know a third party will be visiting my classroom.
In an online setting, perhaps a useful tool for improving facilitator practice would be random observations (unannounced checking of posts, student/facilitator contact, quality of questions, etc).
Ashley
Now I'm wondering, how are online classes evaluated? I know students give feedback via end-of-course surveys, but how does the instructor determine the success of her or his online class? How does the institution determine that?
ReplyDeleteOne of the benefits of prepping for an observer is that you think a little differently, strive to be better and are more concerned about the qulaity of the content and delivery. And so, even in that setting you are improving, which is part of the purposes of the exercise.
ReplyDeleteGreg
Greg,
ReplyDeleteI agree, it pushes us out of our comfort zone even for a minute and gives us great reason for personal reflection. Though I do feel as if we should be on our toes presenting our best effort each and every day. A great teacher does as you said, "strive to be better and are more concerned about the quality of the content and delivery" on a regular basis.
Thanks for the post! Have a great afternoon,
Ashley