How academics can use coaching approaches to support students

The use of coaching approaches as a tool for offering support is not a new concept outside higher education, but as academics, we naturally gravitate towards roles such as mentor, instructor and adviser with our adult students in healthcare and medicine. While these have their place, coaching too can play a key part in an academic’s support of students. 

Taking its cue from sport, music and business, coaching assumes recipients are the experts and already have what is needed to achieve their potential. It gives students more agency. In short, it helps students find the way forward on their own. 

So, given that student success is key to any university strategy and vision, often with a focus on promoting their well-being, growth and development, should we be asking them (and ourselves) if our support approaches reflect our goals?

What is coaching?

Coaching is a non-judgemental, self-directed, student-led approach to growth and achievement. It can remove barriers such as unconscious bias, accessibility issues and lack of appropriate support mechanisms. Support through coaching strives to help the student to perform at their highest level, as Ben Lovell of University College London Hospitals has written. The approach aims to unlock their potential, with students identifying their own challenges and goals.

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Coaching can be formal or informal, often as a one-to-one partnership. Coaching conversations can be a one-off or take place over a set period, possibly in the context of supervision, tutorials or reflective discussions. While professional coaching is often undertaken with a set programme of meetings, coaching practices can be integrated with students’ schedules.

The coaching partnership supports critical thinking by questioning students and allowing them to assess their habits or behaviours; it identifies goals, possible solutions and ultimately actions. Students set their own action plan from the options they identify themselves. They gain ownership, choosing what solutions work for them. For academics, quite simply, the task is to pose open-ended questions, not solve problems.

Why should academics use a coaching approach?

The impact of using only standard approaches such as mentoring during university courses is that students are conditioned to rely on academics for solutions to their academic or personal challenges. However, research identified that a coaching approach developed individualised learning and promoted learning ownership with students. 

Workplace coaching pioneer Sir John Whitmore has suggested that coaching has the potential to maximise a student’s own performance and potential by using approaches to learn rather than teach. Thus, the desired outcome is for students to acquire the information rather than for the academic to share the information. Building a more independent learner who can think critically opens opportunity and removes other barriers to learning. 

How can academics start coaching students?

Small changes will help you begin. You don’t need to be a qualified or expert coach to use coaching techniques in conversations with students. Ask yourself: “Can the student work this out for themselves?” If the answer is yes, use coaching approaches to help them. Ask open-ended questions (how, what, where and what else). 

Practical aspects to consider include:

• Provide a safe space: Psychological safety allows students to express their thinking and talk freely. Academic coaches need to practise active listening, communicate expectations, set boundaries and remain non-judgemental. Students need to know that coaching questions posed to them are supportive, and neither threatening nor over-challenging; coaches should allow students to safely generate their own thinking. 
• Reflective practice: Reflect on your own practice. Consider your ability to pose questions to learners rather than instruct and to use questions and space to stimulate students’ own thinking and ideas. Using models such as David A. Kolb’s reflective cycle can build up your confidence in using coaching as a tool with students. Form peer-support groups with other academics or seek supervision sessions with a qualified coach. 
• Use adult learning theory: Think about how adult learning (andragogy) differs from how young people learn (pedagogy). Mature-age students can draw on a wealth of experiences and are independent and self-directed, which reflect the principles of coaching. So, approach coaching as a facilitator, not teacher, and let the students direct. 
• Build on your communication techniques and tools: Active listening means the student leads you and discussions are not based on the coach’s agenda or goal. Hold space for the student to think for themselves and be confident with silence. This is key to students’ self-solving.

Where coaching might not be suitable

Coaching won’t be the right approach for all students or situations, particularly if safeguarding, technical expertise or time constraints are factors. 

Coaching is not appropriate for dealing with mental health issues. Signpost additional support appropriately when students need it, and follow your institution’s safeguarding polices. 

While coaching techniques and questioning can support a student to identify a goal, such as improving their academic referencing technique, technical and specialised skills require direct answers and instruction, not coaching.

Time can be a consideration. Coaching approaches require academics to reflect and actively listen and make space for the student to consider all their options. Giving quick, decisive, directional instructions may be the only option in time-pressured instances.

Using coaching approaches as academics is proven to build student growth and maximise their potential. We do not need to be experts. Waiting until the perfect time or gaining more understanding only delays us starting the coaching journey. Let us start posing questions, not offering solutions, with our students. 

Helen Foster is a senior lecturer in lifelong learning in the School of Nursing, Midwifery, Allied and Public Health at Canterbury Christ Church University. She is also an EMCC-certified coach.

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