Measuring Behavior 2002: Smith

Developing a system for capturing classroom interactions

F. Smith

Education, University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

We have developed a computerised system that records interactions between teachers and pupils in the primary classroom. Our Classroom Interaction System (CIS) uses The Observer 3.0 software [3] to log the frequency of a number of different 'discourse behaviors' [2]. We used focal sampling with multiple actors. The actors were: a teacher, 4 SEN pupils, 'other' pupils (their peers) and the whole class. We were interested in 7 different sorts of behavior:

Question (whether open, closed, uptake or repeat)

Answer

Explain

Refocus (get a pupil back on task)

Read

Write

Direct (an instruction to do something)

For ease of data entry, we classified these behaviors as events rather than states. However, we did include one state - stage of lesson. This enabled us to key-in when the lesson had moved between whole class work, group work and a plenary session.

Research [1] suggests that if a pupil is allowed to contribute to the shaping of the verbal agenda in a classroom, the discourse is more effective in helping the pupil to learn. Directive, teacher-dominated discourse is not an effective way to promote higher-order thinking among pupils. Figure 1 shows a typical teacher-initiated discourse profile for a literacy lesson (in England). Ten different behaviors are shown on the x-axis, referring to those bullet-pointed above. This graph shows that closed questions were the most frequent form of discourse behavior (an average of 52 closed questions was asked per hour). The teachers in our sample directed the pupils 29 times per hour and explained 28 times per hour. It is clear that directive behavior is the dominant form of discourse in a literacy lesson.

Figure 1. Discourse profile of a typical literacy lesson.

The CIS is a great improvement upon the paper and pencil techniques traditionally used in the field of education. Data are immediately ready for download and analysis. The system is mobile, easy to internalise and adaptable.

This paper will also discuss some methodological issues we have dealt with when using the system across different projects. These include:

Suitability of such a system for the fast pace of a primary classroom. This has synergies with the realities of fieldwork, and the validity of the system.

Methods of data analysis - ensuring the system is reliable. Choosing the right kinds of analysis to suit the research question.

Modifying the system for use in different projects and in different countries.

Intellectual Property Rights - how to protect such a system (which takes time and money to develop) from being exploited, yet ensuring the benefits of the system are realised.

References

Barnes, D.; Todd, F. (1995). Communication and learning revisited: making meaning through talk. Heinemann, Portsmouth, NH.

Mroz, M.A.; Smith, F.; Hardman, F. (2000). The discourse of the literacy hour. Cambridge Journal of Education, 30(3), 379-390.

Noldus Information Technology (1995). The Observer Base Package for Windows, Reference Manual, Version 3.0. Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Paper presented at Measuring Behavior 2002 , 4^th International Conference on Methods and Techniques in Behavioral Research, 27-30 August 2002, Amsterdam, The Netherlands