This week we dig a little deeper into the significant findings from a study at Harvard where teachers were given the opportunity to video themselves and submit videos rather than have an administrator in their classrooms doing live observations. According to a report in The Journal by Leila Meyer on October 7, 2015, other key findings included:

Teachers in the video group collected an average of 13 videos of their own lessons, even though they were only required to collect five videos;

Teachers in the video group rated themselves lower than those in the in-person observation group, particularly in the areas of time management and ability to assess student mastery during class;

Teachers in the video group reported they felt their supervisors were more supportive and the observation process fairer;

Administrators in the video group spent more time on observations and less time on paperwork than those conducting in-person observations; and

Although teachers had control over which videos they submitted for observations,

administrators in the video group were still able to identify which teachers were struggling.

What is most significant in these findings for you? How does this inform how you might apply this research to transform work in your school? Whom might you influence by sharing this research?

Source: The Best Forward Project: Substituting Teacher-Collected Video for In-Person Observations. Center for Education Policy Research, Harvard University.