Purpose

Since 2019, Manaiakalani has worked with the Woolf Fisher Research Centre to design and refine a specialised classroom observation tool. Built on feedback from teachers and school leaders, this tool enables researchers, facilitators, and leaders to identify effective teaching, and track large-scale trends and progress across our network.

The tool is used summatively to identify big picture patterns in teaching practice and highlight examples of exemplary teaching that can be shared across the wider Manaiakalani community. Manaiakalani facilitators are trained to use this tool, and school leaders can also choose to be trained. This collaborative framework was requested by principals who wanted to upskill in observing teacher practice and contribute directly to the research. When school leaders participate, it increases the data sample size and deepens our insights. The final data analysis provided by Manaiakalani combines data from both facilitator and school leader observations.

The tool can also be used formatively by school leaders within their own schools to facilitate discussion about teaching practice. The tool can be used at any time for internal follow-up observations. Any follow-up data collected this way is not included in the official Manaiakalani dataset.