Changes In Coaching Study Design Shed Light On How Features Impact Teacher Practice
By Joellen Killion
April 2016
Read the remaining content with membership access. Join or log in below to continue.
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem.
At A Glance
Overall, a study of one-to-one coaching across two cohorts did not significantly lead to improvements in teaching practice. Exploratory analyses of the features and effects of the two cohorts, however, suggest that changes in the design and focus of coaching may explain the large positive effects on teacher practice in one cohort that were absent in the other.
The study
Blazar, D. & Kraft, M. (2015, December). Exploring mechanisms of effective teaching coaching: A tale of two cohorts from a randomized experiment. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 37(4), 542-566.
What This Means For Practioners
As a small study of the effects of coaching, the study provides multiple opportunities for examining how to examine impact of a program, as specified within the Data standard of Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning. New professional learning initiatives require rigorous evaluation to strengthen and refine them and to ensure that they produce the intended results.
It is unclear how the design of the coaching program studied meets the other Standards for Professional Learning, yet the study offers an example of how to assess a professional learning program. In addition, it provides insights into the features of effective coaching programs that contribute to positive effects on teacher practice.
Because coaching is an increasingly common professional learning practice and one that is not inexpensive, decision makers and policymakers want to consider thoughtfully how to design, implement, and evaluate coaching programs to increase their effects on both educators and students.
Joellen Killion is a senior advisor to Learning Forward and a sought-after speaker and facilitator who is an expert in linking professional learning and student learning. She has extensive experience in planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of high-quality, standards-based professional learning at the school, system, and state/provincial levels. She is the author of many books including Assessing Impact, Coaching Matters, Taking the Lead, and The Feedback Process. Her latest evaluation articles for The Learning Professional are “7 reasons to evaluate professional learning” and “Is your professional learning working? 8 steps to find out.”
CURRENT ISSUE
Recent Issues
APPLYING THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING
April 2026
Cognitive science illuminates how people learn. This issue shows how...
LEARNING WITH AI
February 2026
Generative AI can be a powerful tool for professional learning design and...
WHAT STUDENTS NEED NOW
December 2025
For all students to thrive, we need to understand who they are and what...
LEARNING COMMUNITIES FOR LEADERS
October 2025
Leaders need opportunities to connect, learn, and grow with peers just as...
