How does reseach-based technology coaching methods improve instruction?

How does implementing research-based technology coaching methods fosters improved instruction?

By: Darryl Callens  

     I would first say, the majority of my knowledge came from my reading of the The Impact Cycle. As I began reading chapter 2 of the book, I learned that “one of the major findings from our research is that, for many reasons, coaching likely won’t succeed unless teacher and coach both clearly see what is happening in the classroom” (Knight, 2018, p.27). Implementing research based technology coaching methods foster quality teaching. Without the deep research, we wouldn’t have solid indicators on whether or not coaching is affecting for improving instruction or not.

     

     Personally, as I began to read in chapter one about what does it mean to to improve? My initial thoughts on coaching in my situation was that it could not only benefit the teachers that I would be engaging with but also benefit me. There were several  types of coaching that I could use in order to assist in my coaching with others. I found that facilitative coaching and dialogical coaching would be closer to alignment of what type of coaching I would like to foster. “Facilitative coaches see collaborating teachers as equals who make most if not all decisions during coaching” (Knight, 2018, p.10). I learned that this type of coaching is teacher focused and it allows the teacher to feel more empowered in the process. 

     

     I was also interested in the dialogical coaching style because it focuses on “inquiry, using questions, listening, and conversational moves to help a teacher become aware of answers he already has inside himself” (Knight, 2018, p.12). This approach benefits the student more and it allows for more organic and real assessments of needs moving forward though the impact cycle.  With that said, my initial opinions of coaching is very positive. Chapter one also brought to my attention how much we use coaching in many aspects of our lives. 

     

     The bottle line in this type of coaching is being able to improve. “The purpose of coaching is to foster improvement” (Knight, 2018, p.14). There wouldn’t be a need for coaching if we didn’t want to improve. My role as a coach would be to enable my colleagues and their students to improve in a clear and understandable way. That is my opinion on what would be expected from me in this role. 

     

    I’ve already identified the teachers who I would be working with in my personal situation and I see it as a way for me to break down the needs that I have in my class. At this point, I understand how to get a clear idea of the reality in classrooms using the teacher and student voices. I can then begin to focus on setting and implementing a goal to hit for the year. 

          

     By doing research, we can learn so much. In this case students are the key component to our learning for improved instructions. In chapter two, there came a section where it highlighted learning from students. “Asking students about how learning is proceeding in a class has several advantages. First, students will give teacher and coach powerful information that can help them set goals and monitor progress. 

     The most effective goals are student focused goals, so it only makes sense that students should be asked for their opinion about learning goals” (Knight, 2018, p.40). If we are talking about education then the core of what we do are geared toward the student. This is why this section was important to me. Student voices should be one of the main components in implementing and supporting quality instruction and improvement. 

     “Just 46% feel students have a voice in decision making at their school and just 52% believe that teachers are willing to learn fro students (Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations [QISA], 2013)” (Knight, 2018, p.41). Even in my class and before having to read on this material, I’ve always engaged my students and wanted to know what they felt was important and how could learning be better. So many of my kids felt that they were unheard so those percentages were similar to the type of feedback that I received in my class. 

     

     Speaking of feedback, research show the importance of feedback in fostering improved instruction. “Coaching is feedback intended to help us get better at what we do. Finally, evaluation is feedback that tells us how we are doing compared to others or some standard” (Knight, 2018, p.50). The entire goal as mentioned in the impact cycle is to make impact with our teachers as well as students. As coaches, we want to always have improvement on our minds and before we can improve we have to identify what the realities are within our own classrooms. 

     

     Once we have a clear vision of where we can improve then we move towards those actions and then develop some types of action goals to reach. The end goal for effective coaching should be asking quality questions. Developing the type of questions that will foster an improved environment for learning for the teacher and student. “Our research on instructional coaching has led us to many insight into many success factors for coaching. 

     

     For example, we have learned about the importance of modeling, effective questions, sound communication skills, the most helpful teaching strategies, how to explore data, and so forth. Our most important finding is that goals are essential for coaching success” (Knight, 2018, p.65). Chapter three taught me the importance of what the research says, and I’ll end that with this. “Our research had revealed that goal setting is a vital part of coaching..” (Knight, 2018, p.65). 

Reference 

Knight, J. (2018). The impact cycle: What instructional coaches should do to foster powerful improvements in teaching. Corwin.