Peer coaching with interactive wireless technology between student teachers: Satisfaction with role and communication

Abstract

In technology-savvy Singapore, wireless communication devices were used over four weekly lessons to facilitate communication between pairs of student teachers (STs). In the naturalistic setting of a neighbourhood primary school, one ST used the technology to coach the other who was engaged in teaching. (Both were familiar with the lesson plan and in a later lesson the roles were reversed.) The coach's comments (tape recorded) to the teacher were guided by lecturer-designed focus sheets. Following each lesson, all teaching STs (n ¼ 21) completed a short Likert-scale inventory on satisfaction with the role of teacher, influence of communication on satisfaction with role, characteristics of the communication as well as satisfaction with the device. Coding of tape transcriptions after Kahan (2002) showed that the communication was shaped by the focus of the observation sheets. Means of the tabulated frequencies on each survey item indicated that the participants were overall very satisfied with the process of being coached. Satisfaction in role increased across time. However, the influence of communication on role decreased across time. Satisfaction with communication (amount) peaked in Week 2, but satisfaction in content of communication increased across time. Although reporting that the devices were clumsy and at times impeded their teaching, generally the students were satisfied with the technology.

Impact of Bug-in-Ear Professional Development on Early Childhood Co-Teachers’ Use of Communication Strategies

“…However, even with these feasibility challenges, EC teachers perceived that BIE peer coaching increased the quality of their teaching and improved children’s communication. Our results were consistent with those obtained in other BIE studies in which researchers implemented the coaching with EC teachers (e.g., Ottley et al, 2015) and teachers implemented the intervention with their co-teachers (Fry & Hin, 2006; Scheeler et al, 2010). Even so, given the diversity in EC classrooms, future researchers should examine methods to improve the feasibility of BIE coaching to aid in the ease of its use among other EC teacher dyads.…”

“…One specific type of coaching with great potential to reduce the research-to-practice gap is peer coaching, which is defined as teachers observing one another and providing reciprocal feedback with the goal of enhancing instruction (Scheeler, Congdon, & Stansbery, 2010). Peer coaching has benefits over other types of coaching, such as assisting teachers in overcoming barriers associated with assignments in their respective professional roles, being contextually relevant, and receiving feedback from someone with whom teachers have rapport and a positive relationship (Fry & Hin, 2006; Scheeler et al, 2010). Importantly, peer coaching has positively affected teachers’ content knowledge, problem-solving skills, teaching techniques, and self-efficacy (e.g., Jang, 2010; Latz, Speirs Neumeister, Adams, & Pierce, 2009; Slater & Simmons, 2001).…”

“…Results suggested BIE peer coaching increased teachers’ acquisition and maintenance of complete learning units. In addition, Fry and Hin (2006) utilized peer coaching over 4 weekly lessons to enhance communication across pre-service teacher dyads. Dyads provided feedback to one another during physical education lessons with results suggesting that the teachers received regular reinforcement on their teaching practices and were satisfied with the responsibilities of their collaborative roles.…”

Online Clinical Teacher Preparation Programs in Special Education: Perspectives and Critical Components

“…Participants indicated that their candidate peers could help assist candidates to complete clinical requirements of online preparation programs, such as recording their teaching video for them, providing technical assistance so the candidate can focus on working with P-12 students during the observation, and offering performance-based feedback to their peer. Some research shows that peer coaching has benefits over coaching provided by experts, supervisors, and administrators because peers already have rapport and they have a stronger understanding of the classroom setting (Fry & Hin, 2006). Our previous research (Ottley, Coogle, Rahn, & Spear, 2017) and that of other scholars (e.g., Jang, 2010;Scheeler, Congdon, & Stansbery, 2010) has shown peer coaching to be an effective approach to supporting teachers in using evidence-based practices.…”

Student teachers’ and in-service teachers’ peer learning: a realist synthesis

“…Focus group (qual) Survey (quant) and focus group (qual) Fry and Hin (2006) Singapore 21 student teachers coaching mixed methods 4 Survey (quant) Goos and Bennison (2008) Australia 19 student teachers collaboration qualitative 6 9…”