Using Systematic Observation in Educational Research – 10th Meeting of the European Network in Tallinn
On 15–16 September, the School of Educational Sciences at Tallinn University hosted the 10th meeting of the European Network for Systematic Classroom Observation, organised by the Inclusive Education Research Group. The two-day international meeting brought together researchers in the field from Estonia, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Germany, Finland and the United States.
Systematic observation is an important method for studying teaching and learning, providing a structured way to analyse what takes place in the classroom and the activities of teachers and learners. The network meeting focused, among other topics, on the reliability and validity of observations, the use of different observation protocols, and ways of applying systematic observation to the study and evaluation of teaching quality.
Another important topic was how to translate knowledge gained through observation from research into practice. Systematic observation methods are not only research tools – they can also provide teachers with a framework for analysing their own teaching, support professional reflection, and help them view classroom processes from new perspectives.
“These two days were intensive and highly engaging. We discussed the reliability and validity of observations, different observation protocols, and how observation can be used to evaluate teaching quality. Equally important is the question of how systematic observations can support teachers in reflecting on and making sense of their own practice,” said Anna-Liisa Jõgi, who led the organisation of the meeting.
Tallinn University’s Inclusive Education Research Group is part of the European network through its work on the Inclusive Classroom project and the adaptation of the CLASS observation protocol into Estonian. Participation in the international network provides researchers at the School of Educational Sciences with opportunities to exchange knowledge and experience with leading researchers in the field, advance the use of observation methods, and strengthen international research collaboration.
The meeting was organised by Anna-Liisa Jõgi together with a team comprising Piret Soodla, Eliis Ait, Maris Juhkam, Veronika Kalle, Roberta-Grethel Agu, Maria Kokser, Sirly Väät, Marlene Neiland and Merle Pajus.
The meeting was funded by the Centre of Excellence in Educational Innovation.