Importance of Observation in Education

For making teaching and learning more valuable and visible, classroom observation plays a vital role. It provides teachers with constructive and honest feedback to improve their classroom management and helps improve the interaction between learners and teachers. Such feedback from classroom observation is an effective way of providing teachers with the information they might need about their classroom behavior. Observation in education also helps with improving the way of teaching and helps students learn with more clarity. Observation is the active acquisition of information from a primary source. We observe the people learn more about them. Observation is a central part of any good educational system. The importance of observation in education is given below.
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• Allows to Experience the Process of Education:

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Many times, we often see some external teachers sitting at the back of the room and observing the lecture that is going on. Such observation is used to understand the process of education in naturalistic settings. This helps to realize if any improvements are required to make the class more presentable or the changes the teacher needs to bring that will make his or her teaching technique more understandable. Observation gives permission to researchers that allows them to experience the process of education in a naturalist way.

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• More Detailed Information

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Observing something all by yourself gives you the more detailed information. While observing a scenario in education or anywhere, you devote all your attention to your subject and that helps you to notice even the slightest changes. Hence, observation provides more detailed and precise information than that of the other data sources, which helps improve the educational system.

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• Simulation and Verification:

Since observing someone can help you find out what changes if happened, would make the education more accessible or easier, it is crucial to note it down. Observation does not only motivate those changes to happen but it also notices if they are taking place or not. Hence, observation is very important to stimulate change and also verify if the change occurred or not in education.

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• Strengths and Weaknesses:

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When a teacher is observing its students, they can better view the strengths and weaknesses of students. Students are in control of their teachers when they are in the classroom. With the help of putting up challenges like debates or speeches, teachers can observe where the communication skill of students lacks or which students are afraid to speak out loud or are shy, etc. Observation helps with finding out such small problems in the classroom which could be a bigger issue in the future. Because of observation, it can be possible to strengthen the weak point at an early age itself.

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• Understanding:

Observation is a huge help in understanding students and their behaviors. There are some situations where every student will reach differently. For example, if a sports team loses a match, some students will be angry with themselves and say mean things to their teammates or the opposition team, where some students will accept the defeat and promise to try harder next time. With the help of observation, this difference in behavior, attitude, and mindset of students can be observed and improved as well.

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• Real Feedback:

The most important point of Observation is feedback. The observation provides real feedback to both teachers and students. It is important to tell them what they are doing is right as it is to let them know where they are going wrong. Knowing what is their mistake and how it can be improved will help them and it will benefit both parties. So, real feedback will empower them to make real improvements.

• Classroom Observation:

The importance of a classroom observation where the teachers who just started their career observe an experienced teacher teaching their students is that it helps the observer learn new techniques of teaching, new strategies, ideas, and resources. Personal and professional growth takes place during a classroom observation.

• Personality Development:

The importance of observation does not only depend on the improvement of the student-teacher interaction bond. It is beyond that. Observation helps with the development of one’s personality. Observation skills are known as an important skill to have because they can teach one a lot about their surroundings and also about what to expect from other colleagues or friends. This helps in the long run. For example, if a group project is assigned, with the help of observation skills, the person could easily know the strengths of his/her group mates and they can share the group work accordingly. The observation skill can be learned and improved with the help of personality development training.

Observation is important for every step of the teacher’s career. And given above were a few points that determine the importance of observation in education.

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