Observation methods

Norfolk January 2005

Margrethe Jernes

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From a description of characteristics to a description of actions or behaviour

Defining (coloured by the observer) Per, 4 years old, is screaming

and hitting Ole 4,3 years old. He is furious. He is an aggressive boy! Nobody likes to be together with him.

Mary, 6 years old, is a quiet and nice girl. No problems with her.

Descriptions (an attempt to be more objective) Per, 4 years old, is yelling out

loud and is touching Ole. He looks angry in his face. He is a boy that is often in physical contact with the other children. It happens that other children weep when they are close to him.

Mary, 6 years old, often sits by the table weaving. She seldom talks to the other children. She seldom receives reprimands from the grown ups (“Often” and “ seldom “ ought to be documented).

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To have a FOCUS

Choice of method or

approach must first of all

be a function of the

intention or purpose of

your observation.

What do we want to know more about?

Who or what are we observing?

Exactly what are we looking for?

Why are we looking for this?

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Headword in choosing focus Limitation Observation demands that we can limit

the field and extract something out of its context. It means that we can clearly tell what we are observing.

Purpose We must explain why we want to observe exactly the one segment that we have chosen.

Perspective We have to understand the observation on the basis of the right perspective. We have to explain how this segment fits into the context and why we have chosen this limitation (Askland 1997:188).

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Choosing methods

Selections of methods have to be explained on the basis of the chosen focus.

How I use the methods, decide if an observation is systematic or unsystematic.

If e.g. a diary is used in a casual way, you should call it an unsystematic method.

But it can also have a systematic function if you use it to follow one individual child closely a whole day.

An anecdote can have a systematic function if you try to understand the child from the story and try to see this observation in relation to other observations of the child.

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Observation methods

Qualitative methods Log book, diary,

narratives, collections of anecdotes, event sampling, notes

Observations by participation, field analysis

Running records Interview – dialogue Portfolio

Quantitative methods: Activity outline Time sampling - studies Screening - registration Schematic status report Ranking scale Barometer -

retrospective observation

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Examples of methods

Discuss the value of these examples.

Are these examples fair for the children?

What opportunities are there to observe in a neutral way? And is that really possible?

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To make our own methods What kind of starting point do we have? (to confirm something?, to describe?, problems?,

potential development or growth?) What is the registration all about? (to map?, to

understand?) What do we mean by the indicators we use in order

to register something? (or define something) How are we going to put the registrations into a

pattern or system? (development of our own system of methods)

How are we going to use the data we have collected? (follow-up)

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“...pedagogy becomes a practice which is determined by certain concrete and practicalsituations. It demands that one has the ability to see the more important aspects in apedagogical situation. To understand the individual child, we then have to see it in theenvironment where it is ” (Lars Løvlie in: Løkken & Søbstad 1999:11).

In other words: to be an observing person, means corrections in the ways we behave as a teacher.

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Literature Bae, B. (1996): Det interessante i det alminnelige. Oslo.

Pedagogisk forum. Damsgaard, H. L. (2003): Med åpne øyne: observasjon og tiltak i

skolens arbeid med problematferd. Oslo. Cappelen Akademisk forlag.

Grendstad, Nils Magnar (1986/1999): Å lære er å oppdage. Oslo. Didakta forlag.

Lakerveld, J. V. og Bauer, C. (online): A framework for self-evaluation. Pr. 10.10.04. http://www.i-probenet.net/startjava.html

Løkken, G. & Søbstad, F. (1999): Observasjon og intervju i barnehagen. Oslo. Tano Aschehoug.

Schön, D. A. (1983/1999): The Reflective Practitioner. How professionals think in action. Hampshire – England. Ashgate Publishing Limited.