The document describes an in situ study using UV-visible spectroscopy to measure the kinetics of propane oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) on vanadium oxide catalysts. Transients in UV-visible intensity during ODH reactions were analyzed using a surface reaction mechanism. Rate constants for the kinetically relevant C-H bond activation step were determined and compared to values from steady-state ODH rates. The ratio of these values provides a measure of the fraction of active vanadium sites. Reoxidation rate constants, which cannot be obtained from steady-state analysis, were also determined and found to be orders of magnitude larger than C-H bond activation rates.