Virtual Observations: A Situational Analysis of a Technological Response to Practicum Assessment During a Pandemic

Abstract

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, virtual observations were introduced to assess studentteachers, in a Scottish Initial Teacher Education (ITE) department. This research criticallyreflects on the usage of these virtual observations as they were deployed on a large scale tomeant the emergency requirements of teacher education during a pandemic. Using GroundedTheory as a qualitative frame (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), this research employs Clarke’s (2005)situational analysis to provide insights into how effective virtual observations are in theassessment of teaching practicum. The research methods involved the collation of individual,written, critical reflections from 17 Practicum Tutors who used video to assess studentteacher competency. These pieces of reflective writing were then thematically analysed andthe resulting coding used to identify commonalities and trends. The importance of theskilled observer, the value of visual information, and the use of supplementary informationwere significant themes that emerged through the analysis. Overall, the effectiveness ofvirtual observations is confirmed, but caveats on its use remain. These caveats sit alongsidequestions of how virtual observation might be used in the future. Exploring the use of virtualobservations as an assessment tool, at scale, gives this paper a unique situation, and itsanalysis adds to the knowledge base for virtual observations and how they can be used withinteacher education.