Classroom observation for evaluating and improving teaching: An international perspective

•Classroom observation is a key tool for teacher development and evaluation.•The study describes sixteen classroom observation systems in six countries.•We offer a framework based on conceptual, methodological and contextual aspects.•The paper provides information on options and decisions for designing such systems.

Teacher evaluation and development policies around the world are undergoing significant reform. Classroom observation often carries a considerable weight in teacher appraisal and improvement systems, and provides the critical formative anchor informing professional development. This study examined a purposively selected sample of sixteen classroom observation systems in six countries, including high performing Singapore and Japan, regional exemplar Chile, the three largest school districts in the United States, and other interesting examples in Australia, Germany and the United States to add diversity to the sample. The study offers an analytic framework for understanding classroom observation systems across contexts, distinguishing conceptual, methodological and policy aspects that shape these systems. The sixteen systems were remarkably consistent in their stated overall purposes, but there was variation in terms of how they operationalized good teaching, the degree of standardization of the observation process, emphasis on validation, and information uses. The paper describes and discusses these characteristics in order to help researchers and policymakers reflect on the available options and take more informed decisions in designing classroom observation for evaluating and improving teaching.