Checklists EDUC 307

What is an Observation Checklist?  The observation checklist is a strategy to monitor specific skills, behaviors, or dispositions of individual students or all of the students in the class.  It is also a record keeping device for teachers to use to keep track of who has mastered the targeted skills and who still needs help.

 Effective observation checklists include the student's name, space for four or five targeted areas, a code or rating to determine to what degree the student has or has not demonstrated the skill, and a space for comments or anecdotal notes.  The date may be included to show developmental growth.

How is the Observation Checklist used?  Observation checklists are used as formative assessments which focus on specific behaviors, thinking, social skills, writing skills, speaking skills, or athletic skills.  Peers can use checklists to assess the progress of another student; cooperative group members can monitor the entire group's progress.

 These checklists can then be shared and discussed among group members to determine who need additional help in different areas and how the whole group is performing overall.  Checklists can also be used as performance task assessment lists.  These lists include the criteria for a specific project or performance and sometimes the point value that will be assigned to each criterion.  These types of lists can also be developed into rubrics that provide indicators of quality.

 Each teacher can determine which specific areas to include in the observation checklist and then make sure the students are aware of the areas that will be observed.  Students should be trained in what the skill "looks like" and "sounds like" if they are going to be asked to observe their peers or perform a self assessment.  It is imperative that the skills and processes being observed are modeled and taught to the students prior to the observations.

Characteristics of checklists include:  1. Many events in the classroom are observed either simultaneously or in very quick succession and are observed at various levels of detail.  2. Classroom observations often become focused on one event. When this occurs, observations of other critical events must be maintained.  3. Teachers should depend on the observations of students.  4. Realize that most events that go on in the classroom go unnoticed.  5. Observations often require inferences, which may be erroneous.

Why use Observation Checklists?  The checklist provides a quick and easy way to observe and record many of the skills, criteria, and behaviors prior to the final test or summative evaluation.  Too often a teacher does not realize that a student is in danger of failing until it is too late.  Checklists show teachers and students the areas of concern early enough to be able to help the student before he or she fails the test or the unit.  They also provide the opportunity to "change gears" in a classroom if a large percentage of students are not doing well.  Checklists provide formative assessment of students' learning and help teachers monitor whether or not students are on track to meet the standards.

Guidelines for Use:  1. Know what to observe  2. Know when to place limits on how much is being observed  3. Be familiar with what is being observed  4. Avoid extended inferences; begin with hypotheses and look for substantiating evidence  5. Recognize that observations overestimate achievement  6. Document observations that must be recalled at a late time.

How is an Observation Checklist constructed?  One of the first steps in creating an observation checklist is to develop specific indicators that describe the skills, actions, or behaviors that are expected in terms of a criterion.  Students need concrete examples.  Asking a student to be more attentive or more persistent is abstract.  Listing specific behaviors or skills is concrete.  It is sometimes developmentally appropriate to start with specifics on a checklist and then move to the abstract after students know the expectations.

How Should We Use Observation Checklists?  Individual Checklists - checklists that are used with students on an individual basis.  Observations may be done one-on-one or may be done during class activities.  The most important element of individual checklists is the documentation of the date, activity being observed, and exact account of student behavior.

 Whole Group Checklists –  basically the same as the individual, but is more generic or global in scope of material. Criteria is general in nature and usually consists of degree of performance.  Such headings would include, "Not Yet Mastered", "Beginning of Mastery", and “Mastery Level Performance".

Students’ Names Understands the purpose of ABC order Understands how to use ABC order Able to put words in ABC order Mary Joe Mark Johnny Harper Parker Peyton