ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on informal self-observation and utilizes this information for self-reflection and improved teaching. Classroom observational data provide teachers with information they can use to reflect on their instruction. The observation might be live, video, or audio, all of which allow a teacher or someone else to make a record both for self-reflection and consideration of possible strategies for improving students' learning opportunities. Both teachers and those preparing to become teachers can benefit from conducting case studies that focus on one or a few students. Thus, low inference coding systems provide clear information about certain types of classroom actions such as what questions do teachers ask, whether students raise their hands or not before they are called upon, and if some students receive more challenging questions than do others. However, the range of classroom actions that can be described is relatively narrow in comparison to high inference systems.
