Observing Culturally Specific Dimensions of Classroom Interactions: A Generalizability Study

• In Event: 52.084 - Roundtable Session 18
  In Roundtable Session: 52.084-19 - Classroom Research Using Classroom Observations

Abstract

This paper traces the development and analyzes the generalizability of a classroom observation system designed to measure culturally specific dimensions of teacher-child interactions in elementary classrooms. Analyzing videos from the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) Project, we associate this tool with ongoing discussions about racial-/ethnic-minority (REM) underrepresentation—particularly Blacks and Latinos—and needed interdisciplinary evidence regarding the effects of “culturally sustaining” (Paris, 2012; Ladson Billings, 2014) teaching. We frame ten dimensions of sociocultural interactions within three domains (Life Applications, Self in Group, Agency), demonstrating how measurement error for each dimension was associated with four sources: raters, teachers, lessons, and segments. We discuss implications for a) measurement improvement and b) instrument use to enrich REM learning opportunities across diverse classrooms.

Authors

• Bryant Jensen, Brigham Young University

• Sara Bernice Chapman, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Edward H. Haertel, Stanford University