Teachers’ Perception of Walk-in Observation and Its Impacts on Instruction and Pedagogy

Abstract

The primary objective of the study is to determine the perception of teachers on the impact of walk-in classroom observation practiced by principals and vice principals as a part of instructional leadership roles. The walk-in classroom observation system was implemented in 2022 by the Ministry of Education and Skill Development (MoESD), Bhutan. This research utilized a mixed-methods approach, consisting of both quantitative and qualitative studies. The quantitative study was conducted using 5-point Likert scale survey questionnaires for walk-in classroom leadership practice and its impact on instruction and pedagogy. The qualitative study was conducted using a semi-structured interview. The study used 90 teacher participants purposively selected from 10 schools under Trashiyangtse Dzongkhag, Bhutan responds to the questionnaires and 10 teachers selected randomly for interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed and interpreted using descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation while deductive coding and thematic analysis were used to analyze interview data. The findings of the study revealed that teachers generally had a positive perception of the impact of walk-in classroom observation on classroom instruction and pedagogy with an overall mean score of 3.47 and SD=1.110, as indicated by their agreement with the survey questionnaires. Further, the results from the interview indicated that walk-in classroom observation had a positive effect on lesson planning, delivery, and professional development for teachers. However, teachers are of the view that instructional leaders need to be professionally competent in subject content and pedagogical knowledge for effective walk-in classroom observation. Therefore, the findings contribute to the enhancement of knowledge and pedagogical skills and informed the leaders to bring forth the strengths and weaknesses in the common forum for deliberation and necessary changes.