Beyond Definitional Chaos: Establishing Conceptual Clarity for Academic Coaching in Higher Education

• In Event: Institutional Supports that Matter: Examining Coaching, Microgrants, and Pathways to College Completion

Abstract

Academic coaching has emerged as a promising intervention for enhancing student success in higher education; however, the field suffers from definitional inconsistencies that undermine research validity and program effectiveness. This research, part of a systematic literature review analyzing 38 peer-reviewed studies, examines the scope and nature of these conceptual inconsistencies using thematic analysis. We identified four distinct approaches: Student Success/Retention, Developmental Partnership, Instructional Support, and Skill-Building/Competency approaches. Our findings reveal that definitional ambiguity creates barriers to evidence-based practice and limits effective service delivery. Aligning with AERA’s theme of unforgetting histories and imagining futures, this work establishes conceptual clarity as a foundation for constructing more equitable and effective academic coaching practices.

Authors

• Lauren Bagdy, University of Georgia

• Hannah England, University of Georgia