LOPUS Code Descriptions

Compiled by Queen’s University for the TRESTLE project (December, 2016)

The Laboratory Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (LOPUS)

This document was adapted from Detailed Code Descriptions for COPUS written by Stephanie Chasteen (UC Boulder), and Lopus Supporting Information document authored by Jonathan B. Velasco, Adam Knedeisen, Dihua Xue, Marytza Abebe, Trisha L. Vickrey, and Marilyne Stains.

LOPUS Code Descriptions provides interpretation and application of the LOPUS protocol for the Physics department at Queen’s University as part of the TRESTLE project.

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Contents:

Table 1. Lab context, and observation instruction 2

Table 2. A. Instructor/ TA instructional behaviors (typical) captured in LOPUS 3

Table 2. B. Instructor/ TA instructional behaviors (interactive) captured in LOPUS 4

Table 2. C. Instructor/ TA instructional behaviors (non-instructive) captured in LOPUS 5

Table 3 A. Students’ instructional behaviors (Typical & interactive) captured on LOPUS 6

Table 3 B. Students’ instructional behaviors (non-instructive) captured on LOPUS 7

Table 4. Nature of verbal interactions 8

Figure A – Snapshot of LOPUS in the Generalized Observation Reflection Platform (GORP) 9

Table 1. Lab context, and observation instruction

Lab context / Facilitator / Observation
Single lab room / Instructor or Teaching Assistant (TA) / Record behavior and interactions
Instructor with one or more TAs / Record behavior for all instructors and TAs and capture (as much as possible) all interactions
Two or more instructors or TAs
Multiple lab rooms for a single class / Instructor with one or more TAs / Record all behavior and interactions as they happen in the room you are in.
Two or more instructors and or TAs

Table 2. A. Instructor/ TA instructional behaviors (typical) captured in LOPUS

Type of behavior / Code / Definition
Typical instructional behaviors / Lec / Lecturing to the class- includes presenting new content, problem or solution, describing objectives, course information, etc.
Often coded with RtW, Adm (if materials are being handed out while speaking), and/ or M (if coding for more than one TA); re-explaining concepts presented in the lecture are recorded as Lec, not FUp.
Note: Watch for transitions between reviewing a previous lab or conceptual links to previous lab activities (use FUp), and when introducing a lab activity use DV.
RtW / Real-time writing on the board, document camera, etc. (often coded with Lec)- refers to writing for the whole class, not individual students or small groups.
FUp / Providing follow-up/feedback on activity (after quizzes, lab work, etc.)
Code as FUp when the instructor is reviewing the outcome of a previous lesson or the outcome of the experiment in the current lesson. If the instructor changes from FUp to Lec, then both might be coded within a 2-minute interval.
DV / Showing or conducting a demonstration (such as proper use of equipment), simulation, animation, video, or manipulating a physical model (for the whole class)
Demonstrating an activity for just one group is not considered DV, use 1o1-Talk with TI.
M / Monitoring class or individual groups without interacting with students for at least 5 seconds; TA may or may not be moving while doing so.
Instructor may pause at groups to monitor, but if interacting for a group to the exclusion of other groups, use 1o1- Talk or 1o1-TPQ. Use this code (along relevant other code, such as Lec, Rtw, DV) if one or more TAs circulate on behalf of the primary instructor.

Table 2. B. Instructor/ TA instructional behaviors (interactive) captured in LOPUS

Type of behavior / Code / Definition
Interactive behaviors / PQ / Posing lab-related question or request to student/s with entire class listening (non-rhetorical)
Use this code if the students are expected to answer (even if they do not actually answer), if no wait time is given, consider the question to be rhetorical. Questions may be read to the group from a worksheet, or posed spontaneously, such as “Any questions?” PQ can also be coded with FUp if the instructor uses questions as part of the FUp.
1o1-Talk* / Talking to individual student or group of students one-on-one. Use in conjunction with TI or SI to indicate who initiated the conversation. Note the nature of the discussion (see Table 4).
This code is commonly used in Labs, as the instructor/ TA stops to help students with their lab activity. This assumes that the other groups are all continuing with the experiments/ lab related work. If another group is waiting and cannot continue while the instructor remains in 1o1 with a group, then use student W code. If coding for multiple TAs, 1o1-Talk may be coded with M.
1o1-TPQ* / Posing a question to an individual student or group of students in a one-on-one interaction. Use in conjunction with TI. Note the nature of the question (see Table 4).
Questions are generally used to trigger prior knowledge, prompt students to predict outcomes, or reinforce conceptual understanding, but may be logistical (about safety or procedures). Use this code for questions such as “tell me why you are doing that?”. Yes or no questions are usually recorded as VP.
VP / Verbal monitoring (“how’s it going”-like statements) and positive reinforcement
Use if the intent is to check status or encourage a student/ group of students (do not record as question as PQ unless it is directed at the whole class). Includes non-verbal praise such as thumbs up.
TI / Initiating a one-on-one interaction with an individual student or group of students, coded in conjunction with 1o1-Talk or 1o1-TPQ .
This code is used on its own if the interaction is conversational and does not pertain to lab related material or topics.

Table 2. C. Instructor/ TA instructional behaviors (non-instructive) captured in LOPUS

Type of behavior / Code / Definition
Non-instructive behaviors / Adm / Performing administrative tasks, such as lab set-up or clean-up, handing out/retrieving assignments and materials, including laboratory equipment.
Use Adm to reflect TAs talking with each other, or a technician about lab activities, or solving technical issues..
Do not use for student evaluation or surveys. Use O and comment.
W / Waiting, not interacting with students, generally unavailable to students for at least 5 seconds, for example reading notes to self.
Use if instructor is doing something unrelated to the lab i.e. email/ social media.
O / Behaviors not directly related to the instruction of the laboratory, record comment for any O code used.
Use when students and TAs are engaging in off-task conversations
Use if TA/ Instructor leaves the room

Note: *Denotes additional coding required to capture the nature of the discussion/ question. These are either Conceptual; Analytical; Experimental; Safety; Previous (see Table 4).

Table 3 A. Students’ instructional behaviors (Typical & interactive) captured on LOPUS

Type of behavior / Code / Definition
Typical instructional behavior / L / Listening to instructor, TA, video, or student presentations as a class and obviously paying attention (looking at instructor/TA)
Usually at the beginning of the session, often coded with Lec, DV, FUp.
Lab / Performing the lab activity.
Includes prepping and performing the lab activity, note taking, or group discussions about the lab activity.
TQ / Taking a test or quiz (about the content/ concepts/ experiment/ processes or outcomes)
May be individual or group, but do not use for course evaluations or surveys (use O and comment)
Interactive behaviors / SQ* / Asking the instructor/TA a lab-related question with entire class listening. Note the nature of the question (see Table 4).
1o1-SQ* / Individual student or a group of students asking the instructor/TA a lab-related question. Note the nature of the question (see Table 4). Use in conjunction with SI.
May sound like “how does this work?” (Experimental); “why does that happen?” (Conceptual), or “how do I calculate…?” (Analytical)
WC / Engaging in whole-class discussion, including explanations, opinions, and judgments, often facilitated by the instructor/TA.
Can involve multiple student perspectives, or differences in an approach.
Prd / Making a prediction about the outcome of a demonstration or experiment.
May be prompted by PQ or 1o1-TPQ, and can be done individually or in a group. Usually coded in addition to L or Lab.
SP / Giving verbal presentations that require students to explain their data/ experiment/ results to the rest of the class.
Usually coded with L for students and M for instructor/TA.
SI / Initiating one-on-one interaction with the instructor/TA, coded in conjunction with 1o1-Talk or 1o1-SQ.
Use on its own for conversations that do not relate to the lab.

Table 3 B. Students’ instructional behaviors (non-instructive) captured on LOPUS

Type of behavior / Code / Definition
Non-instructive behaviors / SL / Leaving the lab for the day.
Often coded with Lab, as some students will be packing up while others are still finishing an activity.
W / A group of students are waiting and not performing any kind of activity due to technical difficulties, waiting for instrument to operate or reactions to occur, instructor/TA otherwise occupied, etc.
Use waiting if the Instructor/ TA is late
O / Behaviors not directly related to the instruction of the laboratory, record comment for any O code used.
Includes completing course evaluation/ surveys

Note: *Denotes additional coding required to capture the nature of the discussion/ question. These are either Conceptual; Analytical; Experimental; Safety; Previous (see Table 4).

Table 4. Nature of verbal interactions

The following codes are used along with *codes in Tables A and B

Nature of verbal interaction / Code / Definition
Conceptual / Cpt / Underlying scientific principles, such as macro/microscopic perspectives; definitions do not count
Analytical / Ana / Data analysis and calculations, including equations
Experimental / Exp / Experimental procedures, equipment (including reagents) and laboratory techniques
Safety / Sft / Safety or cleanup procedures in the laboratory
Previous / Pvs / Previous laboratory activities, quizzes, or exams; not to be cross-coded with Cpt, Ana, and Exp

Figure A – Snapshot of LOPUS in the Generalized Observation Reflection Platform (GORP)

LOPUS has been integrated into the Generalized Observation Reflection Platform (GORP) - http://tea.ucdavis.edu. This web platform permits live or video-based coding with LOPUS. It also provides a basic analytical report and an excel spreadsheet that can be used for more complex analyses.

Students’ behavior codes (Table 3 A, B) are represented with orange buttons, and TAs’ behavior codes (Table 2 A, B, C) are represented with green buttons.

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