Quality Research Tools: Retrospective Verbal Protocol Analysis with Video(RVPA-V)

When embedded in a framework of inquiry such as the Retrospective Verbal Protocol Analysis (RVPA), the use of video helps to stimulate improved performance for both the participant and those who benefit from the outcome (1). Historically, video has afforded sports, education, and other professions the iterative review process necessary for continuous personal and professional improvement. For example, golfers will record themselves as they perform a putt or swing, followed by a review of the video to determine how they might improve their game. Coaches record their teams; games and review that video either by themselves or with their team members to find possible areas of improvement to their game. Teachers have long used this method in education to view and think critically about their ability to communicate and interact with their students (2). Therapists also use video following client sessions to debrief why they made the choices and discuss the uncertainties felt at the time (3). While numerous professions consider video a viable tool for reflective inquiry improving professional practice, few professions offer peer-reviewed literature demonstrating this perception.

Better Performance through the RVPA-V K-12 teachers are among the few professionals to provide a substantial body of peer-reviewed literature

for including video as a reflective tool for improving performance. This body of literature demonstrates how video allows the teacher to reflect on their professional efficacy in the classroom by noticing different aspects of their performance, thereby changing their behavior and creating a new and positive result (1; 4; 5; 6).

Davies and Walker (6) demonstrate an example of positive change created through video reflection by a teacher retelling their experience discovered during their study: looking at the video and seeing how much talking I'm actually doing. I'm definitely learning from watching myself in action. I used to think this was a great lesson; the kids are getting the things out of it, but…, you know, I did jump in a bit too

much. I needed to shut up and let the kids do the talking; they would have learned a lot more instead of saying YES, YES, YES, and me thinking I'd done a good lesson. And what had they learned? I hadnt even asked them! And didn't even talk about them. (pp. 276)

The educator in this account experienced a common occurrence provided by video as discovered in the literature on this topic; video causes the individual to change their behavior to achieve a different result, thereby improving their performance (5). Teachers positive results using video provide the Human Performance Technician (HPT) practitioner with a beginning theoretical framework to create a like-study

using RVPA.

Theoretical Understanding of the RVPA-V

The literature demonstrating teachers' use of video to create behavior change and provide a positive result is reminiscent of Gilbert's (7) first leisurely theorem: defining worthy performance. The first leisurely theorem begins by establishing, for the HPT practitioner, the importance of distinguishing between behavior and accomplishment; as they relate to improved performance (7, pp. 153). One can see the difference between behavior and accomplishment by revisiting Davies and Walker's (6) teacher's

video story in the previous paragraph.

After viewing the video, the teacher noticed that his behavior caused continuous interruptions during the lesson. He asserted that he continually interrupted students as they attempted to answer his questions. The outcome (accomplishment) made him question if they learned what he intended to teach (6). Based on the teacher's account after viewing the video, his poor behavior (dominating the lesson) created a poor outcome (lack of participation), therefore providing a less-than-desirable performance

(complete understanding of the lesson). Gilbert (7) expands his definition of worthy performance equaling behavior and accomplishment to mean worthy performance equaling valuable achievements to costly behavior.

This new definition is how Gilbert identifies his first leisurely theorem (as shown in Figure 1). Based on this expanded definition, if the teacher changes his behavior to allow students to talk and participate in the lesson, he establishes positive behavior. Positive behavior results create a valuable accomplishment, demonstrating worthy performance.

Figure 1. Gilbert's First Leisurely Theorem

As a researcher, the HPT practitioner can anticipate using video during the RVPA to frame expert practice when solving complex problems or performing complex tasks (7). The video will provide the HPT practitioner and the client with improved overall efficiencies (in time, cost, and performance) by using the acquired expert content from the study utilizing this research tool.

Reference

(1) Powell, E. (2005). Conceptualizing and facilitating active learning: Teachers’ video-stimulated reflective dialogues. Reflective Practice, 6(3), 401-418.Sherin & van Es, 2005

(2) Unsworth, C. A. (2001). Using head-mounted video to study clinical reasoning. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 55(5).

(3) Lyle, J. (2003). Stimulated recall: a report on its use in naturalistic research. British Educational Research Journal, 29(6), 861-878. doi:10.1080/0141192032000137349

(4) Armstrong, V. & Curran, S. (2006). Developing a collaborative model of research using digital video. Computers & Education, 46(3), 336–347.

(5) Davies, N. & Walker, K. (2005). Learning to notice: One aspect of teachers’ content knowledge in numeracy classrooms. In P. Clarkson, A. Downton, D. Gronn, M. Horne, A. McDonough, R. Pierce A. Roche (Eds.), Building connections: Theory, research and practice (Proceedings of the 28th annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, Vol. 1, pp. 273–280). Sydney, Australia: MERGA.

(6) Gilbert, T. F. (2007). Human competence: Engineering worthy performance (Tribute Edition). San Francisco: Pfeiffer.

(7) Gupta, K. (2007). A practical guide to needs assessment. San Francisco, CA: Wiley