Observation Checklist

This checklist is intended to help both who are being observed and those who are observing. The focus is on the mechanics of the classroom interaction, not on the content of the course.

1. Physical Features

• seminar room
• medium sized lecture hall
• large lecture hall
• lighting
• position of seats
• doors (e.g., at front or back)
• blackboards, other equipment, podium
• general noise level (does room echo; is there street noise, air conditioning noise, etc.)
• ventilation (stuffy, cold, hot, etc.)

2. Traffic Flow

• where do students sit? in back? down front?
• disruptions if people come late? (having to find a seat in middle, squeaky doors, etc.)
• where are handouts placed?
• number who attended (compare to enrollment)
• is material handed out at beginning/end/how?

3. Preliminary Activities

• material on the board (outline of the day)
• interactions with audience while handing out material?

4. Beginning

• is there a real beginning or does it just start?
• does the beginning encourage audience, make them feel welcome?

5. The Main Event

• outline of what will be accomplished today?
• is lecture easy to follow (even if detail of the subject matter aren't easily accessible to observer)?
• are there distinct sections?
• are there clear transitions between sections?
• summaries of points?
• time for questions?
• is lecture material read? are notes used? extensively?

6. Interaction with Audience

• eye contact? or reading or board work without reference to audience?
• encourages questions? when? how?
• how are questions handled? repeating them? can everyone hear all questions? are the answers clear?
• are questions from students treated seriously or as interruptions?
• asks questions? is it clear that they are questions to be answered?
• is the interaction continuous/frequent/occasional/rare?

7. Voice

• is it clear/ loud enough for the room?
• varied?
• are important points properly emphasized?
• other characteristics of the voice, e.g., does tone indicate interest in the subject/in the audience/in their questions?

8. Pace

• seems about right
• seems too slow
• seems too fast
• all one speed; no variation
• does the speech/workshop seem to end where it should?
• does all material planned for the day get covered?
• is class kept beyond scheduled time?

9. Audience

• what are they doing?--taking notes; looking over prepared notes?
• general attentiveness

Tollefson 1993, 2001 UC Berkeley