Instructional Technology Coaching Journal

Instructional Technology Coaching Journal

Jill Lyn Rooks
Kennesaw State University
ITEC 7460
Spring 2015

Instructional Technology Coaching Journal

The instructional technology coaching experience covered the span of

several weeks with coaching sessions being scheduled, as well as on an as
needed basis. The coaching began with meaningful conversation with a
colleague, Laura H., who was open to the possibility of increasing her usage
of technology in the classroom using the technology available. Her desire to
help me be successful was more of an advantage to getting her on board,
because it set the tone of equality and partnership. Knight (2007) mentions
using the Partnership Approach, which is based on principles of equality,
choice, voice, reflections, praxis, and reciprocity (P. 37). Basically Laura
didnt want to know what was supposed to work, she wanted to see it
actually work effectively.
Instructional Coaching Strategies
During our first coaching session, apparent through our dialogue, it
was agreed upon that Laura wanted to become more efficient in using the
Google platform which had been adopted into the school system this year. In
our conversations it was established that the Google platform could be used
as a tool to increase student engagement and also increase teacher
productivity. One strategy I employed was in clarifying what I understood
Laura as saying. Knight outlined several listening strategies in Instructional
Coaching: A Partnership Approach to Improving Instruction (p. 64-65). I also
had to understand my audience, and learn how Laura would best be helped,
because if she is not receiving the message as I intend to deliver it, then it is

Instructional Technology Coaching Journal

not successful coaching. Laura requested that I model what I was doing
along with having her do it at the same time. This provided her a visual, as
well a hands-on approach. We agreed that she would reflect back on it and
bring me feedback about what would further help her. This allowed Laura to
help me better plan my approach.
Our second real challenge was to get into Google Drive and determine
how to best set it up to be an effective tool to be able to use in the future
with students. I showed her the observation form I was going to be using (p.
113) and reminded her that we are all learning together and that I
appreciated her help and feedback. I demonstrated and modeled how I had
my own drive organized. We discussed what kind of organization helped her,
such as did she want a list or icons. We then organized her folders to reflect
her own preferences.

Knight expresses that the teachers should apply their

learning to real life practice as they are learning, so my challenge to her was
to show one student how to do just what she had done, at our next session.
In our reflection, Laura expressed how much easier it was to see me do it
and then have her do it. She said if she had been just given a cheat sheet
that it would not have been as effective because she wouldnt have had
anything to base it on. She also liked that I gave her the choice of options in
how to set it up of how she thought was best for her, rather than just set it
up how I had mine. By offering choice, it increases the likelihood that they
will embrace what we have to offer (p.53)

Instructional Technology Coaching Journal

The third session took place in Lauras classroom. The students were
going through center rotations. The lesson was to have the students open
their assigned Google accounts and set up folders in Google Drive. In
Chapter 5, Knight stresses that there are stages of change. One such stage
(p. 86) is Action. This is the step where your own actions will change, or as
Knight so eloquently put it by using the Nike slogan, just do it. I expressed
that I would like to have her help the students by herself in the first rotation
while I observed, and I would step in as needed. Laura did great and the
students were able to get set up with minimal problems. I I took notes on my
observations of areas the students struggled with, such as computer issues.
Laura reflected that just my being there was helpful because she knew if she
ran into trouble I could help. The students were eager to please me, as I was
the outsider.
Our fourth session involved how to create new docs and slides. She is
familiar with Microsoft Office, so I briefly showed her the similarities. We
worked on both a document and a slides presentation. Laura agreed that
they were simple to use, and simple to save in the folders she created. She
reflected that since the students were supposed to be typing a paper soon,
she was going to have them do it in Google rather than Microsoft Word.
Our fifth session involved us creating a lesson together in which the
students would create a document and submit it by sharing it to her rather
than turn in a paper copy. We created a simple assignment in which their

Instructional Technology Coaching Journal

responses would be typed and submitted rather than written down. I

coached her in getting the students logged in and started and then I stepped
out. I checked back in about 15 minutes to see if she needed my help and
she said she was fine, however the typing was taking a lot longer than she
had planned. She expressed that it was stressing her out because the quality
of work was not what she expected. We discussed that anything new might
take a little longer.
Overall our coaching experiences fall under Woodruffs (2007) Levels 15, possibly 6- Model Lesson. We pre-conferenced and moved in to modeling.
At this point in the coaching relationship was critical for it to go successfully.
Further coaching will increase the coaching levels. The coaching was not
done so much on the instructional level to the students, but more directly in
coaching her how to use it, and then have her demonstrate to the students
in a simplified manner. These levels will increase as I move in to the Google
classroom and demonstrate and work with her and her class in implementing
it.
Skill and Affective Changes
Lauras skill level in working with the Google platform is improving. The
awareness level is there, and is increasing, however there is need for
affective change in order to have it truly benefit her. Continued coaching will
increase the affective change needed. Laura is much more confident in
using Google Drive, and has also organized her Gmail in order to use it more

Instructional Technology Coaching Journal

effectively. She has been able to get the students set up with their Google
accounts (the school set it them up) and has effectively had them create
folders to better organize their work as they use the Google platform. She is
able to create docs and slides and has also allowed the students to do so.
We discussed how student engagement might be increased through
technology integration.
Reflection on Challenges and Solution
A primary challenge of this coaching experience is that I am working
with a colleague who isnt completely onboard with believing that technology
needs to be used as much as it is being pushed and encouraged. She is
open to learning, but also is honest about her questions regarding the
effectiveness of learning how to use it- when you also are dealing with not
enough computers and not enough time to teach the curriculum. These are
real life concerns. A solution to this coaching challenge was to help Laura
come up with and use the Google options we learned, and allow students to
work with them in centers. Id really like to move toward Google Classroom
with her, but feel it is a little too early in the coaching to address that yet. I
believe this has potential to work more effectively if the school gets more
laptops. I encourage Laura to start the next school year with getting the
students set up with the folders she wants them to use, and then the natural
progression she has used will follow through with them.

Instructional Technology Coaching Journal

References
Knight. J. (2007). Instructional coaching: A partnership approach to improving
instruction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press
Woodruff, S. (2007). Instructional coaching scale: Measuring the impact of coaching
interactions. Lawrence, KS: Instructional Coaching Group. Retrieved from
http://instructionalcoaching.com/tools/icg_woodruff_scale.pdf.