Faculty Development Through Cognitive Coaching

• In Event: 42.084 - Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: 42.084-7 - Current Issues in Faculty Development

Abstract

We describe a faculty development project where 12 teacher educators used the Cognitive Coaching model to guide critical reflections about their professional practice. Each identified an aspect of their teaching that they wanted to improve and a colleague to serve as coach. Each coach and teacher engaged in Cognitive Coaching cycles, consisting of planning and reflecting conferences. This project was an organic one, emerging from and evolving in response to faculty needs. Our experiences uncovered the promise and challenges of nurturing faculty development through Cognitive Coaching. Preliminary findings indicate that participating in this project facilitated personal self-renewal, instructional improvement, and professional collegiality, suggesting that Cognitive Coaching has the potential to be an effective approach to faculty development.

Authors

• Mary Antony Bair, Grand Valley State University

• David E. Bair, Grand Valley State University