The document summarizes a presentation about using technology in quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) for teacher coursework, peer assistance, and coaching. It discusses research supporting the use of video for coaching and professional development. It then outlines Massachusetts' Peer Assistance and Coaching model which provides intensive coaching and uses an online video platform for feedback. Coaches are trained on competencies and the CLASS observation tool. Mentees and coaches collaborate using video to improve classroom quality and child outcomes, which are evaluated through surveys, observations and QRIS ratings.

1. Using Technology In Your QRIS:
Options for Teacher Coursework, Peer Assistance and
Coaching
Presenters:
Pam Roux, Educator and Provider Support, MA, EEC
Chris Pond, Educator and Provider Support, MA, EEC
Linda Warren, CEO, Early Childhood Associates

2. Welcome!
• Who Are the Presenters?
• Who is in the Audience?
• Why Are We Attending?

3. Learning Outcomes
• Review a comprehensive package of TA and evaluation
utilizing video capture that is linked to a web-based video
platform.
• Reflect on the role of a TA competency framework to plan
professional development and drive the coaching process
• Describe the Massachusetts Peer Assistance Coaching
(PAC) Model and the role of video as a coaching tool
• Examine frameworks for evaluating comprehensive
coaching initiatives.

4. What does an Effective Model of
Coaching Look Like?

5. Research

6. NAEYC (2011)
Relationship
Building
Goal Setting
Action
Planning
Feedback
and
Reflection
An Effective
Coaching Model

7. Harvard Graduate School of Education
(2014)
1. NOTICE
• Coaches
document
specific
challenges and
strengths
2.REFLECT
• Coaches and
Mentees reflect on
what they notice,
identifying patterns
3. BUILD
KNOWLEDGE
• Mentees learn
about and/or
design a strategy
that addresses
identified
challenge
4. PLAN
• Mentees plan
how they will
incorporate the
new strategy in
practice
5. TRY
• Mentees
implement their
plans in
classrooms

8. Coaching: Continuous Quality
Improvement
• Notice & Document
– Notice and Document specific challenges and strengths
• Reflect & Analyze
– Use guiding questions to reflect on and analyze what you notice, identifying patterns
regarding strengths and barriers to high quality learning environments and effective
practices
• Build Knowledge
– Engage in knowledge building conversations.
• Plan
– Plan how to incorporate the new strategy. Supported by coach and planning guide or
protocol, educators’
• Try
– Educators and coach notice and discuss what is working and what is challenging so
that they can, reflect, analyze and collaboratively problem solve

9. National Comprehensive Center for
Teacher Quality
Videotapes are powerful tools that can help coaches and teachers
identify areas for improvement, set goals, and work toward those goals.
Video technology can be of great value because it results in records of
teaching that allow for repeated viewings and discussions and allow
trained off site evaluators and coaches to “look into” classrooms.

10. Research (Con’t)
Archived videos can increase teachers’ access to
diverse examples of best practices that they can
refer to repeatedly to expand their instructional
repertoire and customize what they are doing to
better meet the diverse learning needs of their
students
Classroom video can provide teachers with a
documentary record of their instructional practices
that facilitates self-reflection and a heightened
awareness about what instructional strategies they
are using with their students
Videos enable individual teachers and/or
collaborative groups of teachers to better analyze
what their students were doing during class and
assess their reactions to specific instructional
strategies
AWARENESS
ANALYSIS
ACCESS

11. Taken together, these findings affirm that
instructional videos can help teachers
better understand what they are doing,
assess how well their instruction is meeting
their students’ needs, and get ideas about
what other things they can do to engage
their students more effectively and
accelerate student learning
Research (Con’t)

13. TA Competencies:
The Charge
Create a Guide and set of competencies for
TA Providers working in Infant, Toddler,
Preschool and Out of School Time settings.

14. Where Did
We Start?
Adopted a
Definition of TA

15. • Mentoring - relationship-based process
where a respected experienced person
supports and nurtures professional growth of
a less experienced person.
• Coaching - a relationship-based process
with a person with expertise in a specific area
offers assistance to another person in
identifying and achieving skill development.
• Consultation –a relationship-based process
where a person facilitates the resolution of
specific work related issues pertaining to
individuals, clients or programs.
Targeted, customized
support by a
professional(s).
Includes guided self-
reflection, resulting in
the application of
theories, information
and new ideas into
professional practice.
Technical
Assistance

16. • Who are they?
• What are all
the ways that
they might use
the TA Guide
& Self
Assessment
Tool?
Defined User Groups

17. Identified Potential Uses
EC Workforce
or PD
Providers
As a guide to
effective practice
As a tool to gauge
current level of
competence
As a resource for
PD planning
Program
Managers,
Administrators
Inform mentoring
and staff
supervision
Develop criteria for
hiring staff or PD
providers
Develop PD Plans
PD Networks,
IHE
As a lens into the
skills necessary to
be an effective
practitioner
Develop courses,
advise students

18. Built on an Existing Framework

19. What are the skills and
competencies needed by TA
providers?

20. Conducted a Literature Review
Literature Review for TA Providers
Prepared for the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care
By Early Childhood Associates, Inc.
February 2014

21. Characteristics of Effective TA
Support for
TA
providers

22. TA Qualifications
TA
Qualification
s

23. TA Practices
• Assess classroom and teacher skills
• Create goals and improvement plan linked to
environments, practices and child outcomes
• Model techniques through video or in person
• Use various coaching interventions
• Provide feedback
• Evaluate teacher’s implementation of practices
(through video or in person)
• Observe providers and classroom setting
• Help teachers develop strategies for dealing with
difficult situations
• Collaboratively problem solving
• Promote reflective practice
• Use data to inform coaching

24. “
”
Excellent TA Providers are
not born that way; they
need to develop
knowledge and skills!
Successful TA Providers Possess
Core Competencies

25. TA/Consultation: Essential
Requirements
Process Knowledge
& Skills
Content Knowledge
& Skills
Experience/Expertise
in Settings which TA
is provided
Dispositions

26. Systems, Sectors & Settings
Regulations Administrative
Structures
Community/
Social Norms
Programs,
Classrooms &
Homes

27. How does TA look different in Infant
& Toddler, Preschool and Out of
School Time Settings?
Providers
Recipients
Content

29. Core Knowledge and Competencies

30. Evidence of Competencies
• Use of varied assessment measures to discern client’s
progress in achieving TA objectives/goals.
• Modification(s) to original TA plans based on assessments.
• Collection of feedback from educator regarding efficacy of TA
services.
• Feedback and progress monitoring documentation related to
the achievement of TA goals/objectives.
• Ethical professional practices regarding reporting,
confidentiality, and the selection and use of appropriate
assessments.

31. Self Assessment & Professional
Development Tool

32. Self Assessment & Action Planning
• Individually complete the Understanding Technical
Assistance section of the TA Self Assessment distributed
by the Presenters.
• Next review your Ratings and complete the Goal Setting
and Action Steps.
• Use the PD Planning Tool to develop Goals and Action
Steps.
• At your table share the potential uses of the Tool in your
community or organization.

33. Using the Framework:
A Peer Coaching Model
• How do we put the TA Competency Framework into
practice?
• Looking at it through one model: the PAC Model

34. PAC Overview
• Funding
• Goals
• Overview
– Development of Model
– PAC Advisory Panel
– Vendors
– Implementation
• Use of TA Competencies
• Use of TALENT Video Feedback Platform
• Evaluation of the Model

35. PAC Goals
• Improve individual educator practice
• Improve program quality as evidenced by
meeting additional criteria on the MA-QRIS
• Improve outcomes for children

36. PAC Overview: Panel
• Application process
– Criteria for selection based on education and expertise with
coaching and mentoring
– 15 members selected from over 100 applications
• Advised on development, implementation and
modifications as needed throughout the project

37. PAC Overview: Vendors
• Vendors are tasked with working together to ensure
seamless experience for participants
• 5 vendors that provide services and support:
– Child Development and Education: management and distribution of
funding for coaches and mentees
– Early Childhood Associates: Evaluation of model
– UMass Boston: Coaching through the lens of CLASS
– Little Sprouts: Relationship-based training
– Torsh: Online video-based feedback platform
– EPS facilitators: PLC facilitation

38. Equity
• EEC philosophy in participation in ALL INITIATIVES
• Participants are recruited to apply statewide
– All program types in EEC’s mixed-delivery system
– Diverse language and cultural backgrounds
• Participants are matched according to:
– Program type
– Language
– Cultural Background
– Geography

39. PAC Funding
• Funded by RTTT-ELCG
• ~$1.56 Million for four years
• Includes:
– Research and development of model
– Training on CLASS and Relationship Building
– Support for coaches and mentees, including:
• Stipends for coaches
• Durable goods for mentees – ipads!
• Substitute funding for coaches and mentees
• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) supported by
Educator and Provider Support Grantees (MA system of
professional development)
– Online video-based observation and feedback platform (TALENT)
– Evaluation of model

40. Peer Assistance and Coaching (PAC)
The Model….
 Requires collaboration among Consulting Teachers, Mentees and
Instructional Leaders
 Involves entire delivery system: center-based, FCC, preschool, Head
Start, and OST programs
 Supports intensive CT training to build and improve content and
coaching skills
 Identifies training resources and coaching activities, and materials
for monitoring and reporting
 Features TALENT, a turn-key, video based teacher observation,
feedback and data analytics platform.

42. Coaching Process
• Use Assessment to Frame Coaching (CLASS)
• Use of TA Competencies to support and
evaluate coaching
• Support Development of:
– Engaging learning environments
– Effective teaching and interactions
– Positive Child Outcomes
• Link to PD that supports knowledge building
• Provide appropriate dosage and intensity of
services.

43. • Positive Climate
• Negative Climate
• Teacher Sensitivity
• Regard for Student Perspective
Emotional
Support
• Behavior Management
• Productivity
• Instructional Learning Format
Classroom
Organization
• Concept Development
• Quality Feedback
• Language Modeling
Instructional
Support
Domain Dimension
CLASS

44. 44
Environment
Physical environment
Learning materials
Daily Routines
Content
Quality of instruction in
specific curriculum areas
Process
• Emotional Support
(Sensitivity & Responsiveness)
• Cognitive Support
(promoting thinking & reasoning)
• Classroom Management
Systems
Program policies,
Professional Development
A Framework for Quality Instruction

45. Coaching Logs
Captures Essential Characteristics Of Coaching
Sessions:
• Time allotted to the session
• Coaching goals
• Coaching strategies used
• Content covered

46. • Be coached using your
iPhone or iPad?
• Have access to your coach
without leaving your
classroom or your home?
• Have instant access to
feedback while you and your
coach are viewing live
video?

47. Video-based Platform
• Mini Demo

48. • What does coaching in a
video world mean to
you?
• What does it look like?
• What are the pros and
cons?

49. Online Platform in MA-PAC
• Privacy and Security
• Technological challenges/fears
– Level of comfort with technology
– Access to WIFI/Internet
– Language Barrier
• Initial expectations for new participants
– Face-to-face relationship building
– Use of video for reflection
• Subsequent expectations
– Sharing of video with coach monthly (or more)

50. It Can Be Done Well

51. Using Video: Best Practices
 Length – Not too short nor too long. Instructional videos that are less
than 2-3 minutes appear to provide insufficient info to enable viewers
to fully understand the objectives of a lesson while videos longer than
15 minutes tend to cause viewers to lose focus and interest (Hall and
Wright, 2007)
 Positioning – How videos are positioned in the context of ongoing PD
is important to the impact that they can have on educators and their
instructional practices. This is particularly important in relation to
experienced teachers who are far less receptive to videos that purport
to represent best practices than they are to videos that trigger
discussions about “how to improve” the instruction depicted in the
video (Fong and Woodruff, 2003)

Not all instructional videos are equally effective. Existing studies suggest
focusing on a number of critical variables when using video for PD:

52. Using Video: Best Practices (Con’t)
 Video source – The instructional context depicted in the video has an
important impact on how much interest teachers have in adopting practices
presented in the video. This suggests that videos produced by teachers and
shared with their peers are more likely to influence colleagues’ instructional
practices within a school or a district than more anonymous ‘best practice’
videos archived for mass viewing (Borko et al, 2007)
 Viewer support tools – People tend to have negative reactions to video
that is not professionally produced, so it is important to provide them with
support tools that help focus their attention on the important issues in the
videos they are watching. For this reason, it is likely that viewing rubrics
need to be part of the video watcher’s experience. These rubrics will support
a balanced feedback generation process that will help viewers generate the
kind of constructive peer-to-peer feedback or coach-driven feedback that
teachers will be able to use to improve their instructional
practices.(Halverson, 2012)

53. What Does It Look Like?

54. Mini Demo

55. Evaluation
• What are we evaluating?
• Linda will discuss in more detail

56. Classroom
Quality
Improves
Job
Satisfaction
Improves
QRIS Ratings
Improve
Knowledge &
Skills Improve
PAC Outcomes

57. Types of Evaluation Questions
• Program Characteristics
– What are the characteristics of CTs, Mentees and Instructional Leaders
– What are the characteristics of the program
– What is the level of content and knowledge held by the CTs? By mentees?
• Coaching Activities and Resources
– What are the CTs primary activities? Secondary activities?
– To what extent is the CT using the PAC model: Timing? Activities? Schedule?
– What resources have been identified by and for the CT? What resources are
being used by the mentees? CTs?
• Program Outcomes
– What are the changes in content knowledge and skills in CTs? Mentees?
– What are the changes in quality in the Mentees’ classrooms?
– What are the levels of job satisfaction among CTs? Mentees?
– What changes in QRIS ratings

58. Data Collection Strategies
 Class Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
 Coaching Checklists
 CT & Mentee Knowledge and Skill Surveys
 Virtual Review of Coaching Sessions
 CT/Mentee Surveys
 Interviews and Focus Groups

59. A 360 Degree Teacher & Coach
Development Tool
• Remotely observe and
provide feedback to teachers
via recorded videos of their
classroom practice
• Randomly select defined set
of videos for CLASS pre, mid
and post assessments
• Deliver evaluation results to
teachers as a unified portfolio
along with evaluation scores
and video based evidence
• Correlate
coaching/feedback dosage
& coaching strategies with
evaluation results via
interactive coaching logs
• Provide details on
coaching/feedback
effectiveness for the
purpose of improving
coaching effectiveness

60. Linking The Evaluation Model With
Talent
• VIDEO
FEEDBACK
Talent
• CLASS
• COACHING
LOGS
• SURVEYS
PAC
Evaluation

61. Lessons Learned

62. Lessons Learned
Communication
Vendor coordination
Training
PLCs
Strong Orientation Package for all participants
Mentee Opportunities
Expectations