Development and Application of an Instructional Observation System to Provide Support for and Self-Reflection by Student Teachers

Abstract

In this paper, the author reports on a support system he has developed for classroom observation during practice teaching. Through this system, student teachers learn about and receive both pre- and post-training on methods of classroom observation. This system consists of four sub-units : 1. Rating instructional behaviors. 2. Describing video equipment protocols. 3. Analyzing teaching objectives, strategies, tactics ; and inferring learner cognition and emotion during the teaching/learning process. 4. Computer-assisted analysis of instructional behaviors using a "SOCSIA" category system. ("SOCSIA" is a method for categorizing classroom observations.) In applying this system the author showed its applicability for support of classroom observation by student teachers.