Observation
research is:
I
• A data collection technique that can be used in
quantitative studies.
• Quantitative observation studies typically focus
on a particular aspect of behavior and the behavior is classified
in some way.
II
• A data collection technique that can be used in
qualitative studies.
• Researchers make observations as an outsider or
as a participant to provide a glimpse into how people spend
their time.
III
Involves recording of events/actions/behaviors in great
detail. Such as:
• Setting for context/physical environment. (ex: where
are the trash cans in the room)
• Situation behavior/unplanned activities. (ex: how
people sit)
• Activities and participant behaviors. (ex: what
people do during a fifteen minute break in the middle of
a long meeting)
• Unobtrusive measurements. (ex: contents of a waste
basket in a media center)
IV
Events/actions/behaviors are recorded in great detail with
notes, videotapes, audio tapes, two of the three, or all
three
V
Advantages:
• Flexibility--can explore a theory or study a new
area.
• Costs very little--some observation studies only
require an observer with a notebook and pencil.
• Provides first hand experience and allows researcher
to gain information that may not be able to be collected
in any other way. (cannot be learned through interview or
questionnaire alone)
• Can provide rich, accurate, multi dimensional data
if carried out correctly.
VI
Disadvantages:
• Data collected may not be a valid representation
of typical events/behaviors/actions because the presence
of the researcher may cause the participants to vary their
actions.
• Researcher may be limited by the amount of notes
he/she can write. Video and sound recordings may pickup
more than the researcher needs or capture events only in
one specific area.
• Data may become a researchers interpretation of
an event rather than the actual observation.
VII.
Examples
• In 1999, Kontos performed a research study to answer
the question--What roles do preschool teachers adopt during
children's free-play periods? Kontos observed forty preschool
teachers during free-play sessions in Head Start classrooms.
Teachers activities were coded as five possible roles--interviewer,
stage manager, play enhancer/playmate, safety/behavior monitor,
or uninvolved. One conclusion Kontos drew was that teachers'
behaviors were related to the activities in which the children
were engaging. (Leedy and Ormrod)
• In 2001, Gwatney performed an observation study
to determine how elementary school library media specialists
spend their time during a typical work day. Gwatney observed
three elementary school library media specialist for one
full work day and then compared the roles and activities
they performed to the roles established by Information Power:
Building Partnerships for Learning. Information Power lists
the roles of the library media specialist as: teacher, instructional
partner, information specialist, and program administrator.
Gwatney found among other things that elementary school
library media specialists spend the most time as teachers,
the second largest amount of time as program administrators,
the third largest amount of time as information specialists,
and the least amount of time as instructional partners.
(Gwatney)
References:
- Boeree,
C. George. (1998) Qualitative methods: part
three. Retrieved September 16, 2002, from Shippensburg
University: http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/qualmeththree.html
- Gwatney,
Manda C. Reality versus the ideal. (2001, May/June).
Knowledge Quest, 5, 29.
- Leedy,
Paul D. & Ormrod, Jeanne Ellis. (2001). Practical
research. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
- OSLC.
Retrieved September 16, 2002, http://www.oslc.org/obs/currproj.html
