The teacher as coach: An innovative, longitudinal training for (bio)medical educators

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Professional Development
• Teacher Training

Background:

• Effective teaching requires teachers to possess skills for developing resilient, adaptive, lifelong learning professionals.
• Teachers lacking specific coaching competencies struggle to guide students in the modern professional landscape.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a longitudinal teacher coaching program on educators' competencies and student perceptions.
• To facilitate the transition of academic teachers from knowledge-transferring roles to professional development coaches.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal program with nine half-day on-campus training modules combining theory and skills.
• Teachers evaluated their coaching competencies pre- and post-program.
• Students of participating and non-participating teachers evaluated teacher coaching competencies.

Main Results:

• Participating teachers reported enhanced coaching abilities and a shift from advising to fostering student development.
• Students recognized that teachers trained in coaching provided less advice and emphasized student responsibility.
• The program demonstrated the added value of coaching in teacher professional development.

Conclusions:

• Investing in dedicated coach training programs is crucial for preparing teachers to coach students effectively.
• Such programs can facilitate a successful transition to a professional development coaching role.
• Adaptation of generic training content to local curricula is recommended for broader implementation.