The Association Between Coder Mood and the Evaluation of Classroom Quality Using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System

• In Event: Classroom Observation Across Grade Levels and Settings

Abstract

Using independent observers to assess the quality of teaching, learning, and social relationships in school classrooms is an increasingly common methodology in education research. Understanding sources of observer bias is therefore an important area of investigation. This paper is the first to examine how mood may bias observer codings of classroom quality. Specifically, the present work investigated associations between changes in observers’ momentary moods and their coding of classroom quality using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). It was predicted that positive mood would be associated with more favorable CLASS scores (higher classroom quality), among trained CLASS observers. This hypothesis was supported. Implications of these findings for the objective application of the CLASS are considered.

Authors

• James L. Floman, University of British Columbia

• Carolin Hagelskamp, Yale University

• Susan E. Rivers, Yale University

• Marc A. Brackett, Yale University