To address concerns about cost and effectiveness, Kraft and Harvard University education professor Heather C. Hill created and studied a virtual math-coaching program that could potentially be a cheaper way for districts to have dedicated math coaches. The program was based on a framework that was co-developed by researchers at Harvard and the American Institutes for Research. It centered on practices aligned to the Common Core State Standards, such as rich meaning-making and encouraging student questions.
On average, teachers in Kraft and Hill’s study participated in about 10 coaching cycles over the course of a school year. In each, they identified an instructional practice they wanted to work on, filmed a math lesson, and then received feedback remotely from a coach. The coach also helped them plan future instruction.