The effect of focus of attention and teaching experience on perceptions of teaching effectiveness and student learning

The Purpose of this study was to examine preservice and experienced teachers' ratings and comments on teacher effectiveness and student learning after observing videotaped music classes. Comparisons were made among experience levels of observers and between focus of attention of observation. Subjects for the study included college junior and senior music education majors who either had no practicum teaching experience (n = 26) or who had practicum teaching experiences but had not student-taught (n = 26). A third group included subjects with full-time music teaching experience (n = 26). Subjects watched two videotapes, one of an elementary music lesson with the camera focused on the teacher and one with the camera focused on the students. Subjects were asked to rate the effectiveness of teaching and student Learning of both videotapes and provide a written rationale for assigning the ratings. Ratings were analyzed statistically and indicated a significant difference among groups (p <. 001), with experienced teachers rating teachers and students lower than undergraduate subjects. Comments were categorized as relating to teacher behavior student behavior or other Analyses indicated that all groups made more comments about the teacher regardless of whether they watched the teacher tape or watched the student tape. Experienced teachers were more critical in their evaluations and made more judgment statements than the undergraduate subjects did. Total ratings of the teacher were significantly higher than those of the students. No differences were found due to focus of attention of observation.