The N. A. Flanders Category System for the Evaluation of Education in Primary School

The tradition of evaluation of the quality of teaching in the ordinary conditions of primary school is usually orientated to two variables: the results of teaching, and the teaching process. Experience shows that focus on the process side offers researchers more opportunity to identify the dynamics of teaching and learning. We are witnessing a constant improvement of methodological tools, and as in other fields of educational research qualitative approaches are increasingly being favoured, or most recently a mixed research methodology. The quantitative approach is also currently producing interesting data, however, and stimulating critical reflections on teaching. One example is the globally disseminated method developed by N. A. Flanders, known as the FIAS 1970 (Flanders Analysis Interaction System). Its principle is a description of the interaction between teacher and pupils using categories of activities determined in advance.
Our report has three parts: The Flanders method in development and educational context, the form of the category system, and samples from research findings on teacher-pupils interaction in the 2nd level of contemporary primary school. The prospects and research potential of this approach are growing in combination with procedures that are qualitative in methodology.
Doc. PhDr. Tomáš Svatoš, Ph.D., University of Hradec Králové, Faculty of Education, Department of Pedagogy and Psychology, Rokitanského 62, 500 03 Hradec Králové, Czech republic; e-mail: Tomas.Svatos@uhk.cz