Whose experiences are we capturing? A critical reflection on classroom observation measures

Abstract

Mathematics classroom observation protocols are a prevalent way that researchers analyze classrooms for purposes such as identifying quality instruction and evaluating the impact of instructional interventions. These protocols serve to operationalize what counts as quality instruction. However, we have found both in our own scholarship and in the mathematics education field at large, the scholar point of view is emphasized with minimal critical reflection. We suggest that this preserves dominant ideologies that can serve to uphold whiteness in the classroom and allows for racial, gender, and cultural bias in tool use. We make a call for attention to QuantCrit tenants in the design and use of classroom observation protocols.