Instructional Coaching for Online Faculty at Behrend
What is the coaching program?
A professional development program for online instructors that allows interaction between the instructor and a coach to deliver just in time professional development with the goal of improving teaching effectiveness in the online classroom. In addition to receiving coaching, the instructor participant will reflect on their online teaching practices as framed by the Quality Matters rubric.
At this time, the focus of the program will be on instructors who teach asynchronous online courses.
What is the instructor’s role?
- To reflect on online teaching practices via written reflections and 1:1 coaching meetings
What is the coach’s role?
- To use questioning techniques to promote reflection for the instructor
- To provide non-biased feedback through observation and discussion with the instructor
How?
The program includes a minimum of three touch-base meetings throughout the semester (one of which can be an asynchronous discussion). The focus of the materials and three touch-base meetings are driven by specific standards within the QM rubric. These are on the themes of Course Overview and Introduction, Regular and Substantive Interaction, and Student Support. Documents will be shared between the coach and the participant in an individual Google Drive folder.
Prior to each touch-base meeting, the coach will observe, and the instructor participant will reflect using the guided reflection questions provided by the coach. The coach will view the course shell and write notes on specific QM standards. The instructor will answer several reflective questions via a Google doc. The coach will share the notes of the observation with the instructor, review the instructor’s responses to their reflection questions, and then schedule a time to meet with the instructor participant for a 30-minute coaching touch-base.
What are the anticipated benefits and outcomes?
At the end of the program, there are two anticipated benefits. One is that the instructor will have notes on how to improve their course for possible revision to meet QM standards. The other is the instructor will have self-identified ways to improve online teaching practices and developed self-reflection practices to promote continuous improvement of their teaching into the future.
Interested in participating?
FAQs
What is the difference between mentoring and coaching?
Mentoring is often between a senior-level and a junior-level employee. Mentoring tends to focus on acclimating the junior employee to the workplace and facilitating their development. Coaching can be between varying levels of individuals in an organization. In the case of this program, coaching is focused on facilitating the learning of the participant through intentional questioning techniques. We encourage faculty to seek out mentors within their department as a mentor can provide important guidance to faculty on the nuances of their job as well as a broader range of topics that are of importance to becoming a member of the Behrend faculty ranks. This coaching program is meant to focus on teaching online and implementing the QM standards while encouraging reflection practices as an instructor.
Am I being evaluated?
The coaching program is meant to offer feedback and foster reflection as part of an individualized professional development program – it is not considered an evaluation. The information shared by the instructor throughout the program will not be shared with anyone that the instructor has not given permission to have access to materials related to the coaching program.
How much time is required?
The program takes place over the course of one semester, with some weeks requiring no commitment and other weeks requiring up to an hour. The following are estimated times for completion for the elements of the Instructional Coaching program based on the week in the program/semester.
| Pre-semester | Instructor Input Form (form submission – 15 minutes) |
| Week 1-2 | Course Overview and Introduction (written reflection – 30 minutes, meeting – 30 minutes) |
| Week 7-9 | Regular and Substantive Interaction (written reflection – 30 minutes, meeting – 30 minutes) |
| Week 10-12 | Learner Support (written reflection – 30 minutes, meeting – 30 minutes) |
| Week 13-16 | End of Coaching Reflection (written reflection – 30 minutes) |
| Week 13-16 | End of Program Meeting with CEI Director (meeting – 45 minutes) |
