From mirroring to guiding: A review of the state of art technology for supporting collaborative learning

We review systems that support the management of collaborative interaction, and propose a classification framework built on a simple model of coaching. Our framework distinguishes between mirroring systems, which display basic actions to collaborators, metacognitive tools, which represent the state of interaction via a set of key indicators, and coaching systems, which offer advice based on an interpretation of those indicators. The reviewed systems are further characterized by the type of interaction data they assimilate, the processes they use for deriving higher-level data representations, and the type of feedback they provide to users

The Effect of Elementary Mathematics Coaching On Student Achievement in Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grade

Due to recent waivers and current expectations of teacher performance, schools have been tasked to close their student achievement gaps in mathematics by 2014. Yet students still have not performed well in mathematics, which may be a direct link to teachers\u27 instructional practices. Identifying a coaching model to improve student achievement and teachers\u27 instructional practices is important to district leaders, school administrators, and teachers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how a coaching practice with teachers affected student achievement in elementary mathematics. The theoretical foundation of this study was the coaching model, first used by Joyce and Showers, which theorized that teachers who participated in this type of professional development would improve their instructional practices in the classroom, and subsequently, student achievement. A quasi experimental design was employed to test the theory that teachers who were coached would improve student achievement in elementary mathematics. A total of 185 test scores from students were analyzed using an independent measures t test and a repeated measures t test. Findings suggested that the achievement scores of students whose teachers were coached were statistically higher on both state and local assessments. Fourth grade students showed improvement on both the local and state assessments, while 5th and 6th grade students demonstrated significant differences on the local assessments only, but not on the state assessments. This research contributes to positive social change by providing educators with a coaching model that demonstrates how teacher coaching can increase student achievement in elementary mathematics, Grades 4 through 6

Preparing Tomorrow’s World Language Teacher Today: The Case for Seamless Induction

This essay is a call to action. It offers a comprehensive overview of the challenges facing world language (WL) teacher educators and their employers, the K-12 schools, during the teacher induction period. We propose a new paradigm for WL teacher education based on national accreditation standards, best-practice pedagogy, insights from the professional literature on methods education, and the enhanced role of the methods instructor/supervisor. In order to become successful in the classroom, the pre-service educator undergoes a seamless period of induction that is student-centered and college/university-supported beyond the classroom arena

The mechanics of CSCL macro scripts

Macro scripts structure collaborative learning and foster the emergence of knowledge-productive interactions such as argumentation, explanations and mutual regulation. We propose a pedagogical model for the designing of scripts and illustrate this model using three scripts. In brief, a script disturbs the natural convergence of a team and in doing so increases the intensity of interaction required between team members for the completion of their collaborative task. The nature of the perturbation determines the types of interactions that are necessary for overcoming it: for instance, if a script provides students with conflicting evidence, more argumentation is required before students can reach an agreement. Tools for authoring scripts manipulate abstract representations of the script components and the mechanisms that relate components to one another. These mechanisms are encompassed in the transformation of data structures (social structure, resources structure and products structure) between script phases. We describe how this pedagogical design model is translated into computational structures in three illustrated script

Collaborative trails in e-learning environments

This deliverable focuses on collaboration within groups of learners, and hence collaborative trails. We begin by reviewing the theoretical background to collaborative learning and looking at the kinds of support that computers can give to groups of learners working collaboratively, and then look more deeply at some of the issues in designing environments to support collaborative learning trails and at tools and techniques, including collaborative filtering, that can be used for analysing collaborative trails. We then review the state-of-the-art in supporting collaborative learning in three different areas – experimental academic systems, systems using mobile technology (which are also generally academic), and commercially available systems. The final part of the deliverable presents three scenarios that show where technology that supports groups working collaboratively and producing collaborative trails may be heading in the near future

The Role of Internal and External Coaches in Supporting Implementation of Proficiency Based Learning at the Secondary Level

The goal of this study was to investigate teacher perceptions of the role of internal and external coaching on implementation of proficiency-based education, a school-wide reform initiative. The conceptual framework for this qualitative multi-site comparative case study is a combination of the Double-Loop Learning Model (Argyris, 1976) and Vygotsky’s Space model (Gallucci, 2008). Data were collected and compared from four secondary schools in Maine for this study: two with internal coaches assisting in implementing proficiency-based education and two with external coaches assisting in implementing proficiency-based education. Seventeen teachers, four coaches, and four principals were interviewed as the primary source of data collection. Data from interviews were coded and analyzed through an open coding process. Findings were then examined and described in relation to the two theories framing this study, namely by using the stages of Vygotsky’s Space model of socio-cultural learning: appropriation, ii transformation, publication, and conventionalization. Key findings include: (a) External coaching has more influence over teacher learning in the initial stage of implementation (appropriation), providing whole-staff professional development and conventionalization, providing guidance around a common vision; and (b) Internal coaching has more influence over teacher learning during transformation and publication, with coaching happening in a one-on-one setting, helping teachers reflect upon strategies they are trying out and problem-solving as they practice components of the initiative. In addition, leadership approaches, structures present for coaching support, and challenges associated with the PBE initiative all play a role in each school’s approach to implementation

Impact Of Instructional Coaches On Elementary Mathematical Achievement

Since the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, school leaders have sought to improve student abilities in both math and reading. Although both subjects have made improvements in both delivery and assessment over the years, mathematics still troubles the nation as students continuously fall short of local, state and federal goals (Darling-Hammond, 1998, 2005; Franke et al., 2005; Johnson & Johnson, 2002). Instructional coaches have become a norm for many districts across the U. S. as districts seek to draw knowledge and leadership from mastery level teachers as they help improve everyday teaching and student learning. This study evaluates the impact of instructional coaches on student mathematic achievement in an urban mountainous school district in the Western United States. Students in grades first through sixth were administered two interim mathematic assessments during a school year that were created by a district team. Interim Assessment 1 set a baseline score for students as they were divided into classrooms where some teachers worked with a math coach and others did not. Interim Assessment 2, administered late in the year, was used to measure growth and impact of instructional coaches as scores were compared for all students to the baseline developed earlier in the year. Initial implications indicate that the assessment used was flawed because the majority of students scored lower on the second assessment. The assessment was intentionally created to be harder to represent the expected growth that must take place to score proficiently on state accountability assessments. However, upon a closer inspection of change factors with weighted scores based on teacher ID, levels of statistical significance did emerge. There were cases that teacher working with an instructional coach did show to have an impact on student achievement that did not occur in the classrooms where teachers did not work with a coach. This data was interpreted with a reflection of how instructional coaches could be assigned to specific classes by principals based on achievement needs. Ultimately, instructional coaches did have an impact on the achievement of students in the classroom for grades second, third and sixth. Furthermore, additional information was deduced concerning sub-populations in the study and how instructional coaches did impact those groups. The results could influence how and where principals utilize instructional coaches in the mathematics classroom as well as seeing the largest gains in student achievemen

EFFECTS OF COGNITIVE COACHING ON TEACHER EFFICACY

Educators in the American school system have been under pressure to increase academic achievement among all students especially within the past decade. Government initiatives and high-stakes testing have ushered in a new era of accountability. Many attempts at school reform have been made with little success. Current research has found that the variable with the greatest impact on student achievement is the quality of the instructor. Attempts at improving teacher effectiveness have included merit pay, professional development, utilizing a scripted curriculum, and coaching. Studies have shown that professional development embedded within the classroom is most beneficial in terms of improving instruction and increasing student achievement. Continuing the professional development after the initial delivery can prove to be difficult. Both Professional Learning Communities and peer coaching are techniques used to support instructors in implementing new concepts. However, Cognitive Coachingsm on a one-on-one basis has greatly influenced change in teacher behaviors, increasing teacher efficacy, and elevating student achievement scores