Utah's Digital Dive: Outcomes of Digital Learning Support in Utah

Framework

The Impact Cycle (Jim Knight)
Triple E Framework

Methods

Study Design and Timeline:

Researchers will use a treatment-only, mixed-methods design to answer research questions related to DTL coach implementation and outcomes. These initial insights will provide information that could guide future rapid-cycle evaluations examining: (a) relationships between different coach engagement characteristics and outcomes and (b) the impact of DTL coaches in Utah.

In April 2025, researchers sent a short survey to coaches to better understand the nature of coach engagement with districts during the 2024-2025 school year. Researchers then reviewed survey results with coaches at a May 2025 virtual community of practice meeting, identifying initial patterns of coach engagement from the results, and soliciting feedback from coaches about these engagement patterns and impacts on technology implementation in virtual breakout sessions.

In the fall of 2025, coaches throughout the state that opt in to this research will send research questions to teachers they have worked with. The teacher survey will take no longer than 10 minutes to complete with targeted questions about patterns and frequency of DTL coach engagement, teacher technology implementation, and self-efficacy in fall 2025. Researchers will then summarize final study results in rapid-cycle evaluations.

Measures:

DTL Coach Engagement. Researchers will examine DTL engagement with coaches through a spring 2025 survey and virtual conversations with DTL coaches.

DTL Teacher Survey. Researchers will examine DTL technology implementation through a short, 10-minute survey administered to teachers in late October 2025.

LearnPlatform’s Research team will summarize coach survey results using descriptive statistics and thematic analyses in a Research Brief (June 2025). Additionally, our research team will conduct descriptive statistics and partial correlations between teacher perceptions of DTL coach engagement and teacher technology implementation and self-efficacy using LearnPlatform’s RCE engine (anticipated November 2025.)

Results

Our data is not yet finalized but will be at the time of the conference. We expect to see a strong correlation between the frequency of DTL coach engagement and pedagogically sound educational technology implementation. We also expect to find positive perceptions of coaching and increased teacher efficacy.

Importance

This research will share findings and inform decisions related to the value and funding of Technology Coaching programs with Educational Leaders and Government Legislatures. Leaders of coaching efforts in LEAs will see an example of research to evaluate and improve technology coaching efficacy that can be replicated.

References

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Darling-Hammond, L., Zielezinski, M., & Goldman, S. (2014). Using technology to support at-risk students’ learning.

Ehsanipour, T., & Gomez Zaccarelli, F. (2017). Exploring coaching for powerful technology use in education. Digital Promise. https://doi.org/10.51388/20.500.12265/47

Ertmer, P. (1999). Addressing first- and second order barriers to change: Strategies for technology integration. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(4), 47–61. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02299597

Ertmer, P. A., Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. T., Sadik, O., Sendurur, E., & Sendurur, P. (2012). Teacher beliefs and technology integration practices: A critical relationship. Computers & Education, 59(2), 423–435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.02.001

Jensen, M. & Graham, C.R. (2023). Coaching to Support Blended Teaching: A Phenomenological Study of the Coaching Experiences of Emerging K-12 Blended Teachers. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 31(1), 35-66. Waynesville, NC USA: Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education.

Knight, J. (2018). The Impact Cycle: What instructional coaches should do to foster powerful improvements in teaching (1st ed.). Corwin.