This study focuses on the use of systematic social observations (SSO) to measure crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) and disorder. To improve knowledge about measurement issues in small area research, SSO is conducted by means of three different methods: in-situ, photographs, and Google Street View (GSV) imagery. By evaluating…

The field of education relies heavily on instructional coaches to build teacher capacity in the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs). Although observation tools are commonly used to measure the fidelity of implementation by teachers, fewer tools are available to identify specific coaching behaviors used during in situ coaching…

The field of education relies heavily on instructional coaches to build teacher capacity in the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs). Although observation tools are commonly used to measure the fidelity of implementation by teachers, fewer tools are available to identify specific coaching behaviors used during in situ coaching…

Focusing on systematic observation, one of the most potent methods of studying teaching quality, represents one of the numerous contributions of Daryl Siedentop to the profession. While he had a clear focus on issues of validity and reliability concerning systematic observation, over the past decades, attention to such issues appears to have…

Identifying and describing children's play behaviours is an important component of evaluating child development. The Behaviour Mapping Schedule is a direct observational tool which aims to describe and quantify children's play behaviours but is yet to undergo reliability testing. This study aimed to determine the intra- and inter-rater reliability…

Classroom observations are an integral part of qualitative educational research. Traditionally, classroom observations have been done in-person, with one or more researchers being physically present in a classroom to observe and take field notes. With the proliferation of video technology, researchers are now able to conduct classroom observations…

Classroom observation is an accountability practice which promotes the evaluation of teachers' capacity to meet standards, improve teaching practices, and enhance student learning outcomes. Prior research has revealed that these practices are not without bias: the reliability of observation can be challenged because of classroom or observer…

This study investigated the use of brief observations to measure implementation of small group interventions using the Quality of Intervention Delivery and Receipt (QIDR) tool. Videos of 10-min segments representing the beginning, middle, and end of each 30-min intervention lesson were coded for implementation. Results indicated that (a)…

The Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) instrument provides insight for instructors and administrators alike, often touting high response-rates to endorse their validity and reliability. However, response-rate alone omits consideration for "adequate quantity of 'observational sampling opportunity' (OSO) data points" (e.g., high student…

Research Findings: Given the variable nature of early childhood settings, practitioners and researchers need better guidance on what conditions influence observations conducted within early childhood settings (National Research Council, 2008). Using 230 observations from 23 three- and four-year-old children, we conducted a Generalizability study…

A foundational strategy to promote implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) is providing EBI training to therapists. This study tested an online training system in which therapists practiced observational coding of mock video vignettes demonstrating family therapy techniques for adolescent behavior problems. The study compared…

Background: Speech is the most common method of communication. Video-based clinical communication evaluation is a requirement for children with speech-language impairments living in rural areas, and those who have limited mobility. Aims: To determine the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Viking Speech Scale (VSS-T) via live…

Two of the central issues in comparative judgement (CJ), which are perhaps underexplored compared to questions of the method's reliability and technical quality, are "what processes do judges use to make their decisions" and "what features do they focus on when making their decisions?" This article discusses both, in the…

Previous research shows inconsistency in clinician-assigned diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We conducted an exploratory study that examined the concordance of diagnoses between a multidisciplinary assessment team and a range of independent clinicians throughout Australia. Nine video-taped Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)…

The work presented in this case study results from a study conducted in 2012-2014 examining a newly created teacher evaluation system to determine the inter-rater reliability of the classroom observation instrument. The teacher evaluation system was the result of a partnership between the school district and the university in the same city…