Observation of practical teaching skills instrument (OPTIn): transforming the way we observe, evaluate and improve...

Teaching effectiveness is a key determinant of student learning outcomes. Increasing evidence supports the use of physically active teaching strategies to not only enhance student learning engagement and achievement, but also health. However, existing classroom teaching observation tools often fail to assess these active pedagogical approaches, particularly among generalist teachers. This study details the development and evaluation of the Observation of Practical Teaching Skills Instrument (OPTIn), designed to assess both general teaching effectiveness and the implementation of physically active strategies.

OPTIn was developed through a four-phase process. Initially, key domains were identified via expert consensus (n = 6), then refined with feedback from education and physical activity specialists (n = 9). The instrument was piloted in authentic classroom settings by teacher educators (n = 5). Reliability was then examined through inter- and intra-rater agreement analyses with three independent raters across five lesson observations. Content validity was assessed by comparison with expert evaluations.

The final instrument includes seven domains aligned with national teaching standards, evidence-based practice and physically active teaching. Feedback confirmed the tool's clarity, relevance, and feasibility, with recommendations to expand indicators for active teaching and incorporate peer/self-assessment features. Inter-rater reliability ranged from 66.7% to 94.7%, while intra-rater agreement showed minimal variation (93.3% and 86.7%). High agreement with expert ratings supported content validity.

OPTIn provides a novel, practice-informed tool for observing and improving active teaching strategies. Its use can support teacher professional development and contribute to advancing the measurement of physical activity integration within educational practice.