Samples
Example I
Before
As Ellen went off to teach, Gina and Frank engaged in further conversation in a whispered tone. Their conversation continued for the first few minutes of Ellen’s teaching. At one point in their conversation, a student briefly interrupted to talk to frank. It appeared that Frank referred the student to Ellen. After about five minutes of additional conversation, Frank got up from his position in the bleachers talking with gina, and moved into his office that was attached to the gymnasium. For most of the rest of the class period, Gina sat in the bleachers alternately observing and taking notes.
Ellen was teaching a class of first graders. Following a brief warm up, she moved into the content of her lesson, striking. More specifically, students were learning to hit a ball off of a batting tee with a bat. On one occasion during her teaching, Ellen interacted with Gina about what was occurring in the gym, but otherwise, Gina and Ellen did not interact during the time the students were present in the gym.
After
As Ellen began teaching, Gina and Frank continued talking in a whispered tone. Their conversation carried on through the first few minutes of Ellen’s teaching. At one point, a student briefly interrupted to talk to Frank. It appeared that he referred the student to Ellen, because the student then approached her. Five minutes later, Frank left Gina in the bleachers and moved into his office located off of the gymnasium. For the majority of the remaining class period, Gina sat in the bleachers, alternating between observing and taking notes.
After briefly warming up the first graders, Ellen moved into the content of her lesson—striking, where the students learn to hit a ball with a bat off of a tee. On only one occasion during her teaching did Ellen consult with Gina regarding what was occurring in the gym.
Example II
Before
Similarly, and most important to the question in this study, were my impressions that there just didn’t seem to be a while lot of teacher education going on during the university supervisor’s on-site visits; and what was going on did not resemble cognitive apprenticeship as described by situation cognition theory. My estimate is informed to some degree by what I did see, but informed to a greater degree by what I did not see.
After
The most pertinent issue in this case study was the overall lack of teacher education during the university supervisor’s on-site visits—it didn’t resemble Cognitive Apprenticeship as described by Situated Cognition Theory. I have reached this conclusion on the basis of what I did see during the field observations, but to a greater degree by what I did not.
