Evaluation of Remote Versus Face-to-Face Observation of Teacher Candidates in an Alternative Certification Program

The University of Kentucky provides an alternative certification program to prepare teacher candidates in moderate and severe disabilities. Observations occur every semester that candidates are in the 2-year program and must be conducted all across Kentucky, often many miles away from campus. University researchers placed cameras in the classrooms of teacher candidates and measured reliability of teacher observations conducted face-to-face and remotely. The researchers also surveyed perceptions of the teacher candidates and university observers and analyzed the cost-effectiveness of the two observation methods. The results indicated that the observers achieved similar results on an observation form regardless of the observation method used. The remote observations were the most cost efficient of the two methods both monetarily and in the time commitment needed by the observers. The findings include the perceptions of the teacher candidates and university observers for benefits and challenges of each observation method.