Professional Writing Service http://StudyHub.vip/A-COMPARISON-OF-MENTORING-AND-COACHING- 👈

1. A COMPARISON OF MENTORING AND
COACHING: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Carlos Antonio Viera, PhD, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
The work of educators in urban high schools may at times seem rather daunting. Teachers serving in
these settings are often in search of intervention strategies that can assist in their efforts to support
students in achieving improved outcomes. Mentoring and coaching are two powerful interventions that
organizations can implement when attempting to improve their outcomes in human performance. The
focus of either of these two personal development interventions is on enhancing individuals through
organizational opportunities and self-initiative. However, many times the specific aspects of these two
different approaches may be confused and even be referred to interchangeably. A comparison of the
fundamental differences between mentoring and coaching will be described in this article. An analysis
of the pros and cons of using formal mentoring and coaching programs, as viable performance
improvement interventions within an educational organization, will also be presented. Additionally, a
brief research-based plan to develop, implement, and evaluate coaching for secondary Career and
Technical Education teachers working in high school settings will also be shared. Specific challenges and
barriers to the immediate and long-term success of the coaching intervention and effective ways to
overcome them will also be examined.
MENTORING VS. COACHING: WHAT ARE
THE DIFFERENCES?
The interventions of mentoring and coaching are often
described as being similar; however, coaching is, “an on-
going professional relationship that helps people produce
extraordinary results in their lives, careers, businesses, or
organizations” (Whitworth et al., 2007, p. 290). Similar de-
scriptions may also refer to mentoring; however, Van Tiem
et al. (2001) state that there are clear differences between
these two personal development interventions. Though
both interventions rely heavily on providing individuals
with effective feedback and encouragement, with the spe-
cific differences between mentoring and coaching listed in
Table 1.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The details of a brief plan, based on Human Performance
Improvement (HPI) research, to develop, implement, and
evaluate coaching for teachers working in a secondary
high school settings are described in the sections that fol-
low, as recommended by Lucas (1994). In support of the
principles and best practices available within the field of
HPI, it is expected that the decision to develop a plan
for coaching secondary teachers would have been based
on a comprehensive needs assessment. Such needs assess-
ment should include a determination of the existing per-
formance gaps present within the organization between its
desired state of performance and the current state. Next, it
would be expected that a cause analysis for the existing gap
would be conducted in order to determine the likely root
cause(s) (Gilbert, 1978, 1996). Though organizational lead-
ers often jump to the conclusion that some sort of train-
ing is the solution to most, if not all, of their performance
concerns, this is not necessarily the case. It is for this very
reason that a systematic approach is recommended by re-
searchers (Gilbert, 1978, 1996; Rossett, 1987, 2009).
Although the roles of both coach and mentor may serve
to support personal development of other employees,
Performance Improvement, vol. 60, no. 7, August 2021
© 2021 International Society for Performance Improvement
Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) • DOI: 10.1002/pfi.21993 13

2. “Mentoring and coaching are
two powerful interventions
that organizations can
implement when attempting to
improve their outcomes in
human performance (Van
Tiem et al., ; Whitworth
et al., ).”
there are very specific differences in how and when these
two interventions should be implemented (Van Tiem
et al., 2001). Coaching is typically more task-oriented, in
that the focus is on helping an employee achieve suc-
cess in specific job responsibilities. The role of the mentor
(usually a more-experienced employee) is much broader,
and may include coaching techniques in the strategic plan
to develop a mentee’s skills and capabilities, as part of
a complex emotional transformation (Van Tiem, 2007).
Additionally, Talbot (2009) conducted a case study on
learner-centered supervision, which found that an atmo-
sphere that encouraged exploration for developing in-
sights was more conducive to coaching and learning. It
may be possible to strengthen the coaching sessions by
providing supplemental case study readings to enhance
learner-centeredness, which Talbot (2009) found could
prove valuable in developing learner insights. He also de-
“Although the roles of both
coach and mentor may serve
to support personal
development of other
employees, there are very
specific differences in how and
when these two interventions
should be implemented (Van
Tiem et al., ).”
scribes the benefits of placing less emphasis on formal ex-
changes and replacing them with a more conducive learn-
ing environment (Talbot, 2009). Therefore, the coaching
plan that will be presented assumes that the decision to
provide coaching as an intervention for secondary teach-
ers is based on findings from a well-researched and devel-
oped HPI model. Specific challenges and barriers to the
immediate and long-term success of this selected coach-
ing intervention will also be shared, as well as recommen-
dations for effective ways to overcome them. According to
Lucas (1994), the design of any coaching plan should in-
clude the following steps:
1. Establishment of reasonable goals with the employee
2. Collecting performance data
|
TABLE 1 COMPARISON OF COACHING AND MENTORING INTERVENTIONS*
COACHING INTERVENTION MENTORING INTERVENTION
Helps coachee overcome barriers and gain
capacity to improve job performance
Go beyond just teaching a mentee how a job is done
Offered by a supervisor or manager and involves
one-on-one suggestions relative to workplace
situations that are observable
Shared experiences, wisdom, and savvy are offered by mentor
to enable top performers to take on tasks beyond those in
their job description
Delivery can be spontaneous when the situation
calls for immediacy or planned and formal
Guide a complex emotional transformation designed to help
the mentee develop skills and capabilities for future success
Build on the assumption that most employees are
eager to do well, please their managers, and
achieve an improved position in the organization
Overcoming hurdles effectively resulting from the increased
multicultural dimensions of the work force, particularly
assisting in the success of people with racial or gender
differences
Supervisors, managers, or other internal or external
people can serve as coaches
Between a more senior employee (mentor) and a novice
employee (mentee)
∗Van Tiem & Dessinger (2001), pp. 126–135.
14 www.ispi.org • DOI: 10.1002/pfi • AUGUST 2021

3. 3. Analyzing performance
4. Reviewing and modifying performance goals
5. Identifying developmental resources
6. Developing an action plan
7. Implementing the strategies
8. Evaluating performance
Murray et al. (2009, p. 391) offer Charles Desforges’
frame for exploring research capacity building in the form
of the equation, Capacity = Expertise × Motivation × Op-
portunities. Pursuing more information regarding this re-
searcher’s work could also prove helpful in setting and as-
sessing individual goals for the participants in the coach-
ing sessions. Perhaps there are some parallels that can be
observed from the study’s preliminary findings to help
identify the factors related to capacity building in the
coaches. The TERN project, as Murray et al. (2009) have
indicated, was designed to support teacher education,
by strengthening researcher expertise, building research
networks, and developing institutional research capacity.
Though research capacity is not the main focus of the
coaching intervention for secondary teachers, there are as-
pects of this effort where these skills could be beneficial,
specifically in case study reviews and analysis. This could
also lead to further follow-up research opportunities in the
future for individual and group learning opportunities.
In attempting to gain a deeper understanding of these
emerging themes, Levine’s (2010) empirical research of
four quasi-experimental designs with multiple methods
data collection suggests that Small Learning Communities
(SLCs) (Gilbert’s functional unit) can increase students’ at-
tendance, graduation rates, and the secondary experience
as a positive environment. Levine (2010) also identifies
three challenges that must be overcome in order to have
SLCs increase students’ academic achievement: with a fo-
cus on improving instruction, equity and rigor, and going
beyond students’ school history. Clearly, the evidence is
in support of providing school environments where more
opportunities exist for students to build closer and positive
relationships with adults. This is important for any teacher
coach to consider as the team (functional unit) works
to encourage and facilitate improved outcomes within a
Teacher Effectiveness Improvement Project. The impor-
tance of establishing and maintaining of community (en-
vironment) will be emphasized and supported as part of
the coaching intervention.
While examining the role of coach, and certain coach-
ing behaviors that might prove helpful in building capac-
ity among faculty, Grant and Cavanagh’s (2007, p. 240) re-
searched the questions, “What is coaching psychology?”
and “What are the boundaries between the different forms
of applied psychology?” This qualitative study asked ex-
perts to identify the major challenges in executive, work-
place, and personal coaching and to review the state of
existing research. Grant and Cavanagh (2007) deliver a
comprehensive review of multiple (69) studies conducted
from 1980 to 2007 that should help set patterns for areas
of strength and limits in coaching effectiveness. The find-
ings presented by these researchers will also help build a
concrete definition for coaching, as well as a greater level
of understanding, as to the range of coaching’s benefits
and its limitations. Grant and Cavanagh’s (2007) study also
explores the economic, personal, and social impacts of
the coaching field, which may prove helpful in selling the
coaching intervention to the district’s leadership.
Though Grant and Cavanagh (2007) discuss the cur-
rent state of research findings and challenges in coach-
ing psychology literature, their work also helps to define
how coaching is perceived and/or validated by the pro-
fessional community. The value of coaching as a legiti-
mate strategy is described, as well as offering recommen-
dations for how coaching can help differentiate itself from
other forms of psychology in the personal development
arena. These findings help to undergird the theory be-
hind the research questions driving the focus of Grant and
Cavanagh’s (2007) study. The intersection between Grant
and Cavanagh’s (2007) research and the HPI model is that
both help to identify the capacities that secondary coaches
should possess in support of a successful program for im-
proving teacher effectiveness. This information helps in
expanding the background information available to the
scholar-practitioner in understanding the current state of
coaching. It is important to have background information
as to what and where to look. The scholar-practitioner will
incorporate these varying perspectives into the best prac-
tices included in the final design of the coaching interven-
tion. This refers to the employee’s knowledge, skills, and
abilities that should be mastered in order to be successful.
This example should help the scholar-practitioner recog-
nize the types of behaviors described in the coaching ses-
sions.
Grounded theory was the methodology applied in a
study of the learning processes underpinning coaching by
Griffiths and Campbell (2009, p. 16), which researched the
following questions:
• “What is learning and why does it matter to coaching?”
• “How does learning occur in coaching?”
• “How do clients experience learning?”
• “What is the significance of learning in coaching?”
Although grounded theory is a form of qualitative re-
search, it was conceived and developed under a heavy
Performance Improvement • Volume 60 • Number 7 • DOI: 10.1002/pfi 15

4. influence of a quantitative paradigm. The findings of Grif-
fiths and Campbell’s (2009, p. 16) study of coaching clients
demonstrate how, “a process of discovering, applying, and
integrating new knowledge” has emerged as learning in
coaching. This can culminate in a process of developing
as a coach. The work presented by Griffiths and Campbell
(2009) reports on the coaching learning process across a
number of implementation models. This is helpful in pro-
viding foundational information related to the eight key
coaching processes (Lucas, 1994). Information provided
by Griffiths and Campbell (2009) helps establish param-
eters for coaching behaviors that have been shown to be
effective throughout the coaching process. These findings
should also be helpful in identifying and measuring coach-
ing behaviors in their performance. There are many tra-
ditional and common forms of feedback for workshops,
but there are also ways to enhance and broaden the way
feedback is collected from participants, including a strat-
egy known as KWL (what the learner Knows, what they
Want to know, and what they Learned) at the beginning of
the workshop, embedding the Experiential Learning Cycle
(Kolb, 1984) during activities, and a more specifically de-
signed exit slip, once each day of the workshop is over. The
providers of many workshops could also offer the partici-
pants more effective feedback about their ongoing perfor-
mance. One example is the ongoing discussions that stu-
dents in an online course receive during “discussion” ac-
tivities, how often have these teachers been part of a work-
shop with this sort of “feedback”?
COACHING PLAN FOR SECONDARY
TEACHERS
Organizational context
An investigative process for ensuring teacher effectiveness
could include data collection through a field survey, focus
group discussions and reflections, and structured class-
room observations utilizing a checklist. Though much of
the investigation may lead to continued budget cuts as a
major source for the lack of progress in meeting the school
district’s desired outcomes in this area, either mentoring
and coaching, as proposed interventions being discussed,
are relatively low cost or at least neutral in expense. Combs
and Falletta (2000) state that “organizational context is im-
portant to consider because factors in the larger organiza-
tion may account for the success or failure” (p. 16) of the
Teacher Effectiveness Program. Specific relevance to both
training and a selected coaching intervention is addressed
in relation to each of the identified factors that con-
tribute to the overall organizational context of this school
district.
A coaching intervention will be implemented, and eval-
uated within this school district’s organizational context,
and will focus on the employees as the entry point for
the behavior change interventions. However as previ-
ously supported by Gilbert (2007), “no person or envi-
ronment is likely to be perfectly designed for the accom-
plishment expected” (p. 89). The intervention of ongoing
coaching is designed to help engender the development
of problem-solving strategies as teachers deliver their ser-
vices in schools and in a variety of job placement settings.
As the coaching intervention will be delivered within the
context of the school district’s organizational culture, it is
important to be cognizant of how this context may play
a role that either helps or hinders its overall success. The
coaching intervention must be designed and aligned with
consideration to the district as an institution whose main
drivers are to effectively educate students, and develop
its employees and leadership, while remaining financially
prudent. The culture considers professional development
of its instructional employees an important function. One
significant factor that may impact the coaching interven-
tion relates to the current “hiring freeze,” which may limit
or reduce the number of secondary CTE teachers that will
be able to participate in the program. In support of effec-
tive implementation, a communication plan for the coach-
ing intervention will be developed to keep all stakeholders
informed of the program’s progress and/or challenges pre-
sented. In order to address the performance gaps identi-
fied during the needs assessment’s gap and cause analy-
ses in Table 2, both training and coaching interventions
have been proposed to help overcome ongoing challenges
in improving teacher effectiveness.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS INTERVENTION
The knowledge and skills recommendations related to the
coaching intervention have been developed. This coach-
ing intervention is under the direct control of the CTE
Supervisor and Coordinators and can be implemented
within their purview or span of control.
Intervention Title
Coaching for Improving Outcomes in Teacher Effective-
ness in Secondary CTE Teachers.
Purpose
Designed to support the development of effective
problem-solving challenges from the field (schools and in-
ternship/job placement worksites). As new CTE teachers
are hired, a training approach is also being implemented
to effectively build or upgrade knowledge and skills re-
lated to CTE policies and procedures. Through ongoing
16 www.ispi.org • DOI: 10.1002/pfi • AUGUST 2021

5. |
TABLE 2 INTERVENTIONS
INTERVENTION TYPE OF INTERVENTION
Training for improving teacher effectiveness implementing policies and
procedures through e-learning on-boarding course
Knowledge and skills
Non-training for improving teacher effectiveness in planning and problem-solving
through regular coaching sessions
Knowledge and skills
coaching, which is linked to existing business initiatives,
a comprehensive focus is on roles, key success factors,
clearly defined goals for outcomes, skill development and
transfer of experience.
Target audience
Secondary Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teach-
ers.
Theory
The CTE coordinators will be the internal owners of the
program and will provide ongoing coaching opportuni-
ties for the CTE teachers in the form of regularly sched-
uled coaching sessions. CTE teachers must use their lim-
ited hours for meeting goals set for number of students
successfully prepared for the school-to-career transition.
Coaching will increase the knowledge and skills of CTE
teachers to navigate this process with improved outcomes
and fewer errors (Van Tiem 2001). Murray’s (2006) work
may be very helpful in identifying structures and other key
factors you may take into consideration example, the coor-
dinators’ roles, a comprehensive orientation, and ongoing
support (p. 457).
Timing
The incorporation of a coaching intervention in support of
CTE teachers attaining the desired outcome(s) can be im-
plemented relatively quickly, particularly after initial rap-
port and trust have been established between individual
job performers and their coaches. As CTE teachers gain
more experience and success, they too could eventually act
as coaches for beginning teachers, during on-boarding ac-
tivities.
Requirements
The development of a structured coaching program will
be helpful, being ultimately incorporated into the struc-
ture of the organization, as a way of supporting new non-
instructional employees during their first year(s) of ser-
vice.
Design description
The design of this intervention includes:
1. Conducting rapport and trust-building experiential
activities,
2. Having coaches and coachees share their career expe-
riences and accomplishments,
3. Having coaches and coachees share their strengths
and opportunities for improvement relevant to CTE
teachers,
4. Having coaches and coachees participate in a variety
of interactive activities that help with team and com-
munity building,
5. Matching coaches and coachees,
6. Developing regular schedules for coaching sessions,
7. Gathering data and feedback as to success of coaching,
and
8. Sharing lessons learned for future coaching activities.
LINKING INTERVENTIONS TO BUSINESS
RESULTS
This intervention is also aligned to the District’s Organiza-
tional Goal: Maintain Effective and Ethical Governance –
Financial Business Practices. Specifically, this intervention
is intended to increase appropriate actions that promote
student success and safety by avoiding situations where a
student’s life may be endangered or may cause litigation
against the school district, such as physical conflict, or in-
appropriate behaviors on the job site.
ESTABLISHING REASONABLE GOALS
According to Lucas (1994), it is important that goals be
set realistically and be attainable in relation to the em-
ployee’s skills and abilities. Success indicators for these
goals may include revenue, or reduced costs, quality, quan-
tity, or timeliness.
Goal statement—Measurable outcomes
The ultimate goal of the secondary CTE Program is
increasing the percentage of students that are deemed
Performance Improvement • Volume 60 • Number 7 • DOI: 10.1002/pfi 17

6. |
TABLE 3 IMPACT MAP*
KNOWLEDGE
AND SKILLS
CRITICAL
APPLICATIONS
PERFORMANCE
RESULTS
BUSINESS UNIT ORGANIZATIONAL
GOALS**
Knowledge of Career
and Technical
Education (CTE)
Guidelines,
including district’s
policies and
procedures related
to job function
Accept and value the
necessity for the
guidelines as a
resource and
reference for
identifying, and
referring students and
providing services
Deliver 90%
accuracy in the
career
placement(s), and
provision of
services for
students’ needs.
95% compliance
of the
guideline’s
processes
during
development
through
individualized
meetings
“Each student
succeeds
academically,
personally, and
civically as measured
by:
1. demonstrating
age/grade level
appropriate
knowledge
mastery
2. having a
post-secondary
plan
Knowledge of stages
in the job
placement process
Provide appropriate
level of support
during each stage of
the process
Increase the
percentage of
students that are
successful in
being prepared
for job placement
by 25%.
25% increase in
the number of
students that are
appropriately
placed in the
workforce
3. graduating
4. successfully
entering higher
education arena
and/or the
workforce.”
Able to develop
maintain weekly
lesson plans
Document and submit
lesson plans
Maintain 100%
accuracy in
documenting
services being
provided to
support students,
as established by
district office.
95% alignment of
lesson plans
with hours
being reported
to payroll
Maintain Effective and
Ethical Governance
– Financial Business
Practices
Ability to effectively
problem-solve
challenges from
the field (schools
and worksites)
Effectively apply
problem-solving
model to presenting
issues during ongoing
coaching sessions
and in the field
Reduce number of
incidents
regarding
safety-to-life
and/or
interpersonal
conflicts by 5%.
No more than 5%
in reported
incidents that
require
documentation
and/or
administrative
intervening
∗Adapted from Brinkerhoff, 2006, p. 72.
∗∗website: sqi.dadeschools.net
school-to-career ready by the time they graduate. Al-
though improving the outcomes for this desired level of
performance is a challenge, the goals selected for the
coaching intervention should focus on measuring the ef-
fectiveness of the teachers in performing their duties, such
as coaching tasks of job responsibility and coaching tasks
related to teaching technical information.
EXPECTED RESULTS AND MEASURES
As described in Table 3, it is expected that a reduction
will occur in the significant number of CTE teachers that
lack awareness regarding the School-to-Career Curricu-
lum. Additionally, it is expected that the CTE services will
be accurately documented in the teachers’ lesson plans. By
providing the information regarding job/internship place-
ment policies, procedures, and processes for CTE, it is also
expected that information will be effectively disseminated
by the CTE coordinator in order to maintain compliance.
POSSIBLE MEASURES FOR TRACKING
SUCCESS
1. The secondary CTE teachers will be able to ade-
quately and appropriately deliver the secondary CTE
18 www.ispi.org • DOI: 10.1002/pfi • AUGUST 2021

7. Program through the process of identifying, assessing,
recommending, placing, and monitoring with assis-
tance from the course materials and secondary CTE
Program Guidelines, as measured through delivery
of 95% accuracy in the recommendation(s) place-
ment(s), and providing services for students, as mea-
sured by an objectively designed rubric with clearly
defined criteria.
2. The secondary CTE teachers will be able to ade-
quately and appropriately document service delivery
of the process of identifying, assessing, recommend-
ing, placing, and coaching with assistance some from
the course materials and CTE Guidelines as part of a
case study or job role description or checklist.
CONCLUSION
Both mentoring and coaching can be impactful interven-
tions for organizations to implement when attempting
to improve their desired outcomes (Van Tiem et al.,
2001; Whitworth et al., 2007). These two personal de-
velopment interventions can be targeted on enhancing
individuals through organizational opportunities and
self-initiative (Van Tiem et al., 2001). Though the specific
aspects of these two different approaches may sometimes
be confused or even be considered interchangeable, the
comparison of the fundamental differences between
mentoring and coaching described in this article help to
offer the reader clarity of distinction. Effective implemen-
tation and evaluation of either of these interventions is
“where the rubber meets the road” in bringing about the
desired outcomes. Additionally, a brief research-based
plan to develop, implement, and evaluate coaching for
secondary teachers working in urban high schools was
also shared.
REFERENCES
Combs, W. L., & Falletta, S. V. (2000). The targeted evaluation
process: A performance consultant’s guide to asking the right
questions and getting the results you trust. American Society for
Training and Development (ASTD). pp. 16–17.
Gilbert, T. (1978). The behavior engineering model. In Gilbert,
T. (Ed.), Human competence: Engineering worthy
performance (pp. 73–105). McGraw-Hill.
Gilbert, T. (1996). Human competence: Engineering worthy
performance. ISPI.
Grant, A. M., & Cavanagh, M. J. (2007). Evidence-based
coaching: Flourishing or languishing? Australian Psychologist,
(4), 239–254.
Griffiths, K., & Campbell, M. (2009). Discovering, applying,
and integrating: The process of learning in coaching.
International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and
Mentoring, (2), 16–30.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the
source of learning and development. Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Levine, T. H. (2010). What research tells us about the impact
and challenges of smaller learning communities. Peabody
Journal of Education, , 276–289.
doi:10.1080/0161956X.2010.491431
Lucas, R.W. (1994). Coaching skills: A guide for supervisors.
McGraw-Hill.
Murray, M. (2006). Innovations in performance improvement
with mentoring. In J. A. Pershing (ed.), Handbook of human
performance technology: Principles, practices, potential (3rd ed.)
(p.p. 455-477). San Francisco: Pfeiffer.
Rossett, A. (1987). Training needs assessment. Educational
Technology Publications.
Rossett, A. (2009). First things fast: A handbook for performance
analysis (2nd ed). Pfeiffer.
Talbot, M. (2009). Epiphany? A case study learner-centeredness
in educational supervision. British Journal of Guidance &
Counseling, (2), 195–206.
Van Tiem, D., Moseley, J., & Dessinger, J. (2001). Performance
improvement interventions: Enhancing people, processes, and
organizations through performance technology. ISPI.
Whitworth, L., Kimsey-House, K., Kimsey-House, H., &
Sandahl, P. (2007). Co-active coaching: New skills for coaching
people toward success in work and life (2nd ed.). Davies-Black.
Performance Improvement • Volume 60 • Number 7 • DOI: 10.1002/pfi 19

8. Carlos Antonio Viera: A successful and accomplished scholar-practitioner with more than 30 years
of diverse professional experiences, Dr. Carlos Antonio Viera recently served with Accenture as Manager
Strategic Management Consulting. Previously, he served Miami Dade College as the Director for Planning,
Policy Analysis and Grant Program Support. Prior to this, Dr. Viera served with Miami Dade County Public
Schools (MDCPS) as the District Director for the Office of Performance Improvement, a direct report to the
Chief of Accountability and Systemwide Performance, recognized with a Certificate of Commendation from
the Superintendent for his work in strategic planning. Dr. Viera earned a PhD from Capella University in
the School of Education with a specialization in Training and Performance Improvement, completing his
doctoral dissertation entitled, School Counselors and Advisors Using Data-Driven Decision-Making: Iden-
tification and Analysis of Barriers and Enablers. The International Society for Performance Improvement
(ISPI) recognized this study as 2015 Distinguished Dissertation – 2nd Place, as well as having been invited
to share his research during the Carnegie Foundation Summit for Improving Education in 2016 and the AP-
PAM Fall Research Conference in 2018. In 2015, he was also awarded the Sandra Southmayd Leadership
Award by the Dade Counseling Association (DCA). Dr. Viera has also earned a graduate-level Certificate
in Educational Leadership from Florida International University (FIU), a Master of Science in Education from
the University of Miami, completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Education from FIU.
He is also certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), a credential from the Human
Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) through Barry University, as well as an SHRM-SCP (Senior Certified
Professional) credential. Dr. Viera is often invited to serve as a peer reviewer for professional journals:
The Journal of Education, published by Sage and ISPI’s Performance Improvement Quarterly. He can be
reached at carlosviera@ispi.org
20 www.ispi.org • DOI: 10.1002/pfi • AUGUST 2021