Teachers’ Perceptions of Video-based Peer Coaching as a Mechanism for Professional Development Within Secondary Education

Barker, Nicholas (2025) Teachers’ Perceptions of Video-based Peer Coaching as a Mechanism for Professional Development Within Secondary Education. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Education relies on the development and maintenance of teacher skills and classroom practice to develop student learning. Professional development is utilised within many UK schools and aims to develop learning within classrooms through the development of teachers’ pedagogical skills. However, significant challenges are found within current professional development cycles, such as the considerable time investment required for implementation and the common reluctance of teachers to engage with traditional professional development practices. This study investigates teachers’ perception of a peer coaching programme as a mechanism for professional development.

The coaching programme utilised a qualitative case study design to investigate the efficacy of peer coaching, incorporating video analysis to enhance reflective practices and professional development among teachers. Participants were placed into coaching partnerships (“Dyads”) and engaged in lesson observations and coaching sessions/conversations, which formed part of the peer coaching programme used in this thesis. The peer coaching programme employed Korthagen’s “Onion” Model of Reflective Practice (2017), involving layers of reflection to allow for deeper self-reflection of past experiences. Coaching sessions between the coaching dyads were used to foster a holistic approach to teacher development, utilising pre-existing expertise, emphasising trust, communication, and the integration of theory and practice. Data collection was completed across one academic year through semi-structured interviews with teachers pre-, during and post-peer coaching programme. The findings suggest that peer coaching can foster robust trust and communication among coaching partnerships, areas where traditional professional development methods often have been seen to fall short. Moreover, the video recordings were seen to facilitate a more precise examination of instructional practices, alleviating privacy concerns and encouraging open discussion among teachers. The results found that the coaching model could provide a reflective framework for professional development and illustrated four key themes: self-realisation and deeper thinking, questioning and challenging practice, sharing effective practices, and collaborative sense-making. Despite the increasing interest in peer coaching as a professional development intervention, the study emphasises the necessity for further research to optimise its effectiveness. Critical factors identified for successful peer coaching include the establishment of trust, effective communication, and reflective discourse, with video analysis serving as a vital tool to enhance the clarity of real-world teaching practices.

Key Words: Peer Coaching, Teacher Professional Development, Reflective Practice, Video Analysis, Collaborative Learning, Trust-Building, Pedagogical Discussion, Continuous Professional Development (CPD)

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	11 Feb 2026 12:02
Last Modified:	11 Feb 2026 12:02
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/101913
DOI:

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