Creating an observation

Creating an observation



You can use observations to track how a child is progressing in their development. This includes the option to add an assessment, which allows you to evaluate that child according to your chosen framework. You must fill out at least the Observation field, but all else is optional.

Adding observations

Adding observations on the practitioner app

  1. Log in as a practitioner to see the list of children you have access to.
  2. Tap a child’s picture to select them.
  3. Tap the  New Observation icon at the top.
  4. At the top, the date and time will be automatically filled out with the date and time you created the observation. Tap a field to edit it.
  5. Use the Tags menu in the top right to choose an Observation Tag to show what kind of observation this is: a Baseline, a Parental Observation, a Planned Activity, or other. You can customise observation tags in System Settings. 
  6. Tap the Media field to add images, videos or audio. You can upload them from your tablet’s Gallery, or access the Camera, Video recording, and Audio recording directly from the app. 
  7. Tap the Observation field to fill out the main text of the observation.
  8. The field in the bottom right will depend on what you set as your Main Framework. Tap it to fill out an assessment:
    1. Check the box next to statements that apply to this child. 
    2. Choose assessment levels for aspects and statements by selecting them from the top of the screen or drop-down menus.
    3. Tap Show Current Assessment in the top right to see what has been assessed in this child's previous observations. Tap Add to Observation to add the same assessments to this observation, for example if you are creating a baseline for a child. 
    4. Tap Done when you’re finished.
  9. If you want to add a framework that isn't your main one, you can find all your enabled frameworks along the top. Tap a framework to add it to the observation.
  10. In the Next steps field you can either type freely, or click View Framework to bring up a list of enabled frameworks. Choose one to bring up the framework. Select statements that the child is working towards, much like you would when adding a framework. Tap OK to copy those statements into the text box.
  11. Tap the Evaluation and Additional Notes fields to fill them out.
  12. Tap the  icon in the top right to add Staff Notes/Insights.
  13. Click Save as Draft, or Submit for Review so it can be checked over by a manager before being published.
Notes
Spontaneous observations are meant to be less detailed observations that you can make when a child is doing something worth noting. To show this, you can select the Spontaneous Observation tag. This will grey out all but the Media and Observation fields, though you can still edit greyed-out fields by double-clicking them.

Creating a group conversation on the practitioner app

If you're using the practitioner app, you're able to group conversations. This means that you will write one observation that will be applied to multiple children. 
  1. Log in as a practitioner to see the list of children you have access to.
  2. Tap on every child you want to create an observation for to select them.
  3. Tap the  New Observation icon at the top.
  4. Tap Yes in the pop-up.
  5. Follow the same steps as you would when creating an individual observation (see above).
  6. Click Save as Draft to make a draft copy of the observation you created for each child selected, after which the observations will need to be edited separately. Or click Submit for Review for the observations to be checked over by a manager before being published for each child.

Adding observations on the web version

  1. Click on  Children in the sidebar.
  2. Click on a child to bring up their profile.
  3. Click on Learning Journey.
  4. Click Add Observation in the top right.
  5. The Date and Time field is automatically filled out with the date and time you created the observation. Click on the field to edit it.
  6. Check the appropriate boxes to choose Observation Tags to show what kind of observation this is: a Baseline, a Parental Observation, a Planned Activity, or other. You can customise observation tags in System Settings. 
  7. Click Upload in the top right to add media (images, video, audio) to the observation.
  8. Click on the Observation field to fill out the main text of the observation.
  9. Click Add Assessment in the bottom right to add a framework to the Observation. This will be your Main Framework by default, but you can switch between enabled frameworks by clicking on the tabs:
    1. Check the box next to statements that apply to this child. 
    2. Choose assessment levels for aspects by selecting an option along the top. You can choose assessment levels for individual statements by clicking on Select next to a statement and choosing from the menu.
    3. Click Done when you’re finished.
  10. In the Next Steps field, you can either type freely, or click  View Framework just above the text box to bring up a window letting you select statements from enabled frameworks. Click OK to copy those statements into the text box.
  11. Click on the Evaluation, Additional Notes, and Staff Notes/Insights fields to fill them out.
  12. Click Save as Draft, or Submit for Review to post it to the child’s Learning Journey.
Notes
Notes
Practitioners with Observation (Individual) or Observation (Group) Publisher permissions ticked on their profile will be able to Publish observations directly to the child's Learning Journey. 
​

Editing draft observations

Practitioners are able to edit draft observations on the app and web system.

Editing draft observations on the practitioner app

  1. Log in as a practitioner to see the list of children you have access to.
  2. Tap the  Drafts List icon at the top.
  3. Use the Observation By drop-down menu to select which observations you want to see: My Observations (observations you created), All Observations, or Parent Observations.
  4. Use the Status drop-down menu to select which observations you want to see: All, Draft, or Pending Review.
  5. Tap an observation to view it.
  6. Make changes as necessary. 
  7. You can change whom the report is for by tapping the child's name in the top left, selecting a new child, and tapping Done.
  8. Tap Save as Draft, or Submit for Review so it can be checked over by a manager before being published.

Editing draft observations on the web system

  1. Click on  Observations in the sidebar.
  2. Use the drop-down menu in the top right to select which observations you want to see: Draft, Pending Review, Published, or All. Note that you can't edit published observations from this screen.
  3. Click View.
  4. Click Edit next to the observation you want to edit.
  5. Make changes as necessary. 
  6. You can change the child the observation is for, and which staff member created the observation, by clicking the Change Child and Change buttons near the top of the page, respectively.
  7. Click Save as Draft, or Submit for Review so it can be checked over by a manager before being published.
NotesPractitioners with Can Publish Observations ticked on their profile will be able to Publish observations directly to the child's Learning Journey.

Reverting an observation to a draft

On the eylog web system, a manager can change an observation back into a draft if it needs further editing.
  1. Click on  Children in the sidebar.
  2. Click on the name of a child to bring up their profile.
  3. Go to the child's Learning Journey.
  4. Click on Edit next to the date of the observation you want to revert.
  5. At the bottom of the page, click Change to Draft.

Editing published observations

Published observations can only be edited on the web system by a manager. If you'd like practitioners to be able to edit them, they need to be reverted to drafts.
  1. Click on  Children in the sidebar.
  2. Click on a child to bring up their profile.
  3. Click on Learning Journey.
  4. Click Edit next to the date of the observation you want to edit. 
  5. Make changes as necessary. 
  6. You can change the child the observation is for, and who which staff member created the observation, by clicking the Change Child and Change buttons near the top of the page, respectively.
  7.  Click Change to Draft to revert the observation to a draft, or Update to apply the changes to the published observation.
AlertUpdating a published observation will send another email notification to the parent if Share Data with Parent is ticked on the child profile.

    • Related Articles

    • Customising observation fields

      You can customise how your observations appear in System Settings. You can change observation field names, tag names and colours, and assessment level values. Hover over your profile picture in the top right. Click on System Settings. Click on ...

    • Creating groups

      This article is only relevant to eylog-only customers. Groups represent the physical rooms or groups in your nursery, which you can use to organise children on the system. Creating a group Hover over your profile picture in the top right. Click on ...

    • Deleting an observation

      If you're a manager on the system, you can go to the web version of eylog to delete a published or draft observation. Deleting a published observation Click on Children in the sidebar. Click on a child's name to bring up their profile. Go to the ...

    • Downloading an observation

      You can download observations as PDFs through the web system after they’ve been published, or saved as drafts. Downloading single observations Click on Children in the sidebar. Click on a child to bring up their profile. Click on Learning Journey. ...

    • Understanding the observation tracker

      The Observation Tracker primarily provides a record of what observations have been made. To find the tracker on the practitioner app: Log in as a practitioner to see the list of children you have access to. Tap the Observation Tracker icon at the ...