In a rural Title I school district in Georgia, teachers are mandated to implement research-based best practices in their delivery of instructional standards so that K-12 students can master 21st century competencies and meet mandated academic targets. District administrators indicated many teachers lack skills to implement best practices. To address this concern, instructional coaches were hired to support teachers with implementation of instructional practices and address teacher accountability; however, coaches received no training to outline their roles and responsibilities. The purpose of this bounded qualitative single case study was to examine the role of instructional coaches and how they support teachers to improve instruction, and to identify supports needed to assist instructional coaches. Knowles's andragogy theory guided this study. The research questions were used to explore instructional coaches' perceptions of their roles and responsibilities, guidance to support K-12 educators, and professional development (PD) to improve coaching skills. A purposeful sample of 12 K-12 instructional coaches volunteered and participated in open-ended interviews, observations, and document reviews. Data were analyzed thematically using open and axial coding. Coaches perceived their roles as developing good relationships with teachers and garnering administrator support to sustain a consistent instructional coaching model. They also requested PD that featured direct/indirect collaboration with coaching experts. Results of the study were used to develop a 5-day PD session to address coaches' instructional needs. This endeavor may contribute to positive social change when instructional coaches understand their roles in creating systemic transformation in the instructional practices of teachers to benefit K-12 learners' achievement.

Public school instructional coaching programs are designed to improve pedagogy via collaboration between teachers and coaches. However, the utility of literacy coaching is limited because teachers may lack understanding of the instructional coaching model. The purpose of this case study was to explore teachers' expectations of literacy coaching in order to enhance professional development and teacher-coach partnerships. Guided by Knowles adult learning theory which states that adults benefit from designing and understanding relevancy of learning, this study examined elementary teachers' perceptions of the coaching model. The guiding questions explored ways to optimize teacher professional growth through coaching. Four teachers who had partnered with literacy coaches were selected as participants. Qualitative data were collected from the participants through in-depth interviews and a researcher-created, open-ended questionnaire. The interviews allowed for probing questions, and the questionnaires provided time for detailed reflections on the part of participants. Qualitative data were analyzed to determine coding categories, and consistent with Knowles adult learning theory, prominent themes regarding self-direction and relevancy of learning emerged. Results indicated that the teachers believed literacy coaches to have a positive impact on their pedagogical growth, but current methods provided inadequate clarity about the coaching model to be relevant to teachers. Based on the results, professional development sessions were designed to support teacher-coach partnerships which will benefit students, teachers, coaches, and administrators by providing a collaborative foundation to promote student success.

Instructional coaching and influences on program implementation by elementary principals and instructional coaches: A qualitative case study James F. Swoger Abstract A shared vision between the instructional coach and principal aligned with district policies and programs is essential to the success of instructional coaching. The purpose of this study was to explore the way principals and instructional coaches envision the role of the instructional coach within the school and the influences within the school that impact the implementation of instructional coaching. The two research questions guiding this study were: How do principals and instructional coaches envision the role of the instructional coach? What influences the implementation of instructional coaching in schools? Guided by Creswell and Creswell's (2017) Framework for Research, the principals and instructional coaches from nine schools within one defined cluster of one school district were interviewed for this qualitative, multiple case study. Transcripts were sorted by interview question and position to support the two research questions. There were 10 findings identified. Findings for Research Question 1 include instructional coaches work with the principal to clarify the mission and visions of the school, communication between the principal and coach and the coach and teachers is vital, instructional coaches need high quality professional development, and the instructional coach is tasked to lead other school-based initiatives. Findings for Research Question 2 include that the instructional coach is critical to building capacity, providing individualized coaching, supporting professional learning communities, and building trust. Findings also noted staffing challenges, time, and competing priorities influence the implementation of instructional coaching. These findings led to six implications including that school districts should provide planning support for principals and instructional coaches to work together to clarify the mission and vision of the school, principal preparation programs should provide professional learning on working with instructional coaches, districts should prioritize high quality professional development for instructional coaches to include individualized coaching and trust building, coaches should continue to build capacity of all staff and provide novice teachers coaching cycles, and school divisions should clearly define the role of the instructional coach. These findings and implications may be of interest to district leaders, principals, instructional coaches, and aspiring instructional coaches to better understand instructional coaching and influences on program implementation. / Doctor of Education / Instructional coaching and influences on program implementation by elementary principals and instructional coaches: A qualitative case study James F. Swoger General Audience Abstract A shared vision between the instructional coach and principal aligned with district policies and programs is essential to the success of instructional coaching. The purpose of this study was to explore the way principals and instructional coaches envision the role of the instructional coach within the school and the influences within the school that impact the implementation of instructional coaching. The two research questions guiding this study were: How do principals and instructional coaches envision the role of the instructional coach? What influences the implementation of instructional coaching in schools? Guided by Creswell and Creswell's (2017) Framework for Research, the principals and instructional coaches from nine schools within one defined cluster of one school district were interviewed for this qualitative, multiple case study. Transcripts were sorted by interview question and position to support the two research questions. There were 10 findings identified, findings for Research Question 1 include instructional coaches work with the principal to clarify the mission and visions of the school, communication between the principal and coach and the coach and teachers is vital, instructional coaches need high quality professional development, and the instructional coach is tasked to lead other school-based initiatives. Findings for Research Question 2 include that the instructional coach is critical to building capacity, providing individualized coaching, supporting professional learning communities, and building trust. Findings also noted staffing challenges, time, and competing priorities influence the implementation of instructional coaching. These findings led to six implications including that school districts should provide planning support for principals and instructional coaches to work together to clarify the mission and vision of the school, principal preparation programs should provide professional learning on working with instructional coaches, districts should prioritize high quality professional development for instructional coaches to include individualized coaching and trust building, coaches should continue to build capacity of all staff and provide novice teachers coaching cycles, and school divisions should clearly define the role of the instructional coach. These findings and implications may be of interest to district leaders, principals, instructional coaches, and aspiring instructional coaches to better understand instructional coaching and influences on program implementation.

Novice teachers need support as they enter their career in education. Supports can be given through various forms including mentoring and instructional coaching. The supports are put into place by school districts to assist with student achievement as well as teacher retention. This case study examines a school districts elementary schools and the supports put into place for novice teachers, with a particular focus on mentoring and instructional coaching. The case study drew from interviews, observations, and document reviews from four different elementary schools and eight individuals, including novice teachers, mentors, and instructional coaches. Coding took place and a thematic analysis took place. Triangulation of all three data points kept this qualitative study reliable and accurate. The three findings include: 1) Perceptions of mentoring and instructional coaching program components, 2) Novice teachers perceptions of mentoring and instructional coaching support, and 3) Mentors and instructional coaches perceptions of their roles in supporting novice teachers. The findings focus on recognizing the perceptions of those involved in induction programs for novice teachers and how those supports provide the necessary needs for new teachers to stay in the field of education. Specifically, perceptions were identified to indicate if one program served a better purpose for what novice teachers want and need to be successful. The purpose of the research was to understand how novice teachers perceive types of support and how the supports effect their retention and performance. The results of the study would assist a school system in terms of where to invest funds to provide the most needed support for novice teachers. / Ed. D. / Novice teachers need support as they enter their career in education. Supports can be given through various forms including mentoring and instructional coaching. This case study examines a school district’s elementary schools and the supports put into place for novice teachers, with a particular focus on mentoring and instructional coaching. The case study research drew from interviews, observations, and document reviews from four different elementary schools and eight individuals, including novice teachers, mentors, and instructional coaches and will serve for a basis for school systems to examine which supports best assist in the retention of new teachers. The three findings of the study related to the research questions and were determined through a preponderance of evidence as a result of a thorough data analysis based on the triangulation of data. The findings resulted in showing the need for classroom procedures over initial academic support and also a need for emotional support that was provided by mentors more so than instructional coaches.

This research is a qualitative case study involving eight participants' €”seven teachers and one instructional coach at an elementary school. The student population of this school was a Title I eligible elementary campus with students of mixed ethnicity. The purpose of the study was to document teachers' perceptions and understanding of the implementation process and those factors they perceived that inhibited and facilitated the implementation by an instructional coach of the Cognitive CoachingSM process. The method of inquiry was an instrumental case study at a single site that included a minimum of three one-on-one interviews with each of the eight participants. These interviews triangulated with historical data and observations provide the information to tell the story of the implementation process and extend the reader's understanding of the implementation process. The themes revealed in the research included: (1) lack of understanding and clarity of the Cognitive CoachingSM process, (2) influence of the campus leadership, (3) teacher'™s willingness or resistance to change educational practice, (4) relational trust, (5) influence on instructional change, and (6) increased student achievement. This research study offers implications for both practice and theory. There are specific implications for administrators, instructional coaches, principals, and teachers as they implement the Cognitive CoachingSM process. There is a need for clear, welldefined expectations for implementation at both the campus and district level. In addition, personnel responsible for the implementation process at the campus and district level must be trained in the Cognitive CoachingSM process. Teachers must be aware of the process and terminology pertinent to the implementation process. The Cognitive CoachingSM process provides the opportunity for teachers to restructure their educational practice as they to engage in professional dialogue and reflection with instructional coaches, principals, and peers. Further studies on the connection between relational trust and the implementation process, would provide educators and researchers a fuller understanding of the factors that support the process of implementing innovative reform models in schools.

As a form of teacher professional development, districts and schools are turning to an instructional coaching model for teacher learning, growth, and support. To date, however, few have sought to identify the specific characteristics and conditions that contribute to the success of the instructional coach, particularly in terms of the principal and instructional coach relationship. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of instructional coaches regarding the types of supports, conditions, and relationships they encounter and believe they need in their work with principals to more effectively impact teacher instruction, thus, student achievement. An exploratory case study research design and approach was utilized. Two different data collection tools were used to interview instructional coaches: focus group interviews and semi-structured, face-to-face individual interviews. The following principal behaviors that impact the instructional coaches' work the most were identified: (a) time for the coach and principal to meet, (b) trust and mutual respect built from the principal and coach relationship, (c) protection of the coaching role from administrative duties, (d) a public endorsement of the coaches' work and impact, (e) shared vision and leadership, and (f) a culture of growth and continued learning. Specific principal actions, practices, and critical components of the instructional coach and principal relationship that impact instructional coaches' work with teachers, implications for future practice, and recommendations for future research are provided.

No description available.

Despite the presence and potential impact of instructional coaches, many schools are not experiencing significant improvements in teachers’ practices or student achievement. In gaining more insight into forces that impact instructional coach effectiveness, this study (a) explored the relationship between sources of instructional coaching efficacy and dimensions of instructional coaching efficacy [Mathematics Content & Mathematics-Specific Pedagogy (ME), Student Centered & General Pedagogy (SE), Interpersonal & Communication Coaching (IE), and Personal Coach Characteristics]; and (b) explored the relationship between dimensions of instructional coaching efficacy and instructional coach outcomes. Participants included teachers (n=144) and their instructional coaches (n=19), from elementary schools located within a large urban school district in the southeastern U.S. Teachers completed an adapted Coach Effectiveness Questionnaire (Yopp, Burroughs, & Sutton, 2010), which assessed their perceptions of coach outcomes. Coaches completed an adapted Coach Efficacy Questionnaire (Yopp, Burroughs, & Sutton, 2010), which assessed their perceptions of source information and dimensions of instructional coaching efficacy. Significant correlations were found between the source Degree Major (Math) and ME (r =.534). Moreover, canonical correlation analysis showed that dimensions of instructional coaching efficacy were significantly associated with instructional coach outcomes, F(45, 363.21) = 2.326, p < .001. Particularly, regression analyses found IE to be predictive of instructional coach behavior (β =.395, t = 3.534, p < .01); instructional coach impact (β =.343, t = 2.982, p < .01); and teacher satisfaction (β =.264, t = 2.272, p = .025) with their instructional coach. Mathematics content & mathematics-specific coaching efficacy (ME) was also predictive of teacher satisfaction with their instructional coach (β =.181, t = 2.012, p = .046). These results were generally supportive of the theoretically expected relationships between instructional coaching efficacy and instructional coach outcomes. Lastly, context and individual instructional coach qualities accounted for a substantial amount of variance in instructional coach outcomes. These findings are consistent with previous research that link situational factors and individual differences to coach effectiveness (Horn, 2002).

The goal of this research project was to determine the content of the discourse occurring in grade-level meetings and coaching sessions and participants' perceptions of how the conversations in these two venues impacted learning and practice for individual teachers. Learning Forward's Standard for Professional Learning (2001) recommended that teachers organize into learning communities providing continuous learning opportunities to enhance adult learning and collaboration. Little (2003a) found that research was lacking that described the dynamics of communities of practice that promote teacher learning. It was in the content of the discourse that a proxy for evidence was found that the actions of the instructional coaches and grade-level meetings impact teacher growth. A case study was utilized to examine these structures and processes for job-embedded professional development at a school located in the eastern United States. Research questions focused on the nature of the discourse among teachers and coaches in the grade-level meetings and in individual coaching conversations. Teachers reported what they felt that they learned in the grade-level meetings and the coaching discussions. Additionally, teachers stated what they did differently as a result of this method of professional learning occurring in grade-level meetings and coaching discussions. Finally, the school's improvement plans were compared with the conversations in the grade-level meetings and coaching sessions. Verbatim transcriptions of recordings of grade-level meetings and coaching sessions provided data which revealed categories of content, coaching roles, and patterns of discourse. The goals of the meetings and coaching were to ensure communication about school district policies and to set expectations for teacher performance and student learning. Assertions generated provided patterns of discourse that identified roles of the principal, coaches, and teachers. This investigation utilized a descriptive content discourse analysis and found support for the finding that the actions of this emerging community of practice were directed by federal, state, and local polices for teacher performance and student learning. Patterns of discourse revealed roles of administration, coaches, and teachers as they collaborated to negotiate meaning through the building of a shared repertoire. Interview data revealed that these dynamics enhanced teacher growth in many cases; however, lack of teacher input may have limited some potential opportunities. / Ed. D.

One-to-one mobile technology integration is the goal of increasing numbers of school districts each year, and many factors exist to consider when measuring success. The research problem for this qualitative study focused on one of the critical components for measuring success: the need for effective teacher professional development. The purpose of this study was to examine (a) principles and practices to facilitate the integration of one-to-one mobile technologies into professional learning experiences, and (b) the perceptions of technology instructional coaches regarding changes in teachers' practice and attitudes following professional development. The conceptual framework included Knowles's theory of andragogy and Koehler and Mishra's TPACK framework. In two rounds, 19 interviews were conducted with 13 technology instructional coaches. Thirteen coaches were interviewed in round one and from that data six high level coaches were identified for a second round of interviews. The data from both interview rounds were analyzed and coded to identify themes and categories. The key findings revealed that effective one-to-one mobile technology integration requires supportive leadership; building culture and relationships; instructional design with standards and frameworks; building collaborative, job-embedded teacher agency; and personalized learning with differentiated delivery. All stakeholders could use the key results to make informed decisions for planning and implementing professional learning opportunities. This study may affect positive social change by enhancing how technology is integrated into teaching and learning through increased teacher engagement in professional learning.