The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teachers' perceptions of the role of instructional coaches in professional learning in a Georgia school district. Instructional coaches guided teachers to implement research-based classroom strategies and supported them with ongoing professional learning. Instructional delivery and student learning are at risk if teachers viewed instructional coaches and their role in professional learning in a negative light. Teachers indicated that the instructional coach played an important role in networking in professional learning sessions. Teachers also perceived instructional coaches have a positive effect for student achievement. The majority of teachers indicated that instructional coaches encourage collaboration with each other and provide informative professional learning sessions for the teachers. Teachers also felt that verbal communication in a tactful manner impacted their relationship with the instructional coach. If the teachers' perceptions were ignored, the instructional coaches might not have the opportunity to change or sustain their ongoing professional learning responsibilities.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teachers' perceptions of the role of instructional coaches in professional learning in a Georgia school district. Instructional coaches guided teachers to implement research-based classroom strategies and supported them with ongoing professional learning. Instructional delivery and student learning are at risk if teachers viewed instructional coaches and their role in professional learning in a negative light. Teachers indicated that the instructional coach played an important role in networking in professional learning sessions. Teachers also perceived instructional coaches have a positive effect for student achievement. The majority of teachers indicated that instructional coaches encourage collaboration with each other and provide informative professional learning sessions for the teachers. Teachers also felt that verbal communication in a tactful manner impacted their relationship with the instructional coach. If the teachers' perceptions were ignored, the instructional coaches might not have the opportunity to change or sustain their ongoing professional learning responsibilities.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Holt, Carol Rivers"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Education in Education Administration (Ed.D.)","degree_level":"Dissertation (restricted to Georgia Southern)","degree_discipline":"Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Barbara Mallory","Judith Repman","Repman, Judith"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:26:46Z","subjects":["ETD","School improvement","Professional learning","Professional development","Staff development","Instructional coach","Distributed leadership","Student achievement","Elementary school teaching","School management","Curriculum and Instruction","Education","Elementary Education and Teaching","Teacher Education and Professional Development"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/398","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Barbara Mallory","Judith Repman","Repman, Judith"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Holt, Carol Rivers"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-08-07T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation (restricted to Georgia Southern)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education in Education Administration (Ed.D.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ETD","School improvement","Professional learning","Professional development","Staff development","Instructional coach","Distributed leadership","Student achievement","Elementary school teaching","School management","Curriculum and Instruction","Education","Elementary Education and Teaching","Teacher Education and Professional Development"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/398"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teachers' perceptions of the role of instructional coaches in professional learning in a Georgia school district. Instructional coaches guided teachers to implement research-based classroom strategies and supported them with ongoing professional learning. Instructional delivery and student learning are at risk if teachers viewed instructional coaches and their role in professional learning in a negative light. Teachers indicated that the instructional coach played an important role in networking in professional learning sessions. Teachers also perceived instructional coaches have a positive effect for student achievement. The majority of teachers indicated that instructional coaches encourage collaboration with each other and provide informative professional learning sessions for the teachers. Teachers also felt that verbal communication in a tactful manner impacted their relationship with the instructional coach. If the teachers' perceptions were ignored, the instructional coaches might not have the opportunity to change or sustain their ongoing professional learning responsibilities.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Professional Learning: Teachers' Perceptions of the Role of Elementary Instructional Coaches in one Georgia School"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Barbara Mallory","Judith Repman","Repman, Judith"],"dc:creator":["Holt, Carol Rivers"],"dc:date.available":["2013-08-07T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine teachers' perceptions of the role of instructional coaches in professional learning in a Georgia school district. Instructional coaches guided teachers to implement research-based classroom strategies and supported them with ongoing professional learning. Instructional delivery and student learning are at risk if teachers viewed instructional coaches and their role in professional learning in a negative light. Teachers indicated that the instructional coach played an important role in networking in professional learning sessions. Teachers also perceived instructional coaches have a positive effect for student achievement. The majority of teachers indicated that instructional coaches encourage collaboration with each other and provide informative professional learning sessions for the teachers. Teachers also felt that verbal communication in a tactful manner impacted their relationship with the instructional coach. If the teachers' perceptions were ignored, the instructional coaches might not have the opportunity to change or sustain their ongoing professional learning responsibilities.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/398"],"dc:subject":["ETD","School improvement","Professional learning","Professional development","Staff development","Instructional coach","Distributed leadership","Student achievement","Elementary school teaching","School management","Curriculum and Instruction","Education","Elementary Education and Teaching","Teacher Education and Professional Development"],"dc:title":["Professional Learning: Teachers' Perceptions of the Role of Elementary Instructional Coaches in one Georgia School"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation (restricted to Georgia Southern)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education in Education Administration (Ed.D.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:26:46Z"}