Critical Incident Analysis

Analysis of Critical Incidents

The following method for analysing critical incidents is adapted from

http://legacywww.coventry.ac.uk/legacy/ ched/research/critical.htm

See also Martin (1996)

1. Choose a critical episode: for example, students continually arriving late, students talking during class discussions.
2. Describe the incident:
   • when and where it happened (time of day, location and social context)
   • what actually happened (who said or did what)
   • what you were thinking and feeling at the time and just after the incident
3. Interrogate your description:
   • why did this incident stand out?
   • what was going on?
   • were there different levels of 'behaviour' or activity?
   • did I bring personal bias or a particular mindset to the event?
   • could I have interpreted this event differently from another point of view?
   • what can I learn from this episode?
   • what can I do to progress a resolution of the problem/s it suggests?
4. Find a friend or colleague to:
   • share your account of the episode
   • discuss your interpretation
   • modify your analysis, where necessary, in the light of peer suggestion, advice, perspective.
5. Where appropriate, you may want to compare your analysis with the views of other key people involved in the episode (students or colleagues).
6. Briefly write up your report. Remember that if you name colleagues or students you need to clarify issues of confidentiality if you wish to make your report public.

Mazes

Another perspective undertakes the analysis by using 'mazes'. These can help us to take a systematic approach to the many decisions involved in everyday teaching. Judith Kennedy (1999) has written about mazes and describes them as 'a way of presenting structured alternative actions'. Incidents are identified and alternative possibilities for action are chosen. Each possibility leads to further reflection and options for action. You may like to read Kennedy's paper.

Kennedy, J. (1999) Using mazes in teacher education. ELT Journal 53:2 107-114

The following book, by Tripp, may be helpful although most of the examples are from school teaching and are perhaps rather laboriously analysed. It will be useful, however, for anyone who wishes to research critical incident analysis as it provides categorisations of critical incidents and of different levels of analysis.

Tripp D (1993) Critical Incidents in Teaching: Developing Professional Judgement, London: Routledge