Learn about our Research Connections project.
Of the elements in a strong professional development system, one promising approach is coaching, which typically involves on-site, ongoing individualized expert technical assistance. Literature reviews on the sizable body of research on early childhood coaching conducted by Mathematica and Child Trends, both published in 2011, show it can have positive outcomes for teachers and children. Because in-person professional development approaches such as coaching can be costly and logistically complicated to deliver, interest is growing in the use of technology to deliver off-site support. A recent project funded by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) examined the role of technology in early childhood practice. The final report provides in-depth descriptions of evidence-based professional development approaches that incorporate technology to support off-site delivery, including two coaching programs: Classroom Links to Early Literacy and My Teaching Partner. This Topic of Interest expands on the OPRE project by identifying research in the Research Connections collection on additional approaches to using technology for off-site delivery of coaching in early childhood center-based settings. (author abstract)