While coaching is rapidly becoming a recognized, and evidence-based approach to learning and change (Stober and Grant, 2006; Nekoranec and Fourrier, 2013), and there is a large body of literature with respect to the development of skills in coaching practice (Blakey and Day, 2012; Britton, 2013), research on its efficacy in the higher education setting is just emerging. Given the conference theme of Achieving Harmony: Tuning into Practice, we note that coaching fosters learning (according to the principles of Ambrose, Bridges, and Lovett, 2010) that supports and sustains development, surfaces and explores complexity, gauges readiness for change, and helps reach action. The session explores the idea of bringing this value to our teaching, and to “student” learning in the context of developing educators. Participants will walk away with a preliminary understanding of: (i) how adapting a coaching methodology can accelerate learning, encourage greater accountability and an increased capacity to self-direct and self-correct, and enhance academic leadership development, and (ii) the flow of a coaching conversation in this context. The session will start with a brief introduction to the use of coaching as a learning methodology in a University’s Academic Leadership Development program, followed by a live coaching demonstration to help participants contextualize this work. After this, participants will engage in a peer coaching exercise and experience coaching and being coached. There will be an opportunity at the end to ask questions of the facilitators.
References:
Blakey, J., & Day, I. (2012). Challenging coaching: Going beyond traditional coaching to face the FACTS. London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
Britton, J. J. (2013). From one to many. best practices for team and group coaching. Ontario: John Wiley & Sons.\
Nekoranec, W., & Fourrier, D. (2013). Coaching managers through change. Training & Development, May, 26-29.
Stober, D. R., & Grant, A. M. (Eds.). (2006). Evidence based coaching handbook: Putting best practices to work for your clients. Hoboken N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.