Peer Coaching Effects on Targeted Teaching Behaviors and Teacher Self-Efficacy in an Early Field Experience

Abstract This study examined the effect of peer coaching on the development of effective teaching behaviors and teacher self-efficacy of education students in an early field experience. The convenience sample (N = 99) included undergraduate students enrolled in a required foundational course in special education at a large public university in the southern United States. Training methods included online video instruction on targeted effective and ineffective teaching behaviors. The effective behaviors included (a) established student learning objective prior to beginning a lesson, (b) explained and/or modeled how pupil can discover answer or solve a problem, (c) checked for understanding by asking content-related questions or asked pupil to verbally explain/demonstrate answer/concept, (d) academic or behavior specific praise statement. The ineffective behaviors included (a) began activity without stating student learning-objective, (b) ask binary content related question without follow-up probe, and (c) negative comment/feedback considered derogatory. Participants submitted pre-and-post-intervention videos via a web-based storage service. Binomial logistic regression and ANCOVA analyses indicated no statistically significant differences between the treatment and control groups for main effects of peer coaching on the development of the targeted effective teaching behaviors. Additionally, ANOVA analyses indicated no statistically significance between groups on the three subscales of the OSTES. However, frequency of observed effective teaching behaviors increased for both groups in 3 of the 4 targeted effective teaching behaviors. Study participants and public school personnel provided feedback regarding the value and positive impact of the intervention and training on targeted teaching behaviors. Implications and future research are explored