Summer Session '76

EDUC. ?

423 - 04

Analysis of Teaching

Instructor: Dr. John McLeish

This course will provide (1) a training in interaction analysis,

and (ii) an understanding of the theoretical rationale under-

lying various systems, especially Bales' and Flanders' systems.

Graduated exercises will be provided to the point where the

trainee should be able to make valid and reliable codings

of group interactions, and interpret these in terms of the

group dynamics of the learning sessions. The problems of

discovering learning outcomes will be given detailed

consideration.

The first part of the course will introduce the student to the

best all purpose system of coding and analysis of classroom

and other kinds of groups, namely Bales' Interaction Proce

Anal y

sis. The various indices which point to different kinds

of phase movements will be dealt with, illustrated and discussed.

Bales' concept of three-dimensional social "space" will serve

to crown this section of the course work.

The second half of the course will be devoted to systems which

serve a specific purpose, being more or less directly related

to classroom interactions (Flanders, Mann and/or a behavioural-

learning coding system will be used as a follow up of Bales).

Students' purposes in learning classroom interaction analysis

would be the decisive factor in the selection of the system,

or systems, to be studied. Individual work here would be possible,

but an attempt would be made at a fairly comprehensive coverage

of the theoretical positions and practical limitations of the

available systems. The development, validation and reliability

problems involved in devising a custom-made system of analysis

will be indicated. The orientation of the whole course will be

towards the closest integration of theory and practical

activities.

Readings

Ph.D. and M.Ed. theses by R. Anderson, R. Bedecki, J.F. Martin,

W. Matheson, J. Park and others will be available for consultation

on specific issues. In addition, standard texts by Bales,

Flanders and others will be available. A series of graduated

exercises involving actual codings of behaviour of video-taped

and "live" groups will be presented in the form of prepared

handouts. A reading list will be made available at the first

meeting of the class.

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Advance Reading

N.S.S.E. Yearbook, 1976: Psychology of Teaching Methods

Bales, R.F.: Personality and Interpersonal Behavior

Flanders, H.: Analysing Teaching Behavior (1970)

Gage, N.: Handbook of Research on Teaching (Chapter 6)

McLeish, Matheson, Park: Psychology of the Learning Group