Classroom observation: a guide to the effective observation of teaching and learning

This book examines the theories and practice of classroom observation. O’Leary argues that a performative approach to classroom observation has become commonplace, but that wider approaches to observation are just as useful in professional development.

Outlining the context to the emergence of classroom observation against the backdrop of education policy developments and reforms in the UK, he examines and compares classroom observation in various contexts. He moves on to highlight the use of quantitative and qualitative methods as instruments of observation for teaching and learning, the different models and contexts of classroom observation, and how it is used as a tool for assessing teachers classroom performance.

The book concludes with a focus on the use of classroom observation to aid and promote teachers’ professional development, while exploring alternatives to conventional models of observation through case studies.