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1. DIY Classroom Observations: A Toolkit for Novice Classroom Observers

   Leos, A.; Harlan, K. N.; Merrill, B. A.; Liu, S.-N. C.; Lang, C. K.; Martin, R. C.; Sandoval, C. L.; Bergman, M. E. (January 2019, 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition)

   “Improving Student Experiences to Increase Student Engagement” (ISE-2) was funded by the National Science Foundation, through EEC-Engineering Diversity Activities, at Texas A&M University. The grant activity focuses on a faculty development program for faculty who teach first- and second-year engineering courses. As part of the evaluation plan, classroom observations were conducted by the ISE-2 team to assess the classroom climate and teaching practices of ISE-2 faculty participants and non-participant faculty peers. Since Spring 2017, the team has conducted 78 classroom observations. The ISE-2 evaluation team had expert classroom observers train novice observers. The observer training sessions became the basis of this DIY Classroom Observation Toolkit, which is available for people who are interested in conducting systematic classroom observations but have limited experience with qualitative coding and observational research. The goal of the Toolkit is for these individuals to teach themselves using the Toolkit components: a) an annotated bibliography introducing articles that are helpful to understanding and conducting classroom observations, b) training videos teaching viewers to conduct classroom observations using a protocol, and c) a series of sample classroom videos and validation keys for each of the sample videos. This paper serves as a user manual for the Toolkit, which can be accessed at http://bit.ly/diyclassobtoolkit. 

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2. The Inclusive Classroom

   https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0524-52  

   Killen, Melanie (May 2024, Scientific American)
3. Classroom Supports for Generalizing

   https://doi.org/10.5951/jresematheduc-2022-0140  

   Ellis, Amy B; Waswa, Anne; Tasova, Halil I; Hamilton, Michael; Moore, Kevin C; Çelik, Aytuğ (January 2024, Journal for Research in Mathematics Education)

   Generalizing is a critical aspect of mathematics learning, with researchers and policy documents highlighting generalizing as a core mathematical practice. It can also be challenging to foster in class settings, and teachers need access to better resources to teach generalizing, including an understanding of effective forms of instruction. This article proposes Classroom Supports for Generalizing (CSGs), investigating how multiple elements—such as tasks, teacher moves, student interactions, and representations—interact to meaningfully foster student generalizing. Drawing on class video data from a middle school teacher and two high school teachers, we present the CSG Framework, which identifies three categories of supports: Interactions for Generalizing, Structures for Generalizing, and Routines for Generalizing. 

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4. Classroom supports for generalizing

   Ellis, A.B.; Ying, Y.; Waswa, A.; Moore, K.C.; Hamilton, M.; Tasova, H.I.; Celik, A.O. (January 2021, Proceedings of the forty-third annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education)
5. Conversation in the classroom

   https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721720903824  

   Holmberg, Carrie; Muwwakkil, Jamaal (February 2020, Phi Delta Kappan)

   Linguists have found that certain dynamics of conversation are consistent across languages worldwide, and these dynamics can affect the classroom discussions that teachers use to assess student understanding and make instructional decisions. Carrie Holmberg and Jamaal Muwwakkil discuss how conversational pauses, for example, might lead questioners to infer meaning that isn’t overtly expressed. Yes/no questions tend to elicit quick yes responses, while no answers and expressions of uncertainty come more slowly. This means that in whole-class discussions, students who are fast processors or are inclined to answer yes to teacher questions tend to dominate conversations, leaving teachers with less information about students who respond more slowly. The authors urge teachers to think about how these dynamics affect conversations in their classrooms and to use tools and policies that create more equitable discussions. 

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