Although it is a common practice in ESL for teachers to video-record their teaching and get feedback from teacher-trainers, video coaching, which is done between peers, is proposed to be equally valuable in the process of professional development. This study aims to investigate the impact of video coaching on teachers’ professional development. It also analyzes whether teachers find video coaching more applicable as it not only creates less anxiety for the observee but also requires less time to complete.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Looking for inventive methods that maintain ongoing professional development for teachers, Day and Shapson (1996) claimed that “becoming a highly effective teacher is not a result of one-time investment, but rather an ever evolving process” (p. 122). In this respect, it is not surprising to see that peer coaching has recently gained importance in many educational institutions and has been accepted as “one key approach to professional development” (Belisle, 1999). The three key terms that could be related to peer coaching are self-directed learning, sustained development of expertise, and collaborative professionalism.

Bailey, Curtis, and Nunan (2001) suggested that all teachers should keep a journal of their own teaching; however, they underlined the difficulty of recording everything if several hours of teaching are concerned. In such cases they proposed focusing on some particular aspects of teaching experience that would be of interest. Video coaching provides teachers with more than that because it gives them a chance not only to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their own teaching but also to check improvements in their areas of concern. Teachers who are planning to start video coaching are also advised about the effective use of camera in their classrooms (Bailey, Curtis, & Nunan, 2001). Tanner (2007) summarized the steps followed in peer coaching supported by video as follows:

• The teacher should watch his or her recorded lesson alone to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the lesson.
• Then, the teacher should decide about the chunk(s) of the video he or she wants to get feedback on, bearing in mind his or her concern. It is important that not the whole video but the chunk(s) chosen by the teacher will be shared with his or her coach.
• After they watch a chunk together, the coach gives feedback on it to the teacher.

Bailey, Curtis, and Nunan (2001) pointed out that depending on the requirement of institution or the desire of the observee, a reflective critical analysis paper could be written.

O’Rorke (1997) listed some of the advantages of video coaching:

• Often provides a certain level of shock: Sometimes what one is actually doing in class is different from what one thought one was doing. Such a situation could create a certain level of shock in a teacher.
• Adds a significant measure of objectivity to the evaluation of one’s own teaching:The importance of keeping a journal of one’s own teaching has already been mentioned. Supporting that quiet investigation using the visual recordings of the experience and feedback session held with a peer can add significant objectivity to the evaluation of one’s own performance.
• Helps teachers more fully evolve their reflective capabilities: This kind of study could suggest directions for action research that a teacher might not have thought of beforehand.
• Provides something concrete to refer to
• Not as nerve-wracking and soul-destroying as live lesson observation
• Less time-consuming: Because the recording is made during any class time and the feedback session is held by looking at only certain part(s) of the video at any suitable time for the participants, time is far from being an issue.
• Effective debriefing: The dialogue that takes place in the debriefing has real focus and allows for more detailed analysis.
• More natural and honest dialogue: The dialogue between the teacher and coach is more natural and honest because there is less visitor effect and there is no need to perform.

To make the system work properly, Belisle (1999) offered several suggestions:

• Teachers should choose to participate. They should also be allowed to choose their coaches and the focus of their collegial interaction.
• Coaches should commit to a weekly observation and a weekly discussion time. Therefore, institutions should be ready to provide this time by reducing their workload (i.e., reduction in teaching time).
• Teachers should record more than one class and choose examples to analyze. There should always be room for trial and error. A lot of recording also provides the possibility for comparison and seeing the improvements in the instructor’s teaching effectiveness.

DATA COLLECTION

Data Collection Instruments and Procedure

This study was carried out at Sabanci University and was based on our video-coaching experiences (we are two EFL teachers who have been in this profession for more than 20 years each.). In the first phase, we both video-recorded several of our lessons in our language classrooms during the semester. In the second phase, we watched our own recording and identified areas that needed reconsideration. In the third phase, only the chosen parts of the recordings were shared with a coach with the aim of getting feedback from a colleague who had similar teaching experience. In each case, each of us sat with our respective coach watched the chunks of the recorded lessons. The third phase was also recorded so that it could be used to evaluate data.

Data Analysis

Data analysis is known to be a process that requires systematic inquiry. As Bogdan and Biklen (1998, p. 157) suggested, these steps were followed in the data analysis:

• Working with data
• Organizing the data
• Breaking them into the manageable units
• Synthesizing them
• Searching for patterns
• Discovering what is important and what is to be learned
• Deciding what to tell others

Having watched the chunks of recorded lessons with our coaches and recording the comments, we gathered data from several hours’ worth of video to collate. We then reduced it according to the following themes and tried to give answers to these questions:

1. Does video coaching lower observation anxiety?

2. Is video coaching less time-consuming than live class observations?

3. Is video coaching a better and more objective method of identifying one’s weaknesses and strengths?

4. Does it help professional development?

After identifying the above themes, we synthesized data into an explanatory framework.

LIMITATIONS TO THE STUDY

The sample of this study was limited to our video lessons. Our experience and the experience of our coaches who gave feedback on the chosen parts of the recorded documents form the basis of this research paper. In addition to this, in many cases, colleagues who were not involved in the process were debriefed about the subject and their feedback was recorded. However, the results would be better validated if more teachers practiced video coaching at Sabanci University. The numbers are possibly too small to reach a conclusion. Still, results can be used to gain greater perspective and insight from a specific sample.

RESULTS

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of video coaching, as an alternative live classroom observation, on the professional development of teachers. A qualitative case study method was used to find answers to the research question. Data collection was held in three phases: in phase 1, data was collected from our video-recorded lessons; in phase 2, recorded data were analyzed to identify strengths and weaknesses in the recorded lessons; in phase 3, chunks chosen by us were watched with the coaches.

Data gained from the feedback led us to draw the following conclusions about video coaching:

Lower level of anxiety: Teachers like the idea of recording as many lessons as they like and choosing the chunks they want to get feedback on. In addition, teachers are given the freedom to choose their coach. As a result, teachers become responsible for their own professional development and this not only lowers anxiety but also increases their enthusiasm to get feedback on their teaching.

Less time to spend: Instead of watching the whole lesson and writing feedback on it, the coach watches certain parts of a recorded document and gives feedback only on the mentioned concern. It is definitely less time-consuming and less stressful for both of the participants.

More objective method of identifying one’s strengths and weaknesses: Visuals are more effective, clearer, and less open to question than are words. This method is especially beneficial in identifying repeated behavior.

Enhance continuous professional development: It helps teachers to be more aware of their own teaching. Being aware of their own capabilities, they think of carrying out action research that they have not thought of before.

The data collected by the researchers on video coaching proved to be beneficial in terms of freeing the teachers from observation anxiety and giving them control of their own professional development.

REFERENCES

Bailey, K., Curtis, A., & Nunan, D. (2001). Pursuing professional development: The self as source. Boston, MA: Heinle.

Belisle, T. (1999). Peer coaching: Partnership for professional practitioners. The ACIE Newsletter, 2(3).

Bogdan, R. C., & Biklen, S. K. (1998). Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theory and methods. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Day, E. M., & Shapson, S. (1996). Studies in immersion education. Philadelphia, PA: Multilingual Matters, Ltd.

O’Rorke, L. (1997). Using video to assess classroom competence.Elted, 3(1), 36-44.

Tanner, R. (19-21 April, 2007). The power of seeing using video coaching with… Paper presented at the 41st IATEFL Annual Conference, Aberdeen, Scotland.

Dr. Meral Guceri holds her PhD in educational administration. She is interested in EAP, educational administration, research, and teacher education. Dr. Guceri works as an instructor at Sabanci University, School of Languages in Istanbul, Turkey.

Naime Meltem Bizim holds her MSc in English literature. She is interested in EAP literature, research, and teacher-training. Ms Bizim is an instructor at Sabanci University, School of Languages in Istanbul, Turkey.