Unit 2: Instructional Coaching in Educational Technology

Overview

Alena Aguilar, renowned instructional coach, wrote in her 2011 article titled “Five Things to Consider Before Becoming an Instructional Coach”, 

“In spite of all the challenges, coaching a teacher or leader can be incredibly rewarding. If you're interested in the potential of impacting dozens or hundreds of children, then helping a teacher figure out how to reach more of her students is a high-leverage way to do so. Effective coaches can contribute to teacher-retention, building instructional capacity at a site, improving relationships between colleagues, and establishing ways for teachers to collaborate. Beyond those ways of impacting a site, helping a teacher or leader figure out how to manage his/her job better or how to enjoy it more can be very satisfying.”

Working in the Educational Technology field requires you to be an instructional coach. The purpose is to work with teachers to help guide them in new and innovative strategies that can impact teacher efficiency, student learning, and classroom culture.  

Performance outcomes

• Candidates have an understanding of the importance of instructional coaching and ideas of Educational Technology coaching

What will you do?

1. Watch and annotate the video, “Instructional Coaching: Driving Meaningful Tech Integration.” Do not summarize the video's content in your annotations. Instead, give your opinion and perspective on the ideas discussed in the video. 

2. Go through the rest of the resources and then share ideas, inspirations on the Discussion Forum, as well as observations about Instructional Coaching in Educational technology. Comment on each other’s posts.

3. Use the Instructional Coaching Template to explore your thoughts on your role as an Educational Technology  Instructional Coach. Discuss your perspective on becoming an instructional coach with your cohort and instructor in the next virtual class session.

Report requirements

• Annotation of the video “Instructional Coaching: Driving Meaningful Tech Integration”

• Discussion Forum Posts based on research

• Complete the Instructional Coaching Template and discuss it in the Virtual Class

Overview

John Whitmore writes in his book, Coaching for Performance: GROWing Human Potential and Purpose - The Principles and Practice of Coaching and Leadership, 4th Edition, “The coach is not a problem solver, a teacher, an adviser, an instructor or even an expert; he or she is a sounding board, facilitator… who raises awareness and responsibility.” As an instructional coach (of Educational Technology or another subject) it is important to have a solid foundation or plan for coaching with which you can approach the teachers you are supporting. This activity is an opportunity for you to explore and reflect on different coaching models and determine which model would be best for your school/district.

Performance outcomes

• Candidates will explore different coaching models and determine the ideal model for their school/district. 

What will you do?

1. Dive into the provided resources and extend your search beyond as you look at different models for instructional coaching.

2. With a partner, using the information researched, present a summary of three different coaching models. This presentation can be done with the digital tool of your choice. 

3. At the end of the presentation, each partner will explain in detail which model they would or will use in their school/district setting.  Give your audience a clear understanding of why the chosen model would work best, what the important aspects of coaching that fit into this model are, and how your school/district will respond to this model being implemented. Share this information on the Discussion Forum as well. This information will come into practice in more detail in Unit 4. 

4. Cite all sources using APA format.

Report requirements

• A presentation (group’s choice) summarizing 3 coaching models and the choice that would be implemented into the candidates’ school/district. 

• Individual explanations by each partner sharing which model will be used for their school/district. 

• Posts on the Discussion Forum about which model each individual has chosen and why