Date of Award
Spring 3-31-2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctorate of Education, Ed.D.
College
College of Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Christopher Maddox, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Karen Ellefsen, Ph.D.
Third Advisor
LaToya Thomas-Dixon, Ed.D.
Abstract
A leading influence on teachers’ pedagogical strategies is the ongoing professional support provided by an instructional coaching program. However, due to competing needs, not all teachers receive the same amount of instructional coaching attention. More is known about the influence that instructional coaching programs have on new teachers and less about the benefits received by experienced teachers. The purpose of this study was to explore how experienced high school teachers perceive the effects of an instructional coaching program on their pedagogical strategies. Research questions also addressed how an instructional coaching program effected other areas of teacher performance and how teachers perceive the implementation of the program at their site. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used so that 10 participants could share their unique story with an instructional coaching program. Lewin’s theory on change management, Knowles’s ideas on adult learning, and Bandura’s self-efficacy model helped guide this study. From classroom observations, questionnaires, and interview responses, four major themes emerged: alternative coaching supports, improvement, leadership, and prioritization of duties. Results of this study revealed that all teachers positively perceive the concept of instructional coaching and most perceive that program implementation was working at their site, primarily for new teachers. However, results also showed that only a few experienced high school teachers perceive the coaching program to influence their pedagogical strategies. Findings from this study indicate that experienced teachers value coaching conversations to improve the quality of their pedagogical strategies.