Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2024

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Ed. D.

Department

Educational Leadership, Evaluation and Organizational Development

Degree Program

Educational Leadership and Organizational Development, EDD

Committee Chair

Powers, Deborah

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Cox, Jennifer

Committee Member

Cox, Jennifer

Committee Member

Stevens, Doug

Committee Member

Yarbrough, Rachel

Author's Keywords

cognitive; coaching; feedback; identity; observation; reflection

Abstract

Classroom observations are meant to help teachers improve their instructional practice and improve learning outcomes for students. But for many educators, traditional, in-person classroom observations can not only be difficult to arrange but difficult to truly gain valuable feedback from when teachers can’t see what was happening in the moment (Drago-Severson & Blum-Stefano, 2017). Teaching and leading in an environment characterized by a constant state of change is more likely to cause stress and negative feelings when the employees care deeply about the outcome (Wisse & Sleebos, 2016). Cognitive Coaching methods, applied to classroom observations, aim to reduce focus on negative perceptions and concentrate attention and energy toward acknowledging the negative emotional responses observations often cause, moving towards reflection, problem solving, planning, and action strategies (Brown & Olsen, 2015; Costa & Garmston, 2016). This study examines the experiences of nine educators, five serving as administrators and four as classroom teachers working in Central Kentucky public school districts, on observation processes when conducted utilizing Cognitive Coaching techniques. Data were analyzed utilizing the Listening Guide methodology to uncover meaning in the observation methods in correlation with Cognitive Coaching techniques. This study seeks to reveal job embedded strategies administrators and teachers can collectively practice for lessening observational stress and problem centered thinking through the implementation of Cognitive Coaching techniques and self-reflection. This qualitative, phenomenological study was conducted through the interpretive framework of Bandura’s social cognitive theory that focused on the experiences and reflections of teachers and administrators who have experienced Cognitive Coaching techniques in classroom observations. Participants in this study were asked to discuss the influence of observations on their individual professional practice and the potential impact on their interactions and relationships with colleagues. Administrators and teachers collectively report increased confidence when utilizing Cognitive Coaching methods on self-reflection, and teacher empowerment leading to more meaningful and relevant feedback, deepened self-awareness, and stronger relationships focused on partnership promoting growth and refinement in instructional quality. Experiences with Cognitive Coaching support educator development beyond traditional methods, supporting the need for a shift in administrative training and practices in this area.

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