Pedagogical Observation – On the Historical Establishment of a Reflective Category in Pedagogical Practice

Project Description

Today, pedagogical observation constitutes a central element of professional pedagogical actions. It can be comprehended as means of generating pedagogical knowledge and insight. The thesis focuses on how, observation became a reflective category of the profession within the 18th century. By analyzing dacuments of observation and assessment documents from different schools concerning the beginning but particularly the last third of the 18th century, a change in school practical observations becomes evident. In the later 18th century, schools did not only demonstrate a development of techniques or methods of student observation that linked observation, assessment and pedagogical interventions in multidimensional ways in relation to different groups of persons. Moreover, the means of documenting observation became more differentiated. Because such an observation practice rests on many conditions, a reflection on observation as an important activity in the profession emerged and aspects of observation for some time predominated pedagogical discourse.

Project Management

• Dr. Kathrin Berdelmann

Project Details