The "Examining Mathematics Coaching" Project
Examining Mathematics Coaching (EMC) is a five-year research study investigating the types and depths of knowledge needed by effective instructional coaches in K-8 mathematics classrooms. This partnership-driven project, with funding by The National Science Foundation, includes principal researchers at Montana State University at Bozeman, in association with researchers at RMC Research Corporation in Denver.
As educators in the United States strive to improve K-8 mathematics and science education, one new strategy taken by many school systems is the use of instructional coaching. Although these school systems have made considerable investments in coaching programs, very little research exists to define what makes a coach effective. What must a coach know about mathematical content, and how to coach teachers, to be an effective coach? The EMC project will conduct groundbreaking research on knowledge that contributes to successful coaching in these two domains: Coaching Knowledge and Mathematics Content Knowledge. In addition, the research will examine impacts on teachers’ knowledge, attitudes and classroom practice based on their coaches’ knowledge of coaching and mathematics content. The study will enhance the knowledge and understanding of mathematics coaching as it contributes to developing teacher quality, resulting in enhanced student learning in mathematics.
The project is a National Science Foundation grant recipient under the NSF Discovery Research K-12 program, Award No. 0918326.
The project is officially underway, with recruitment of coaches and enrollment of teachers now complete. In addition, coaching sessions, online assessments and classroom observations are all underway. For more information on current project activity, please follow the "Participants" link to the left.
For additional background information about the project, please see these Common Questions about the EMC Project.