Mathematics coaching is a research-based method to improve teacher quality, yet there is little research on teaching and coaching mathematics in rural contexts. In addition, mathematics coaches in rural contexts frequently work in isolation with little access to professional learning opportunities to support their coaching practice. This project will create a fully online video-based model for mathematics teacher professional development focused on supporting mathematics coaches in rural contexts, building on the investigators' previous work focused on online professional learning opportunities for mathematics teachers in rural contexts. Results from the previous project focused on rural teachers and their coaches show that the professional development model increased connections between what teachers notice about student thinking and broader principles of teaching and learning, that teachers were able to enact stronger levels of ambitious mathematics instruction, and that teachers who received coaching showed a stronger focus on math content and instructional practice. This extension of the model to coaches includes an online content-focused coaching course, cycles of one-on-one video-based coaching, and an online video club to analyze coaching practice. The video clubs will be structured as a graduated model that will begin with facilitation by mentor coaches and move into coach participants facilitating their own sessions.
Three cohorts of 12 coach participants will be recruited, with one cohort launching each year. In the first year, coaches will participate in four 2-hour synchronous content-focused course meetings, two coaching cycles with a mentor coach, and four video club meetings. In the second year, cohorts will conduct and facilitate four video club meetings. Research on impact follows a design-based model, with iterative cycles of design and revision of the online model. An ongoing analysis of 15-20% of the data collected each year will be used to inform revisions to the model from year to year, with fuller data analysis ongoing throughout the project. Participating coaches will be engaged in a noticing interview and surveys to assess changes in their perceptions and practices as coaches. Each coach participant will record one coaching interaction as data to assess changes in coaching practices. Patterns of participation and artifacts from the online course will be analyzed. Coaching cycle meetings and video club meetings will be recorded and transcribed. The Learning to Notice framework will be used as an analytical lens for describing changes in coaching practice.
The Discovery Research preK-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
