From "Educational Leadership/Research Supplement, v2 n5 May 1969, edited by the Research Council of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (James Raths, Chairman).

Eisner's educational criticism model produces a richer description of an English classroom than does Flanders' interaction analysis. (Author)

The correct assessment of observable student behavior is an important tool in the ongoing education process. Whether the setting is a classroom, a field experience, an activity, or a residential treatment center, proper evaluation techniques will provide information for the determination of policies and programs. The Flexible Observation…

Describes the ACI (Activities Categories), a system based on Flander's interaction analysis. Each of eleven activity categories is explained and classified as being either student centered or teacher centered. Reviews the use of ACI and how the data are analyzed. (PR)

An observational technique for assessing the social interaction skills of elementary age students with disabilities is described. The procedure focuses on three interaction elements: (1) initiating the interaction, (2) turn taking, and (3) responding to the interaction. The method of data recording and analysis is delineated. (DB)

This handbook on teacher evaluation provides the means for conducting positive, nonjudgmental assessment of teacher performance. The first section presents a sequence for planning and implementing an evaluation of teaching. The second section discusses concepts that are used as a basis for developing procedures to evaluate teaching for…

With an example of OScAR 5V records from four seventh-grade classrooms, this article illustrates the fact that conclusions in any study depend on decision-making processes. Careful examination of the decision-making process is suggested since resulting judgments and implications are rarely scrutinized. (CK)

Evaluated is the validity of the behavioral categories held in common among three classroom observation systems. The validity model employed was that reported by Campbell and Fiske (1959) which requires that both convergent and discriminant validity be demonstrated. These procedures were applied to data obtained from the videotapes of 62 teacher…

Reports an investigation to determine whether or not interaction analysis could be used as a tool to analyze laboratory instruction and to identify patterns of instruction which differentiate effective and ineffective teaching. Indicates student performance can be enhanced by a student-centered climate. (Author/TS)

The paper describes an observation instrument originally developed as a research tool to assess both the special setting and the regular classroom. The instrument can also be used in determining appropriate placement for students with learning disabilities and for programming the transfer of skills learned in the special setting to the regular…

A set of criteria was developed to assist users and developers of observation systems. Thirty-three criteria which observation systems should meet were identified and classified into three main types: identifying, validity, and practicality. (Author/DEP)

The purpose of this study was to collect data on behavior, including educational media usage, in a wide range of educational settings through use of participant observation. Eight special education teachers and their classrooms were used. An instrument adapted from the OSTRAQ system was used to measure 12 categories of pupil-teacher interaction…

Based upon the communications process model of teaching and learning, the Miniaturized Total Interaction Analysis System (Mini-TIA) establishes a conceptual framework for observing symptomatic classroom behaviors. It provides a means for the evaluation of classroom communication. Interpersonal communication is defined as either verbal (using…