Conducting an Observation

The Observation Page Layout

When you open an observation, the page is divided into two main areas:

• Left panel (8 columns) — Contains the section tabs at the top and the questionnaire content below. This is where you fill out the form.
• Right panel (4 columns) — The sidebar with three sections: Details (categories), Tags, and a text editor for notes.

The form name is displayed in the header bar at the top of the page. If the observation is open, you will see Delete and Done buttons in the top-right corner. If the observation is closed, you will see a Close button that returns you to the Observations page.

Navigating Between Sections

Observation forms are organized into sections. Each section appears as a tab along the top of the left panel. The active section tab is highlighted in blue with a blue underline, while inactive sections appear in gray.

Click any section tab to switch to that section. The questionnaire area below updates to show the elements (questions) belonging to that section. When you first open an observation, the first section is selected automatically.

If a section has not been given a name, it will display as “Untitled Section.”

Filling Out the Questionnaire

The questionnaire area shows all elements for the currently selected section. Each element has a label and an input area. Aprenta supports 18 element types that cover a wide range of data collection needs during classroom observations:

Text Elements

Element	How to Use	Example Use Case
Text Input	Type a short text response in the field	Recording the lesson topic or learning objective
Text Area	Type a longer response in the multi-line field	Writing narrative feedback about classroom management
Static Text	Read-only content displayed for reference — no input needed	Displaying rubric criteria or instructions for the observer

Choice Elements

Element	How to Use	Example Use Case
Multiple Choice	Select one option from the available radio buttons	Rating a teaching standard as Proficient, Developing, or Unsatisfactory
Multiple Selection	Check one or more options from the available checkboxes	Selecting all instructional strategies observed during the lesson

Scale Elements

Element	How to Use	Example Use Case
Rating Scale	Select a numeric rating value from the scale	Rating student engagement on a 1-5 scale
Likert Scale	Choose your level of agreement from the scale options	Indicating agreement with statements like “Students were actively engaged”
Matrix Scale	Rate multiple items across the same set of criteria in a grid	Evaluating several teaching domains using the same performance levels
Slider	Drag the slider handle to select a value within the defined range	Estimating the percentage of students on task

Counting and Numeric Elements

Element	How to Use	Example Use Case
Counter	Use the increment (+) and decrement (-) buttons to adjust the count	Tallying the number of higher-order questions asked during instruction
Number Input	Type a numeric value into the field	Recording the number of students present in the classroom

Ordering Elements

Element	How to Use	Example Use Case
Ranking	Drag items to arrange them in your preferred order	Prioritizing areas for teacher growth based on observation evidence

Date and Time Elements

Element	How to Use	Example Use Case
Date Input	Select a date from the date picker	Recording a follow-up meeting date
Timer	Start and stop the timer to record durations	Measuring how long a transition between activities takes

Media Elements

Element	How to Use	Example Use Case
File Upload	Click to upload a document from your device	Attaching a lesson plan or student work sample
Image Upload	Click to upload an image from your device	Capturing a photo of a classroom anchor chart or bulletin board
Video Upload	Click to upload a video file	Recording a short clip of a teaching moment for post-observation review

Toggle Element

Element	How to Use	Example Use Case
Toggle	Switch between two states (e.g., True/False or custom labels)	Indicating whether a posted learning objective was visible

Using the Sidebar

The sidebar on the right side of the observation page contains three cards that let you add context and metadata to the observation.

Details (Categories)

The Details card displays category dropdowns that were attached to the form. Categories let you classify the observation by attributes like Subject Area, Grade Level, or Class Period.

For each category shown:

1. Click the dropdown (labeled “Choose an option or add a new item…”)
2. Select an existing item from the list
3. Or type a new item name and select it to create and apply it in one step

To add a category that is not already shown:

1. Click the + icon next to the “Details” heading
2. A search dropdown appears showing unused categories
3. Select an existing category or type a new name to create one
4. The category appears in the Details card with its own dropdown for selecting an item

To remove a category from the observation, hover over the category name and click the x icon that appears. You will be asked to confirm before it is removed.

Categories are only editable when the observation is Open. When closed, the dropdowns are disabled.

Tags

The Tags card lets you add free-form labels to the observation for easy filtering later.

1. Type a tag name in the input field (placeholder: “Type name and hit enter to add new tag”)
2. Press Enter to add the tag
3. Tags appear as badges below the input field
4. Click the x on any badge to remove it

Tags are useful for tracking observation context that does not fit into structured categories — for example, “PD follow-up,” “informal visit,” or “co-teaching.”

Text Editor

Below the Tags section, a rich text editor (placeholder: “Type here…”) provides space for free-form notes about the observation. Use this for qualitative feedback, context about the classroom environment, or anything that does not fit into the form’s structured elements.

Read-Only Mode

When an observation has a Closed status, the entire observation page switches to read-only mode:

• All questionnaire elements are disabled and cannot be edited
• Category dropdowns in the sidebar are disabled
• The category + and x controls are hidden
• The header shows a Close button instead of Delete and Done

This prevents accidental changes to completed observations. To make edits, you must first reopen the observation by changing its status to Open from the Observations list page.

Completing the Observation

When you have finished filling out all sections of the form:

1. Review your responses by clicking through the section tabs
2. Verify the sidebar details — categories, tags, and notes
3. Click Done in the top-right corner of the header

The observation status changes to Closed and the page switches to read-only mode. You are navigated back to the Observations page.

If you need to make changes later, a principal or observation manager can reopen the observation from the Observations list by clicking the status dropdown and selecting Mark as Open.

Deleting an Observation

If you need to discard an observation while it is still open:

1. Click Delete in the top-right corner of the header
2. A confirmation dialog appears: “Are you sure you want to delete this observation?”
3. Confirm to permanently delete the observation

This action cannot be undone. Once deleted, the observation and all its responses are removed.