#ICE19 Annual Conference

As schools acquire technology, a Digital Use Divide is emerging demonstrating gaps in how effectively it is used. Many don’t have access to powerful instructional technology coaching. The Dynamic Learning Project addresses this by creating a replicable coaching program. This session will share strategies, lessons, and resources for powerful coaching.

The challenge addressed is fostering school change througheffective coaching, specifically addressing the digital use divide. Research has shown that despite having access to devices, low-income schools often demonstrate less powerful use of these tools. This has been correlated to a lack of in-school support, or coaching, for teachers to understand how to leverage technology to positively and powerfully impact student learning. This session will explore this challenge and introduce the methods utilized in the pilot year of the Dynamic Learning Project (DLP). This is a collaborative effort funded by Google and led by EdTechTeam with research by Digital Promise. The program brought full-year, school-based coaches into 100 U.S. public schools during the 2016-2018 school years. DLP provided ongoing training and support for the coaches through a mentorship program. They received structures, strategies and training on how to effectively support their teachers.

By the end of this panel, participants will learn about:
Why is coaching so critical to school change and innovation?
How can you launch a coaching program in your school / district?
How can you fund coaches when there isn’t an existing budget?
What are some important features of a successful coaching program?
What trends / patterns did you see when it came to effective coaching methods?
What are some challenges / pitfalls of innovative coaching?
What makes an effective coach? What advice do you have for teachers transitioning from the classroom to the coaching role?
How can principals and district leaders support an effective coaching program?