Dr Maria Kambouri
University of Reading
 Definition for Observation
 The ‘why’ of observations
 The ‘who’ of observations
 The ‘where’ of observations
 The ‘what’ of observations
 The ‘how’ of observations
 The ‘when’ of observations
 Ethical Considerations
 The Next Step
What does it mean?
On a piece of paper write your own
definition for ‘observation’.
Keep it next to you until the end of
this session.
 Scripted and Unscripted
 Individual needs to provide support
 Assessing children’s capabilities
 Checking children’s development
 Measuring attainment
Learn more about:
 How children learn and develop
 The individual child
 Children’s behaviour and ways to manage
 Identifying difficulties
 Developing and maintaining a safe and stimulating
environment
Provide Information
 Written documentation for an individual child
 Formal assessment of a child’s learning
 Planning curriculum
 Provide information about children
 Optimum support for children
 Method of measuring classroom behaviours
 Identify problems
 Impact of routines, staff organisation, physical
environment, pedagogical approaches
 Purposeful planning
 Celebrate achievement
 Most rapid phase of a child’s development
 85% of children’s core brain structure is developed
by the age of four.
 Foundation for children’s future health, academic
success, and social and emotional well being.
www.childrennow.org
 A child or a group of children
 A setting and how it affects children’s
learning
 Child to Child Interaction or Child to Adult
Interaction
Environment – Think Critically
 Where to observe?
 Does your environment always provide you with
what you need to see?
 Any changes at environment to foster
observation?
Observe to assess:
 Interactions and interplay
 Impact of routines, staff organisation,
physical environment, pedagogical
approaches
 Specific questions
** Choose Carefully
 Group discussion
What could be the aim of these observations?
 Unstructured
 Semi structured
 Structured
 Narrative
 Sampling: event or time
 Rating scales
 Checklists
http://www.irenelaw.net/category/observation-assessment-of-young-children/
http://www.newchildcare.co.uk/time.html
 Which methods would you use in your setting
and why?
 Share your opinion your group.
 Discuss advantages and disadvantages.
 Observe from a distance
 Think about time, space and possible
distractions
 Find your motivation
 Remember your aim and focus on that
 Avoid conclusions you are not qualified to make
 Be objective and state the facts
 Identify diversity
 Do not compare children
 Avoid making assumptions
 Avoid labels
 Which statement is correct?
◦ “Annie never shares” OR “Annie has difficulty sharing”
 Step 1: Write down an assumption statement
 Step 2: Pass it to your left
 Step 3: Rewrite the sentence to remove the
assumption
 Step 4: Share with group
 Step 5: Reflect
 Planned Observation:
◦ Schedule ahead of time
◦ Addresses: who, what, why, where, and when
◦ Develop a routine and system
◦ Choose method
Spontaneous Observation
◦ Intuitive
◦ Not Scheduled ahead of time
◦ Addresses: who, what, why, where, and when
 When does spontaneous observation occur?
 How does spontaneous observation influence
planned observation?
 What is the end result of these four
concepts?
1) Scripted (required) 2) Unscripted (intuitive)
3) Planned Observation 4) Spontaneous observation
Understanding of the whole child
Assessment
Communication
 Informed consent from participants
 Anonymous
 No photos
 Ensure the health, safety and welfare
 Be respectful
 Explain purpose of observation
 Permission to withdraw
 Communicate learning and growth of child
 Enable optimum support
 Purposeful planning
 Identify hiccups and problems
 Identify impact of organisation, environment and
pedagogies
 Celebrate achievement
 Reflection
 Available for children
 Go back to your definition from the beginning of
this session.
 Anything you would like to add or change?
“As we understand it, the purpose of ‘child
observation’ is to assess children’s psychological
development in relation to already predetermined
categories produced from developmental
psychology and which define what the normal child
should be doing at a particular age.”
Dahlberg, Moss & Pence (2013) page 154
 Broadhead, P. (2009): Conflict resolution and children’s
behaviour: observing and understanding social and
cooperative play in early years educational settings,
Early Years: An International Research Journal, 29:2,
105-118
 Carr, M. (2002) Assessment in Early Childhood Setting.
Learning Stories. London: Paul Chapman Publishing
 Dahlberg, G., Moss, P., & Pence, a. (2013) Beyond
Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care. Oxon:
Routledge
 Laevers, F. (2000) Forward to Basics! Deep-Level-
Learning and the Experiential Approach, Early Years: An
International Research Journal, 20:2, 20-29
 Palaiologou, I. (2012). Child Observation for the early
years. 2nd ed. Sage: London

Observations and learning presentation class version

  • 1.
  • 2.
     Definition forObservation  The ‘why’ of observations  The ‘who’ of observations  The ‘where’ of observations  The ‘what’ of observations  The ‘how’ of observations  The ‘when’ of observations  Ethical Considerations  The Next Step
  • 3.
    What does itmean? On a piece of paper write your own definition for ‘observation’. Keep it next to you until the end of this session.
  • 4.
     Scripted andUnscripted  Individual needs to provide support  Assessing children’s capabilities  Checking children’s development  Measuring attainment
  • 5.
    Learn more about: How children learn and develop  The individual child  Children’s behaviour and ways to manage  Identifying difficulties  Developing and maintaining a safe and stimulating environment
  • 6.
    Provide Information  Writtendocumentation for an individual child  Formal assessment of a child’s learning  Planning curriculum
  • 7.
     Provide informationabout children  Optimum support for children  Method of measuring classroom behaviours  Identify problems  Impact of routines, staff organisation, physical environment, pedagogical approaches  Purposeful planning  Celebrate achievement
  • 8.
     Most rapidphase of a child’s development  85% of children’s core brain structure is developed by the age of four.  Foundation for children’s future health, academic success, and social and emotional well being. www.childrennow.org
  • 9.
     A childor a group of children  A setting and how it affects children’s learning  Child to Child Interaction or Child to Adult Interaction
  • 10.
    Environment – ThinkCritically  Where to observe?  Does your environment always provide you with what you need to see?  Any changes at environment to foster observation?
  • 11.
    Observe to assess: Interactions and interplay  Impact of routines, staff organisation, physical environment, pedagogical approaches  Specific questions ** Choose Carefully
  • 12.
     Group discussion Whatcould be the aim of these observations?
  • 13.
     Unstructured  Semistructured  Structured  Narrative  Sampling: event or time  Rating scales  Checklists http://www.irenelaw.net/category/observation-assessment-of-young-children/ http://www.newchildcare.co.uk/time.html
  • 23.
     Which methodswould you use in your setting and why?  Share your opinion your group.  Discuss advantages and disadvantages.
  • 24.
     Observe froma distance  Think about time, space and possible distractions  Find your motivation  Remember your aim and focus on that
  • 25.
     Avoid conclusionsyou are not qualified to make  Be objective and state the facts  Identify diversity  Do not compare children  Avoid making assumptions  Avoid labels
  • 26.
     Which statementis correct? ◦ “Annie never shares” OR “Annie has difficulty sharing”  Step 1: Write down an assumption statement  Step 2: Pass it to your left  Step 3: Rewrite the sentence to remove the assumption  Step 4: Share with group  Step 5: Reflect
  • 27.
     Planned Observation: ◦Schedule ahead of time ◦ Addresses: who, what, why, where, and when ◦ Develop a routine and system ◦ Choose method Spontaneous Observation ◦ Intuitive ◦ Not Scheduled ahead of time ◦ Addresses: who, what, why, where, and when
  • 28.
     When doesspontaneous observation occur?  How does spontaneous observation influence planned observation?  What is the end result of these four concepts? 1) Scripted (required) 2) Unscripted (intuitive) 3) Planned Observation 4) Spontaneous observation Understanding of the whole child Assessment Communication
  • 30.
     Informed consentfrom participants  Anonymous  No photos  Ensure the health, safety and welfare  Be respectful  Explain purpose of observation  Permission to withdraw
  • 31.
     Communicate learningand growth of child  Enable optimum support  Purposeful planning  Identify hiccups and problems  Identify impact of organisation, environment and pedagogies  Celebrate achievement  Reflection  Available for children
  • 32.
     Go backto your definition from the beginning of this session.  Anything you would like to add or change? “As we understand it, the purpose of ‘child observation’ is to assess children’s psychological development in relation to already predetermined categories produced from developmental psychology and which define what the normal child should be doing at a particular age.” Dahlberg, Moss & Pence (2013) page 154
  • 33.
     Broadhead, P.(2009): Conflict resolution and children’s behaviour: observing and understanding social and cooperative play in early years educational settings, Early Years: An International Research Journal, 29:2, 105-118  Carr, M. (2002) Assessment in Early Childhood Setting. Learning Stories. London: Paul Chapman Publishing  Dahlberg, G., Moss, P., & Pence, a. (2013) Beyond Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care. Oxon: Routledge  Laevers, F. (2000) Forward to Basics! Deep-Level- Learning and the Experiential Approach, Early Years: An International Research Journal, 20:2, 20-29  Palaiologou, I. (2012). Child Observation for the early years. 2nd ed. Sage: London

Editor's Notes

  • #13  Max? 8/10? ZPD Vygotsky
  • #30 What do we have to think about when planning an observation in terms of ethics?