Technology & Innovation - Issue 12

and how pupils responded. The conversationmoves away from personal judgement and onto the teaching itself. For many teachers, this canmake the process less intimidating. Trying out a new strategy immediately becomes less risky when you can explore its impact without having to wait weeks for another observation slot. Time – the rarest resource Your time is precious. Between teaching, planning, marking and all those endless extras, professional development can feel like a luxury – which is why meaningful feedback so often slips between the cracks. AI has the potential to change this, by taking over those repetitive, time- intensive aspects of observation such as logging interactions, coding behaviours and mapping classroom talk. This doesn’t replace professional feedback; it clears the ground for it. Coaches and mentors can then focus on the human side of this work – the encouragement, questioning and challenging that will help youmove forward. What’s more, this efficiency scales. In a large secondary school or trust, leaders can’t possibly observe everyone directly. AI-enhanced feedback makes it viable to support many more teachers in a more consistent way. Teacher agency One of the most powerful shifts that AI can support is giving you greater agency over your own development. Too often, professional development has been something done to teachers: generic sessions, broad strategies or training that feels unconnected to the classroom. It can leave you feeling like a passenger in your own learning. Research published by the Education Endowment Foundation in 2021 showed that generic, one-size-fits-all training offered little benefit, while personalised professional development aligned to context and goals, proved to be far more effective. With AI, observation can become part of that personalised journey. Instead of waiting for occasional feedback dictated by someone else’s timetable, you can engage with evidence of your practice whenever you choose to. Over time, this then builds a stronger sense of ownership. You can spot your own patterns, measure your progress and decide where to focus next. Observation stops being something done to you, and instead becomes a process you direct, with evidence and conversation as your guides. Risks and realities There are some real concerns, of course. Who owns the observation data and how will it be used? Teachers need to know that lesson analysis is there to support them, not to provide more fuel for further performance monitoring. Leaders must be explicit that these AI tools are for development purposes only and not for surveillance. There’s also the question of balance. Data shows patterns, but never tells the whole story. A classroom is more than data – it’s atmosphere, relationships and the subtleties of human interaction. AI should sharpen professional judgement, not replace it. Acultural reset The introduction of AI into lesson observation doesn’t involve handing over your practice to an algorithm. It’s about giving you clearer evidence more quickly, to facilitate sharper, more substantive and productive conversations around teaching. When data is used to start a dialogue, rather than close it down, the subsequent feedback will feel less like criticism and muchmore like a positive collaboration. When leaders use AI as a tool for growth, rather than judgement, the culture around observation shifts. Intrusive classroom visits won’t disappear overnight – but with recordings and AI, the conditions are set for a new observation process that respects your professionalism, and which can genuinely support your growth as an educator. By combining the flexibility of recordings with the analytical power of AI, lesson observation canmove beyond intrusive visits to becoming something teachers will actually want to engage with. The question isn’t whether AI will change observation – it already has. The challenge is whether schools will use it to end the cycle of surveillance, and build a culture where observation finally delivers on its promise of helping every teacher and every student to thrive. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Matt Newell is director of technology at IRIS Connect; having introduced secure video to UK CPD almost two decades ago, Matt now pioneers AI-driven teacher development solutions. For more information, visit irisconnect.com/uk 5 STEPS TO BETTER OBSERVATION 1 Replace in-person visits with recordings Recording lessons removes the scheduling headaches involved with sourcing cover and observers. It also gives you a file you can revisit, reflect on and – should you choose – share with colleagues. Most importantly, it creates a foundation for using AI to generate insights. 2 Choose what to share A recording puts you in control. You decide which clips to show colleagues and mentors – be it a high point worth celebrating, or a tricky moment you want advice on. 3 Start with one focus Zero in on a single area of practice – such as questioning, student engagement or pacing. This makes feedback clearer and more actionable. If you can’t decide what to focus on, AI can also pinpoint relevant areas to you, based on the content of the recorded lesson. 4 Let AI handle the analysis Have AI assume the tedious task of sifting through the recording and identifying key teaching moments for you to reflect on. This will let you use what little PD time you have on actual learning. 5 Keep the conversation human AI can highlight patterns, but it’s professional dialogue that will give them meaning. Pair the AI’s analysis with reflective conversations between you and your peers, a coach or mentor to unlock genuine growth. “Effective observations place emphasis onpedagogy,not performance” 11 teachwire.net C L A S S R O OM