OBSERVATION

SCHEDULES
INTRODUCTION
Observation schedule is a highly
systematic approach to the collection of
data. It provides:

– A number of categories that

the researcher uses to record
their observations.
– A set of instructions
describing the manner in
which the schedule should be
used.
 MEANING
OF
OBSERVATION
SCHEDULE
This method, most commonly called as
Structured Observation Method,
is one in which the observer knows in
advance as to what aspect of
behavior or activities of the people are
relevant for his research
work and therefore he plans the manner
of observing and  recording
of the event much before the actual data
collection begins. 
 Thus,
• What is to be observed
• Steps of observation
• The conditions under which the
observation is to be made &
• The manner of recording etc. are
all prefixed in an observation
schedule. 
 FLANDER’S
OBSERVATION SCHEDULE

It is generally used
to observe the
teacher student
interaction in a
classroom.
Indirect Influence:

1. Accepts feeling : accepts and

clarifies the feeling tone of the
students in a non-threatening
manner. Feelings may be
positive or negative. Predicting
and recalling feelings are
included.  
Indirect Influence:

2. Praises or encourages :
praises or encourages student
action or behavior. Jokes that
release tension, not at the
expense of another individual,
nodding head or saying 'uh
huh?' or 'go on' are included.
Teacher Talk :

3. Accepts or uses ideas of

student: clarifying, building, or
developing ideas or suggestions
by a student. As teacher brings
more of his own ideas into play,
shift to category five.  
Teacher Talk :

4. Asks questions: asking a

question about content or
procedure with the intent that a
student may answer
5. Lectures: giving facts or
opinions about content or
procedures; expressing his own
ideas; asking rhetorical questions
Direct Influence :

6. Gives directions:
directions, commands, or
orders with which a student
is expected to comply.
Direct Influence :

7. Criticizes or justifies
authority: statements, intended
to change student behavior from
non-acceptable to acceptable
pattern, bawling someone out;
stating why the teacher is doing
what he is doing, extreme self-
reference.
Student Talk :

8. Student talk-responses: talk by

students in response to teacher.
Teacher initiates the contact or
solicits student statement.
Student Talk
Student Talk :

9. Student talk-initiation: talk by

students which they initiate. If
'calling on' student is only to
indicate who may talk next,
observer must decide whether
student wanted to talk. If he did,
use this category
Student Talk :

10. Silence or confusion: pauses,

short periods of silence and
periods of confusion in which
communication cannot be
understood by the observer.
INSTRUCTIONS WRITTEN
IN AN
OBSERVATION SCHEDULE
• The Observation Schedule
(OS) should record the date and
site of the session, and identify
any program details.
• Use as many pages as are
necessary to record all data for
a session, and number pages at
the top as, e.g. Page 1/5.
• Record the start time in the left-
hand column.
• Record as fully as possible all
talk by students, teachers,
evaluator; all actions on the
program by the students; any
non-program actions, such as
note-taking; record where
necessary program output to
help with interpretation.
• Use the right-hand side to make
comments on what to follow up, to
asterisk points to ask about later,
etc.
– The following precautions will
make this data fully usable:
• try to keep handwriting legible;
o use soft pencil so that it can be
photocopied if necessary;
• leave a lot of space so that
annotations and corrections are
easy to make;
• keep a key to any abbreviations
used at the bottom of the page.
• At the end of the session,
attach all completed pages
of the schedule to the
covering Observation
Report.
 CHARACTERISTICS
OF
OBSERVATION SCHEDULE
• They are systematic.
• Has categories that the researcher
uses to record their observations.
• Are straight forward.
• Provides greater accuracy in
observation.
• It is a common method for all
sciences
• The data that is collected is
predetermined like the coding
scheme.
• Provides guidelines or
reminders for the researcher to
be alert and on the lookout for
certain things.
 ADVANTAGES
OF
OBSERVATION SCHEDULE
• It allows data to be collected
from a variety of settings.
• It is an effective focusing device
at the stage of data collection.
• The notes collected can provide
an image of the classroom and
the activity.
• It imposes structure in the
research from the very early
stage in the research process
• Structured data collected from
this tool helps the researcher to
identify patterns and
relationships in the data.
• Validated observation schedules
allow researchers to use the
schedule in a different setting or
for different populations.
• Allows the researcher time to
observe, time, count or rate
instances of pre-specified
behaviors.
• Provide space for more detailed
qualitative description of
behavior.
 LIMITATIONS
OF
OBSERVATION SCHEDULES
• In describing a complex social
setting in terms of preformed set
of categories much information
is lost.
• Observation is available on the
terms of the specified categories
only.
• There may be important but
subtle features of classroom life
that cannot be recorded using a
schedule, no matter how detailed
it is.
• Misinterpretations, with respect
to the meanings ascribed by
participants can also occur.
• They are not flexible.
• Does not provide quantitative
data.
• It’s not always possible to make
notes in the observation
schedule.
• Highly constrained observations.
• The data can be collected only in
terms of the categories of the
schedule
 RESEARCH
THAT USES
OBSERVATION SCHEDULE
• Used in researches which require
the researcher to observe the
behaviors of a particular group
of children or a specific sample.
• This method of data collection is
particularly important when
there are difficulties in obtaining
relevant information through self
report because the subjects are
unable to communicate (infants
or confused adults).
• They are also used to extend the
data which is already collected
by another researcher.
• Research where group activities,
conversations and interactions
are to be recorded as it is can use
the observational technique as a
tool of research.
BIBLOGRAPHY
• Doing Research/Reading Research: A Mode of
Interrogation for Education  By Andrew Brown, Paul
Dowling
http://books.google.com/books?
id=hnufjHS57b8C&pg=PA49&lpg=PA49&dq=observation+sc
hedules&source=web&ots=KDpNB1iMNP&sig=hBGf4Uzk2I
06jEurS5k5bKyc6Nk#PPA53,M1

 The Sage Encyclopedia of Social Science Research

Methods. By Michael S. Lewis-Beck, last viewed on 10th of
February,2008. (http://books.google.com/books?
id=eYhW4bbsdBYC&pg=PA751&lpg=PA751&dq=researc
h+where+observation+schedule+is+used&source=web&ots
=RnXxjMbF7F&sig=gzxb2hs-
EOKGhFhwVAaATzBqcco#PPA752,M1)
• Research Methods in the Social Sciences
 By Bridget Somekh, Cathy Lewin
http://books.google.com/books?id=-
t07FBi97B8C&pg=PA139&lpg=PA139&dq=observation+sche
dules+meaning&source=web&ots=eMKkd2S60K&sig=7zPDj
CmvcqHjXmQdSC9uki2RRqw

• Observing Schools: A Methodological Guide

 By Peter Foster http://books.google.com/books?
id=93JhZ4RriKAC&pg=PA4&lpg=PA4&dq=observation+sche
dules+meaning&source=web&ots=v9Y1Ii-
93j&sig=PGEHCts7P3VjsrLmVSlsKebSdow