An Inside View: The Utility of Quantitative Observation in Understanding College Educational Experiences

This article describes quantitative observation as a method for understanding college educational experiences. Quantitative observation has been used widely in several fields and in K–12 education, but has had limited application to research in higher education and student affairs to date. The article describes the central tenets of quantitative observation, using an example protocol, the College Educational Quality (CEQ) study, to illustrate its potential application to higher education and student affairs research. Quantitative observation allows researchers to witness the educational process as it unfolds, and does so in a systematic way that enables understanding patterns across time, groups, and settings.