After conducting a cross-institutional qualitative research study examining the role of academic coaching in competency-based education, we will share our findings as to the characteristics of academic coaches, their perspectives about competency-based education, and how their coaching activities influence student success.
The findings are from a qualitative exploration of the professional profiles and practices of academic coaches in competency-based education. The National Research Center for Distance Education and Technological Advancements (DETA Research Center, http://www.uwm.edu/deta) spent three years designing research models and conducting rigorous research across numerous institutions (2-year and 4-year) to help us identify effective instructional and institutional practices in online and competency-based education. Part of this body of research was to understand the traits of an academic coach, the experiences that inform their practices, and the activities academic success coaches undertake to assist students in succeeding within a competency-based program. To achieve this research goal, in-depth interviews were conducted with over 20 academic coaches at 5 different institutions. The interviews were then recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. From this data, the original objective, to understand the role of academic coaches in competency-based education, was met, including identify areas of curriculum, instruction, coaching, advising, mentoring, and assessment that is involved in the coaching role. In addition, the interviews revealed the challenges that academic coaches face and the strategies academic coaches enact in order to overcome those difficulties. Most importantly, the findings point to the integral link between academic coaches and student success. In this conference session, initial qualitative findings will be shared as well as plans for future studies regarding the important topic of academic coaches role in competency-based education.
If you are interested in academic coaching and/or competency-based education, join us to learn and hear from academic coaches themselves! Be part of the discussion about the role of academic coaching and the research process undertaken to understand that role.