Observing classroom instruction in schools implementing the International Baccalaureate Programme

an article by Beverly L. Alford (University of Mississippi) and Kayla Braziel Rollins, Jacqueline R. Stillisano and Hersh C. Waxman (Texas A&M University) published in Current Issues in Education Volume 16 Number 2 (August 2013)

Abstract

The International Baccalaureate (IB) programme utilises an inquiry-based multi-disciplinary approach and focuses on the teaching of critical-thinking skills. The IB programme is growing at a rapid rate within the United States, with the overall number of IB schools having more than doubled in the last five years. The purpose of the present study was two-fold:

1. to specifically focus on classroom instruction and students’ behaviour within Texas IB schools, and
2. to highlight the importance of systematic classroom observation as an evaluative method; in particular, the simultaneous use of three observation instruments to illustrate the importance of examining instruction from multiple perspectives.

Systematic observations of 85 classrooms from eight Texas IB schools revealed that instruction in most of the schools was active, with teachers often engaging students, exploring new skills and key concepts, explaining, elaborating, and evaluating.

Overall, the general instructional practices and student behaviours/activities observed were favourable and were higher than those found in similar classrooms in Texas schools. The amount of time that students were observed as being on-task was dramatically higher than the amount of student on-task time measured in other observational studies.

Full text (PDF 17pp)

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