Main Area
What is looking at Learning?
Looking at Learning is a program that allows an observer to use a laptop computer to capture a profile of what students are being asked to do during instruction. Class leadership, class configuration, student participation, student activities and the cognitive purpose of the instruction are all tracked during the observation and represented graphically at the end of the observation. Looking at Learning allows users to view aggregate summaries of observations. It contains a powerful selection tool that allows users to see summaries based on flexible combinations of observations. Summaries by teacher, grade level, date or department can easily and quickly be calculated and displayed.
Purpose
Looking at Learning is a measurement tool designed to capture what students are being asked to do in the classroom. Class configuration, leadership, student activities, the cognitive purpose for the activities and the level of participation are measured minute-to-minute and summarized. The tool is designed to be flexible and easily used by the observer. The data obtained can form the basis for professional dialog, staff development and team planning. Changes in instruction and their effects on student achievement can be monitored over time giving teachers the ability to choose more effective instructional practices for their students.
According to Robert Marzano, "When teachers see what they are doing it is not often what they think they are doing." Looking at Learning allows teachers to receive immediate feedback about what they are having their students do and the level of student participation in the various classroom activities. Looking at Learning is designed as a staff development tool to aid teachers and teacher teams plan effective and engaging instruction. It is not designed as a teacher appraisal tool.