Over 20 Years of Research
For more than two decades, Jim Knight and his colleagues at The University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning and the Instructional Coaching Group have been studying instructional coaching, communication, and other forms of professional development. “In the early years, our work was about finding our way, finding names for what we did, grabbing what data we could to support what we were doing, and trying to get better at coaching every day. Over time, our instructional coaching model and our methodologies have improved.”
This page has been created to tell the story of instructional coaching through the research we have conducted.


Why teacher autonomy is central to coaching success

Instructional coaching for implementing Visible Learning: A model for translating research into practice

Escape from the zero-learning zone

Evaluation of video-based instructional coaching for middle school teachers: Evidence from a multiple-baseline study.
The Educational Forum. 76(1), 50-51.
Knight, D. S., Hock, M., Skrtic, T., Bradley, B., & Knight, J. (2018)

A coaching model for classroom management

Involving teachers in school-wide behavior policy

Coaching in education
The professional coaches’ desk reference. P. Brownell, S. English, & J. Manzi-Sabatine (Eds.). New York, NY: Springer.
van Nieuwerburgh, C., Knight, J., & Campbell, J. (2018).
Available Soon

The impact cycle: What instructional coaches should do to foster powerful improvements in teaching
Knight, J. (2017). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Designing instructional coaching
Instructional-design theories and models: A learner-centered paradigm of education, volume IV (pp. 269-286). C. M. Reigeluth, B. J. Beatty, & R. D. Myers (Eds.), New York, NY: Routledge.
Knight, D. S., Hock, M., & Knight, J. (2016).

Better conversations: Coaching ourselves to be more credible, caring, and connected
Knight, J. (2016). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Three steps to great coaching: A simple but powerful instructional coaching cycle nets results

Teach to win: Seven success factors for instructional coaching programs

Lesson in progress
Coaching at Work, 10(3), 35-37.
van Nieuwerburgh, C., Campbell, J., & Knight, J. (2015).

What you learn when you see yourself teach

Focus on teaching: Using video for high-impact instruction
Knight, J. (2014). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Improving instructional coaching to support middle school teachers in the United States
Educational design research – Part B: Introduction and illustrative cases (pp. 299-318). T. Plomp & N. Nievee (Eds.), Enschede, The Netherlands: SLO.
Bradley, B. A., Harvey, S., Knight, J., Hock, M., Skrtic, T. M., Deshler, D., Knight, D. S., & Brasseur-Hock, I. (2013).
Available Soon

High-impact instruction: A framework for great teaching
Knight, J. (2013). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Instructional coaching: A focus on practice
Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, 5(2), 100-112.
Knight, J., & van Nieuwerburgh, C. (2012).

Record, replay, reflect: Videotaped lessons accelerate learning for teachers and coaches
Journal of Staff Development, 33(2), 18-23.
Knight, J., Bradley, B. A., Hock, M., Skrtic, T. A., Knight, D., Brasseur-Hock, I., … Hatton, C. (2012).

Unmistakable impact: A partnership approach for dramatically improving instruction

Technology, coaching, and community: Power partners for improved professional development
Paper presented at the annual conference and expo of the International Society for Technology in Education, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Beglau, M., Hare, J.C., Foltos, L., Gann, K., James, J., Jobe, H., Knight, J., Smith, B. (2011).

Coaches as system leaders

What good coaches do

Understanding attributes of effective coaches
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Denver, Colorado.
Knight, J., Cornett, J., Skrtic, T., Kennedy, M., Novosel, L., & Mitchell, B. (2010, April).
Available Soon

What can we do about teacher resistance?

Studying the impact of instructional coaching
Presentation at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, California.
Cornett, J., & Knight, J. (2009).

Coaching: Approaches and perspectives

Research on coaching: An overview of the literature
In Knight, J. (2008). Coaching: Approaches and perspectives. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Cornett, J., & Knight, J. (2008).

Five key points to building a coaching program

Coaching classroom management
Sprick, R., Knight, J., Reinke, W., & McKale, T. (2006). Eugene, OR: Pacific Northwest Publishing.

Instructional coaching: Eight factors for realizing better classroom teaching

A primer on instructional coaches

Instructional coaches make progress through partnership: Intensive support can improve teaching

Michael Fullan: An interview
Stratenotes, 12(3).
Knight, J. (2003).
Available Soon

Crossing boundaries: What constructivists can teach intensive-explicit instructors and vice versa

Another damn thing we’ve got to do: Teacher perceptions of professional development
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Knight, J. (2000).

Partnership learning: Putting conversation at the heart of professional development
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, California.
Knight, J. (1999).
Partnership learning: Putting conversation at the heart of professional development
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montréal, Quebec.
Knight, J. (1999).
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Do schools have learning disabilities?
Learning consulting: Translating research into practice
Stratenotes. 7(1) 1-3.
Knight, J. (1998).
This paper, published in our University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning publication Stratenotes, offers some very preliminary thoughts about the instructional coach as a translator of research. It explores the questions: What is a translator? And, if “learning consultants” translate research into practice, what does that mean for what they do? This is the first document I published, my early notes on what coaching is and what coaches could do.
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