The developmental needs of coaches and coachees

Purpose – The aim of this review is to highlight the key findings, themes, and concepts in coaching from the inception of the International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education in early 2012 to the end of 2018. The review examines how coaching is theorized and practised in an educational context, and how coaching has evolved across educational disciplines. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on an analysis of research trends in articles published in the International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education from Volume 1 Issue 1 (2012) to Volume 7 Issue 4 (2018). The criterion, according to which articles were selected for inclusion in the literature review, is whether the word “coaching” is used in the title, abstract, or key words. Findings – Across a wide range of geographical and institutional contexts, the studies surveyed in this literature review point to the different ways in which coaching interventions support success in teaching and leadership. This review identifies three principal themes across the literature on coaching: confidence, trust, and identity. Research limitations – The literature review is confined to studies published in a single publication and is therefore not representative of the entire field of coaching research. Practical implications – The focus of this review is coaching in education. The review comprises a survey of research concepts, innovation, and creativity in the area of coaching and education. It highlights advances in the field of coaching and education and points to areas of development for future research. Originality and value – By bringing together existing research in a number of areas across the field of coaching, this literature review provides a coherent overview of a rapidly evolving and diverse field