Fieldwork Observation Report - Essay Example

Fieldwork Observation Report Introduction Fieldwork observation is an approach or technique used for the collection of data required to accomplish the determined objectives of any research work undertaken. The fieldwork observation process emphasizes gathering relevant information by observing and interacting with people in the natural setting. Observation approach requires researchers to monitor the behavior of the selected respondents and other attributes relevant to the research. At often instances, fieldwork has been selected as a beneficial method of observation, which possesses many advantages, apart from a few lacunas (Geddie, n.d.). With due consideration to these factors, an observation was conducted in a classroom setting aimed at learning the behavior of the students in response to the teaching method applied to instruct them. The observation was also aimed at obtaining substantial understanding of the cognitive and the intellectual behavior of the children in classroom settings. Observation Settings In this study, five students were observed, from different school grades and origins, including Hispanic, African American, Jewish and Caucasian. The research work was conducted on students who were in grade 4, 5 and 6. The students who were observed in a New York based school, i.e. ‘Vincent Smith School’, located in Long Island. It is a private school, which is well-known to allow students from different cultures, and was deemed as appropriate to obtain proper understanding and analysis of the subject matter, concentrating on the impact on teaching method on the development of the child as per their age and cultural background. The behavior of every student was observed as different based upon their culture, behavior and attitude. The observation therefore aimed to evaluate the students belonging from different cultures for a better understanding. In the school setting, it was observed that the classrooms were an enclosed 4 wall rooms, with a blackboard in the centre of the class. The windows and the artifacts in the classroom setting were made by the students in their respective classrooms. The walls of the classes were filled with various charts and artifacts showcasing the self portraits of students and with the stud strategies. To get a better overview of the classroom setting, the desks of the students were in the middle of the classroom. However, the desk for the teacher was sent in front of the students and near to the blackboard. In subsequence, the analysis of the setting was conducted based on the cognitive thinking, intelligence and behavior of the students in their classes from a comparative view with others. Report Analysis During the observation, various activities were noted to be conducted by the students and teachers, and highlighting their impact on child development. Correspondingly, the psychology of children and their behavior towards a particular situation was observed. The results obtained further reflected that different students behave in a varied manner, when referring to even a similar situation. Cognitive Development From the fieldwork observation it was noticed that one of the students, on day one, sticks a date sticker on a calendar, which is next to the teacher’s desk. This behavior of the student depicts his cognitive development wherein the student uses his/her basic understanding before conducting a task, as was instructed. The student was aware of the importance of date in the classroom setting. In addition, it was observed that before the class was conducted, one of the students started writing the morning reminder in the blackboard for the rest of the students. This again indicated the development of the child cognitive and intelligence where the students are taking steps and actions regarding decision making. The writings in the blackboard indicated the morning routine, do- now list, readings and also timeline graphic organizer. All these actions by the student help them in understanding the development and growth of the child brain or thinking capacity. These tasks were performed by the student without guidance for the assistance of others. Moreover, it was observed that Teacher “T” was checking the homework’s of the students, when the students independently took responsibilities for performing the tasks. This also reflects that the students are highly motivated. In another classroom setting, it was observed that as there were lesser students present in the class, the teacher asked the students to practice handwriting and vocabulary, which would add to their knowledge and development. Such a decision was taken by the teacher, as few of the students were out for other tasks and teaching a few would affect the psychology of the other students, igniting a feeling of being isolated within them. Therefore, the decision of the teacher to conduct a class after all the students are back was a wise decision. Subsequently, it was observed that for the cognitive development of the students teacher introduced “quizlet”. This is a crucial aspect where the teacher took into consideration the cognitive development of students for their better future (Lutz & Huitt, 2004). The attentiveness of the students were also observed when the bell rang at the end of the classroom session, students were ready for their next class i.e. computer. For the cognitive development of the students, it is observed that teacher preferred using computers and projectors to assist with the learning of students. This aspect is also important to enhance the cognitive development and skills of the students at large. The methods used by the teacher to impart knowledge to students are innovative wherein the teachers not only use the computers but also the blackboard. This aspect of verbal and non verbal communication was observed to affect the cognitive development of students to a certain extent. Moreover, providing hints by the teachers also helped in developing not only the skills but also the level of intelligence among students at large. It was observed that the interactive session by the teacher helped students to enhance their cognitive knowledge substantially (Wood et al., 2005). Intelligence With respect to the aspect of intelligence, it was observed that students used their intelligence and cognitive thinking as they updated the blackboard. They also maintained the decorum of the classroom while conducting their activities. It was observed that the intelligence of students is not the same. This particular aspect was highlighted when teacher T sat next to one student, who was unable to perform the task as efficiently like others. It was also observed that the student was seeking assistance from teacher T but the teacher was not paying much attention to him. This attitude of the teacher was affecting the student’s behavior and intelligence, as he was being ignored by the teacher because of the lack of intelligence. Nevertheless, the intelligence of the students was observed in the fieldwork approach where they were asked to answer the questions through brainstorming. Emphasizing similar situations, Wood et al. (2005) noted that teachers need to focus on every student equally, for their better cognitive development and intelligence, as it affects the psychology of students towards learning. Behaviorism As mentioned above, the attitude of the teacher was affecting the students to a considerable extent. The students might feel ignored and change his/her behavior towards the teacher to a considerable extent in response to the attitude they receive. The usual behavior of students depicted that they were afraid of their teacher and hence, restrained from asking questions to them to obtain a clear understanding to the instructions given. As was the case in this scenario, it is important for the teachers to evaluate each student based on their learning and behavior. The behavior of the student towards the interactive session is outstanding as this aspect makes them more attentive. During the process of analysis of the fieldwork various forms of materials were used by the teachers and students for enhancing their cognitive skills. However, it was observed that not every student was involved in activities, wherein out of the 3 students, 2 of them were taking greater responsibilities in completing the activities and depicted positive behavior as compared to others. However, the third student was not motivated and had a casual behavior towards the activities. Classroom Management and Motivation The management of the classroom was done efficiently by the students themselves and the teachers, as their activities motivated the students in completing their tasks efficiently. In order to make the students develop their skills, the class was managed efficiently wherein it was observed that the students, after completing their work, submitted the same in a folder. This depicted the proper management of the classroom. Moreover, from the observation, it was clear that the students were disciplined enough, as they were observed to clean their desks after having snacks and maintained cleanliness as was expected. This aspect again leads to cognitive development, behavior and also intelligence. As a motivating initiatives, the teacher provided students with award stickers after they completed their tasks effectively. This behavior of teachers, according to Lepper & Corpus (2005) expressed the academic intrinsic motivational aspect, where the students felt motivated to perform activities and acquire knowledge with persistent behaviors for rewards. Moreover, another aspect that was observed during the fieldwork indicated that praising students for their activities creates a positive impact on their cognitive development (Lowry, 2014). Moreover, the classroom was managed efficiently, as the teacher, in order to organize the task of the students, helped them note down the tasks to be performed in the blackboard, so that students are able to perform their task accordingly. This same aspect was reflected by Wong (n.d.) regarding management of students and the entire class. Cognitive Information Processing Another aspect of cognitive information processing was identified when students reacted and accepted the instructions provided by the teachers. During the fieldwork observation it was identified that the few of the students were following the instructions of the teacher properly and performing the assigned tasks as mentioned. However, few of the students were not able to follow the instructions provided as proficiently as other students, which shows the gaps and the different attitudes of the students. With concern to their cultural backgrounds, it was observed that language of the students is different due to their origin and hence they face the issue. This issue can be mitigated by constant monitoring of student, as was being performed by the teachers, wherein the students were provided with quizets for their vocabulary development. This activity would help in developing their cognitive information processing, as they will learn new vocabularies and have a positive impact on their psychology (Wood et. al., 2005). Complex Cognitive Processes Moreover, it was observed that every student in the classroom was explained about the importance of fire drill and the process of evacuating. Every student was explained identically, however, it was noticed that few students were unable to understand the process as effectively as stated. When the fire alarm went off, every student evacuated the building efficiently. This depicted the development of the cognitive process efficiently. Also, the intelligence of the students was effectively evaluated through the activities conducted within the classroom setting. It was noticed that few of the students were able to score better in multiple choice answers, few in fill in the blanks and cross word puzzles. This implies that the every student is different with varying levels of cognitive skills, which needs to develop individually as observed through fieldwork approach (Sieber, 1973). Conclusion Fieldwork is asserted as quite advantageous in leading towards the cognitive development of students in the process of understanding a particular phenomenon. Moreover, fieldwork observation assists students in developing their various skills, which includes observation, data collection, analysis and also investigative patterns (Stephens, n.d.). The findings obtained through the study also revealed that fieldwork observation approach is important to understand the real life practices of students’ behaviour. With the help of observation it is noteworthy that student behaviour and cognitive development is elaborated to get a proper understanding of the classroom setting. Moreover, as different students were observed, it was noted that every student demonstrated different learning capabilities and skills. It is important to state that the culture of a student also plays an important role in their cognitive development and behavior, as can be concluded from the findings obtained through the observation. References Geddie, M. (n.d.). General fieldwork expectations. Texas Tech University, 2-25. Lowry, L. (2014). "Good job!" Is Praising Young Children a Good idea? Retrieved from http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/Good-job!-Is-Praising-Young-Children-a-Good-idea.aspx Lepper, M.R. & Corpus, J.H. (2005). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivational orientations in the classroom: age differences and academic correlates. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97(2), 184-196. Lutz, S.T. & Huitt, W.G. (2004). Connecting cognitive development and constructivism: implications from theory for instruction and assessment. Constructivism in the Human Sciences, 9(1), 67-90. Stephens, A. (n.d.). The effects of fieldwork on student achievement and motivation in science education. California State University, 1-88.  Sieber, S.D. (1973). The integration of Fieldwork and Survey method. The American Journal of Sociology, 78(6), 1335-1359. Wong, H.K. (n.d.). The Well-Managed Classroom. Professional Reference for Teachers, 1-8. Wood, E.G., Wood, S.E., & Boyd, D. (2005). The world of psychology. Learning, 3-45. Read More