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ERIC Number: EJ1132090
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1094-3277
EISSN: N/A
Teacher Logs: A Tool for Gaining a Comprehensive Understanding of Classroom Practices
Glennie, Elizabeth J.; Charles, Karen J.; Rice, Olivia N.
Science Educator, v25 n2 p88-96 Win 2017
Examining repeated classroom encounters over time provides a comprehensive picture of activities. Studies of instructional practices in classrooms have traditionally relied on two methods: classroom observations, which are expensive, and surveys, which are limited in scope and accuracy. Teacher logs provide a "real-time" method for collecting data on classroom practices by giving teachers a tool to document and reflect about specific lessons and the impact they may have had on their students. Logs can collect data for review by teachers, their colleagues, administrators, and researchers. These self-reported data, collected online repeatedly over a specified period of time, present a series of snapshots that capture ongoing classroom practices and lesson strategies. In this article, we describe the use of teacher logs to understand classroom practices by highlighting the kinds of activities teachers emphasized and their perceptions of effectiveness. In a National Science Foundation-funded evaluation of a high school reform program, we used online teacher logs to understand the education delivery in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects in redesigned North Carolina high schools. We find that teacher logs are an appropriate, efficient, and useful tool for documenting practice. Teachers can use log data to reflect on practice, determine areas of strength and challenge, and set goals for personal improvement. Administrators can use logs to support teachers in examining practice and setting goals.
National Science Education Leadership Association. P.O. Box 99381, Raleigh, NC 27624-9381. Tel: 919-848-8171; Fax: 919-848-0496; Web site: http://nsela.org/publications/science-educator-journal
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: North Carolina
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1135051