Use of an Online Platform to Facilitate and Investigate Data-Driven Instructional Coaching

Abstract

This article presents theoretical and empirical support for a data-driven instructional coaching approach and emerging evidence for the contributions of an online platform in operationalizing, assessing, and facilitating the implementation of key coaching actions for both research and practice. The contributions of an online platform in guiding the implementation and investigation of key coaching actions (i.e., modeling, facilitation of practice, and feedback) throughout a five-phase coaching sequence are presented. The article outlines initial research to demonstrate the utility of the online platform for advancing an understanding of how coaching actions predict teacher and student outcomes. This research suggests that there are predictive relationships between coaching actions and the fidelity of implementation of teacher interventions, reductions in instructional gaps, and student achievement. The implications of this work for advancing coaching practices and future empirical investigations are described.