Date of Award

Fall 2025

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Studies

First Advisor

Kristin Harbour

Abstract

This convergent parallel mixed-methods action research study explored the application of Cognitive Coaching as a student-centered intervention to promote agency and academic achievement in a ninth-grade Algebra 1 classroom. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory and informed by self-regulated learning and agentic engagement frameworks, the study investigated how structured coaching conversations supported students’ intentionality, forethought, self-reactiveness, and self-reflectiveness.

Findings indicate that students who engaged in coaching demonstrated measurable growth in self-reported agency and thematic analysis of coaching transcripts revealed shifts from passive compliance to proactive engagement. While achievement results on the Algebra 1 end of course assessment did not reveal statistically significant differences between coached and non-coached students, qualitative evidence pointed to practical significance with dispositional changes that meaningfully influenced students’ confidence, persistence, and reflective problem-solving behaviors.

The study contributes to the limited research on student-focused Cognitive Coaching in mathematics classrooms and underscores the value of reflective dialogue in fostering student autonomy, motivation, and perseverance. Recommendations for future research include extended longitudinal studies with larger samples to further explore the relationship between agency and sustained academic achievement.

Rights

© 2025, Terri Renee Rathburn

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