Appendix D

Videotape Analysis

Purpose:  This tape analysis is an opportunity for you to examine how you interact with students.  The research on teaching has consistently shown that teachers interact differently with some groups of students.  A teacher may treat boys and girls quite differently or may interact differently with students they perceive to be high or low achievers.  Such differences in interaction can have a profound negative effect on student learning even though they are unintentional or well intentioned.  This analysis is an opportunity for you to learn to systematically examine your own interaction with different groups within your class. 
Lesson Selection and Taping:  Choose a lesson that clearly shows teacher to student interaction in which students are investigating concepts and/or developing skills.  Videotape the entire lesson.  You will need to set the camera up so you can see and hear as many students as possible.  Select a lesson segment of at least 15 –20 minutes to analyze. The selected portion should provide an opportunity to analyze numerous teacher student interactions. 
Directions:  You will gather one set of data from the tape and analyze the data in two ways. First, you will choose a characteristic from the list below and analyze the data from that perspective.  You may choose whichever of the characteristics listed below is most meaningful for you.  If there is racial/ethnic diversity in the class, you will complete your second analysis of the same data using racial/ethnic diversity as the characteristic. If ALL students are from the same racial/ethnic group, you will choose a different characteristic from the list below for the second analysis. 

1.  Choose any one of the following characteristics for your analysis. Each characteristic is followed by the subgroups we recommend that you use in your analysis.

      a.  Gender (Boy, Girl)

        b.  Ability/Performance in the subject area (High Performer, Middle Performer, Low

            Performer)

        c.  Behavior Issues (No Behavior Problems, Occasional Problems, Frequent Problems)

      d.  If you believe another subgroup would be more meaningful, please consult your

               instructor for approval.

2.  Use Form D-1 to create a data collection chart.  Enter every student’s name in the first column of Form D-1.  If a student is absent for the analyzed lesson, put a big X across the data section of the student’s line in the chart.
3.  As you watch the selected segment of the tape, use the data collection chart (Form D-1) to record the appropriate interaction codes in the data sections of the chart.  Use the following codes to record each interaction in the lesson segment you are analyzing.

Interaction Codes

C = teacher calls on student to respond

A = student responds to a teacher question/direction correctly

W = student responds to a teacher question/direction incorrectly or incompletely

NR = student does not respond to a teacher question/direction

P = teacher praise or positive feedback for academic response

V = student asks a question or offers a relevant comment

X = student makes an inappropriate comment

M = Teacher makes a management comment to correct student (positively or negatively        phrased)

S = Teacher praises student behavior

O = other (please note nature of interaction on data collection chart)

  1. Use the steps on Form D-2 to help you analyze the data you have recorded and set goals to improve your teaching.
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