Abstract:
Formal, graded observations of classroom-based lessons are used in educational environments worldwide. They aim to ‘measure’ the perceived quality of teaching and learning in order to improve learning outcomes and support professional development. Observers may be aware of their potential symbolic power – especially when the outcome is explicitly articulated as a alpha/numeric grade (increasingly used to comply with external reporting pressures). Observers’ consideration to the sensitivities in providing feedback should encourage a constructive contribution to joint reflections on the session. But, no matter how sensitively handled, feedback can sometimes (perhaps understandably) trigger personal defence mechanisms, inhibiting open professional dialogue about pedagogical approaches (Cockburn, 2005). In this way, any perceived judgement can produce tensions by conflicting with teachers’ perceptions of their professional identity (O’Leary, 2012). Entwined within these psychosocial complexities are the philosophical perspectives of the ‘objective’ judgement of learning. These difficulties are noted by Cockburn (2005) as being because “the presence of an observer is thought to change the situation and make the behaviour of the observed contrived and artificial” (p. 377). A lesson observation is a judgement by an Other of the unique (dis)embodied ‘performativity’ (Butler 1997) and ‘emotional labour’ (Hochschild 1983) that forms teaching and learning. Undoubtedly, observations can be positive experiences when teachers enjoy the opportunity to ‘perform’ their skills and/or engage in collaborative development. However, affective reactions can often be perceived as an unwelcome managerial intrusion into an intimate, professional space. Consequently this can have a negative impact on teachers’ well-being, teaching practice and in turn, their students’ progress. Hence, if professional dialogue is absent during an observation, opportunities for learning can be lost (O'Leary, 2012). This is because learning and reflexivity is difficult in an atmosphere without mutual respect (Knowles, 1985, Rogers, 1986, Schön, 1991). This paper reports findings from a qualitative research study within the UK tertiary sector context. Narrative data from participants explored lived emotional experiences of lesson observations. The increasing economic pressures with regard to commercialisation and the debates around the deprofessionalisation of education provide international relevance to these findings. Using interdisciplinary theoretical frameworks - existentialism, psychoanalysis and social constructivism - interpretations of the narratives illuminate complex notions of performativity within lesson observation policies and processes. Reflections upon these socially-constructed, personal inner-meanings of performativity are crucial to the creation of effective, developmental strategies that aim to enhance teaching and learning practices.