An ethnographic study compared content of a surgical nursing course developed by an individual with content determined through observation of practice. Most content was relevant to practice. However, sociology had a significant influence on practice but it was not addressed in curriculum. Ways to improve course development were recommended. (SK)

Describes the fundamental attitude of learning-from-the-child as integral to observation. Discusses how one learns what motivates each child through patience, humility, repeated experience, objectivity, and faith. Outlines some human tendencies, and challenges us to ensure these tendencies are answered within the Montessori environment. (JS)

Data from observations of cabinetmaking apprentices and masters were used to examine the structure of craft knowledge. Tacit transmission of knowledge and nonverbal modeling are the essence of apprenticeship, which is at odds with the current construction of skill learning as acquisition rather than transmission. (SK)

Examined relations between quality of mothers' and fathers' friendships and that of their children's friendships. Found that children's self-reports and observational measures of friendship quality were not highly correlated for girls, but were moderately associated for boys. Quality of mothers' and fathers' friendships related to quality of…

Describes college of education student internship or field experience programs and looks at how the process of observing the students has changed for the supervisor. Discusses how technological advancements have changed scheduling, note taking, communication, discussion, recording, follow-up, and other aspects of the process. (JOW)

This article describes a lesson in which students compare how artists have depicted rivers in paintings, using different styles, compositions, subject matter, colors, and techniques. They create a watercolor landscape that includes a river. Students can learn about rivers by studying them on site, through environmental study, and through works of…

It is often said that a dog is a best friend. In fact, after cattle, dogs are the oldest domesticated animals. Dogs have lived with humans for over 10,000 years and have been selectively bred for various types of domestication. Domesticated dogs have performed many roles in society throughout history-rescue dogs, hunting dogs, guide dogs, and…

I surveyed Division Two's teaching award winners in the 2-year college and 4-year college and university categories to discover the qualities and attributes that make these individuals effective teachers. I found that (a) most awardees did not receive formal training in teaching; (b) many awardees believed that observations of others' effective…

This paper analyses the experience of so-called "failing schools" in order to develop understandings that can inform improvement efforts. It reports on a study of the experiences of a small number of English primary schools placed in "special measures" as a result of being inspected. The study is unusual in that, in the past,…

A BioLogica trial in six U.S. schools using interpretive approach is conducted by the Concord Consortium that examined the student motivation of learning genetics. Multiple data sources like online tests, computer data log files and classroom observation are used that found the result in terms of interviewees' perception, class-wide online…

This study assesses a new measure of early childhood classroom practice in 127 kindergarten- and first-grade classrooms. The measure was designed to be appropriate for classrooms serving children from the age of 4-7 years. It assesses the nature and quality of instruction as well as the social climate and management of the classroom. Two separate…

People frequently analyze the actions of other people for the purpose of action coordination. To understand whether such self-relative action perception differs from other-relative action perception, the authors had observers either compare their own walking speed with that of a point-light walker or compare the walking speeds of 2 point-light…

Can people learn causal structure more effectively through intervention rather than observation? Four studies used a trial-based learning paradigm in which participants obtained probabilistic data about a causal chain through either observation or intervention and then selected the causal model most likely to have generated the data. Experiment 1…

This study examined the generalizability of systematic direct observation across setting and time. Participants included 14 students from an intact inclusionary fifth grade classroom. On-task/off-task behavior was directly observed using momentary time-sampling recording, twice a day, for 10 school days. Using Generalizability (G) theory, results…

This paper explains the principles and procedures of second-order theoretical analysis of observation data. The second-order theoretical procedure is illustrated by analysis of the student-teachers seminar on the subject of the Holocaust, focusing on dilemmas of Holocaust survivors. Analysing observational data allows two distinctive method of…