NIE’s Teacher Observation Platform supports reflection and professional growth
How can teachers create classroom conditions that encourage students to participate actively and take ownership of their learning?
The Teacher Observation Platform (TOP), developed by the National Institute of Education (NIE), supports teachers and student teachers in exploring this question. The AI-enabled platform provides feedback on recorded teaching practice, helping educators reflect on their classroom interactions and develop autonomy-supportive approaches to teaching.
Autonomy-supportive teaching involves recognising students’ perspectives, welcoming their input, offering meaningful choices within clear learning goals, and explaining the purpose and relevance of learning. These practices encourage students to take an active role in their learning while teachers continue to provide structure and guidance.
Grounded in Singapore classroom research
TOP builds on NIE’s Creating a Motivating School research project, completed in 2024, which involved 20 Singapore secondary schools. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory, the study found that teachers can develop more autonomy-supportive teaching practices and that these practices enhance student motivation and engagement.
This research provides the foundation for TOP’s focus on helping teachers create classroom environments where students find learning meaningful, contribute their ideas and participate with greater interest.
Using AI to support teacher reflection
TOP builds on a prototype co-developed with Amazon Web Services (AWS), using machine learning trained on Singapore classroom data. While the earlier version focused on teachers’ words and phrases, the enhanced platform also analyses tone of voice, body language and speaking pace.
Teachers can upload a recorded lesson and review feedback on their classroom interactions. Timestamped insights allow them to revisit specific moments and consider how their language and delivery invite student participation.
The TOP provides further opportunities to explore the feedback. Teachers can ask questions about their lesson analysis via the TOP personal tutor chatbot, consider alternative phrasing and explore approaches to use in their next lesson. Reviewing patterns across multiple lessons can also support ongoing reflection.
Supporting professional learning
TOP is designed to support professional growth rather than teacher evaluation. Its feedback provides a starting point for teachers to reflect on their practice, apply their professional judgement and engage in meaningful conversations with colleagues.
By connecting Singapore classroom research with feedback on everyday teaching, TOP helps educators take ownership of their professional learning and explore ways to strengthen student motivation and engagement.
Teachers in Singapore with the iCON account are invited to sign up for a free six months trial of TOP.
Register here: https://top.nie.edu.sg
