Educational coaching: a look at teaching work from the UAEMEX

Abstract

Coaching has become relevant, reaching other places such as educational institutions (Ramos et al., 2019; Ávila et al., 2020). This methodology seeks to improve academic performance, motivation, teaching-learning processes, and critical thinking in the student body (Álvarez et al., 2018; Domínguez et al., 2018; Bernández y Belmonte, 2020; Bécart, 2016; Valero, 2019; Flores, 2021; Bécart y Ramírez, 2016). This paper presents the findings of a study in which a questionnaire was applied to an incidental and non-probabilistic sample of 156 students, from three undergraduate degrees from the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMéx). The opinions of the students about the skills of their teachers were explored, to identify those functions registered in the perspective of the teacher-coach and those that remain within the traditional model. The results indicate that although self-learning, improvement of academic performance, feedback and assertive communication are practices that teachers implement, they coexist with guidelines and practices of the traditional model. The students perceive low frequency in motivation; self-knowledge; the promotion of creativity and guidance to improve their future professional life. Reflections are included about the benefits that the incorporation of skills from coaching can have for teaching, both to improve classroom performance and to promote autonomous processes, self-knowledge, decision-making and execution of action plans in the student body.