04/08/2021
By Robin Hall
The College of Education invites you to attend a doctoral dissertation defense by Nicola Ansdell on “Addressing Teacher Commitment to an Opt-In Coaching Model.”
Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021
Time: 2 p.m. EST
Location: This will be a virtual defense via Zoom. Those interested in attending should email James_Nehring@uml.edu at least 24 hours prior to the defense to request access to the meeting.
Dissertation Chair: James Nehring, Ed.D. Professor, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Dissertation Committee:
- Michaela Wyman-Colombo, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus, College of Education, University of Massachusetts Lowell
- Julie Kelley, Ed.D., Scholar in Practice
Abstract:
This research addressed a problem of practice within a small urban district: there appeared to be limited teacher commitment to an opt-in instructional coaching model across the district’s 19 elementary schools. To address this problem in the greater district, a case study of Whaler Elementary was conducted as there was believed to be greater teacher commitment within this building to the instructional coaching model in place. A mixed methods approach was utilized to identify both leadership characteristics and coaching practices that promoted instructional coaching within the building. One-fourth of teachers participated and shared their insight on leadership characteristics as well as their perceptions of and experience with instructional coaching. The findings suggest that more transformational leadership qualities and a shared understanding of the purpose of instructional coaching amongst administration, instructional coaches and teachers would increase teacher commitment to this program.