The Effects of Online Coaching on Instructional Consultation Skill Development and Treatment Process Integrity

Abstract

ABSTRACT Title of Dissertation: THE EFFECTS OF ONLINE COACHING ON INSTRUCTIONAL CONSULTATION

SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND TREATMENT PROCESS INTEGRITY Deborah L. Pavey-Scherer, Doctor of Philosophy, 2008

Dissertation directed by: Professor Sylvia Rosenfield Department of Counseling and Personnel Services

Providing early intervention to teachers through indirect service delivery has become an important priority in serving student needs. The Instructional Consultation Institute, designed to train school-based consultants in the IC problem-solving model, includes online coaching during an actual case where consultant-trainees practice their new consultation skills. This study investigates the effects of online coaching on consultant-trainees' levels of skill development and studies the relationship between skill development and the integrity with which the IC process is followed.

Archival data were used to analyze consultant-trainee (N = 132) and coach perception of skill development before and after receiving online coaching, and to explore the relationship between skill development and treatment process integrity. Although demographic data are limited, the consultant-trainees and coaches were from multiple states and represented a variety of professional roles. Data from three forms (the IC Professional Development Survey, the Rating of Consultant's Skill Development and the Student Documentation Form were analyzed.

Results from paired samples t-tests indicated significant level of growth between consultant-trainees' perceptions of their own skill development before and after participating in the online coaching. Consultant-trainees indicated they felt competent in performing their skills after the coaching. The data showed suggested that consultant-trainee and coach perception were similar. Discrepancies existed in the areas of contracting and communication skills, where consultant-trainees rated their skills significantly higher than coaches did, but the actual number of consultant-trainees rated as competent was similar between the two groups. However, in curriculum-based assessment, where consultant-trainees rated their skills lower than coaches did, far fewer consultant-trainees than coaches rated trainees as competent. Using Pearson correlations it was determined there was no relationship between consultant-trainee perception of skill development and treatment process integrity, as measured by completion of the SDF, but that a significant relationship between the coaches' perceptions of skill development and SDF completion did exist.