Classroom Observation Instruments
Instrument 2: Group
Dynamics Observations
Project: Anonymous 2
Funding Source: NSF:
Program for Women and Girls (HRD)
Purpose: To
identify instructor behavior
and student interactions by gender
Administered To: Participating
classrooms
Topics Covered:
- Course Evaluation: activities, content, instructor,
objectives, student/teacher interaction
- Identity Issues: academic habits, engagement,
instructor, student participation levels
- Learning Environment: collaboration, psychological
climate, student attitudes, teacher attitudes
Format/Length: 20
items total, distributed
among 4 open-ended observations (2 general and 2 charts).
The observation charts have 8 observations each. The observer
is to fill in numbers for each observation on 9 different
days. The general observations consist of 3 themes, each with
multiple sub-questions, which focus on issues related to observations
of teacher and student behavior.
Group Dynamics Observations
Team assignments—roles.
- How are team roles assigned? What roles are assigned to
the various members of the team by gender? Does the instructor
intervene in role assignments? If so, how?
Do all members of the teams participate in the hands-on activities?
Team conversations/discussions. Record information by gender.
Who says what during discussions? Are there interruptions during
discussions? If so, who interrupts whom? Does one person monopolize
the discussions?
Miscellaneous Observations
Note any occurrences that may be of interest—things
that worked well or didn't work well in the class; unusual
things that might have occurred during class; general observations;
etc.
Class Observation Form
Instructor: __________________________ Class title:
__________________________________
Time: ___________________________________ Reviewer: _____________________________________
Student Observations—Record occurrences by gender
Who asks/answers questions in class? (Same students, variety
of students, etc.) How do the students ask questions? (For
example, do they raise their hands or just blurt out questions?)
What is the seating arrangement within the class/workshop?
How do the students select seats? Are there dead zones in
the seating arrangements (areas where students are never called
upon). If the class is grouped in a circle for discussions,
is the circle divided by gender?
| Group |
Male Asks |
Female Asks |
Male Answers |
Female Answers |
Same (S) Variety (V) |
Blurt out (B) or Raise
Hands (H) |
Seating by gender (Y/N)
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Dead Zones Where |
| 7/14/97 |
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| 7/15/97 |
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| 7/16/97 |
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| 7/17/97 |
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| 7/18/97 |
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| 7/21/97 |
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| 7/22/97 |
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| 7/23/97 |
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| 7/24/97 |
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Instructor Observations—Record occurrences by gender
Whom does the instructor call upon for responses? Does the
level/difficulty of the question make a difference when calling
on students? (Variety of students, same students) With whom
does the instructor make eye contact? How does the instructor
respond to answers/questions? (Record praise and comments
based on gender.)
| Group |
Called on Males |
Called on Females |
Level of Difficulty
Y/N |
Same (S) Variety (V) |
Eye Contact Males |
Eye Contact Females |
Praise Males |
Praise Females |
| 7/14/97 |
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| 7/15/97 |
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| 7/16/97 |
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| 7/17/97 |
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| 7/18/97 |
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| Group |
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| 7/21/97 |
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| 7/22/97 |
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| 7/23/97 |
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| 7/24/97 |
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Does the instructor use gender bias when presenting example
in class? (Give examples.) Do the materials and handouts in
class reflect diversity?
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