The Impact of Virtual Mentor Coaching on School Leaders’ Knowledge of Turnaround Strategies

• In Event: Intersection of STEM and Educational Leadership: AI, Virtual Learning, and STEM Outcomes

Abstract

We examined the effect of virtual mentor coaching (VMC) on school leaders’ knowledge gained in five virtual course modules focused on school enhancement and turnaround strategies. Modules were delivered within virtual professional learning communities (VPLCs). A three-way mixed ANOVA tested the main effects of group (VMC vs. self-facilitated), module, and time (pre- vs. post-test), along with their interactions. Results revealed significant main effects for time and module, but no significant main effect for group or interactions. These findings indicate that all school leaders demonstrated significantly higher overall knowledge gains across all five modules. Descriptive statistics show that VMC, when embedded within VPLCs, appears to be a promising, scalable professional development model for enhancing leadership capacity in school improvement contexts.

Authors

• Jordan Donop, Texas A&M University

• Mohammad Taheri, Texas A&M University

• Beverly J. Irby, Texas A&M University

• Cindy L. Guerrero, Texas A&M University

• Linda Rodriguez, Texas A&M University

• Rafael Lara-Alecio, Texas A&M University

• Fuhui Tong, Texas A&M University