Chapter 10: Continuous Quality Improvement 265difficult scientific issues concerning demand effects, placebo effects
and just plain wishful thinking. Coaching...is especially vulnerable
to these problems because of the commercial and money-making
possibilities it presents” (2007, p. 242).
It is also important to acknowledge that the success of coaching
for ultimate outcomes, such as increasing children’s safety, may not
surface for years, and while it will not help everyone; it can have a
significant impact in helping enough people to make a difference in
the life of another.
Essential aspects of an evaluation
Five characteristics of professional development are critical to
examine when increasing practitioner knowledge and skills and
improving practice (Desimone, 2009): (a) content focus, (b) active
learning, (c) coherence, (d) duration, and (e) collective participation.
It is also important to assess the “coachability” of the learner,
which begins with an awareness of where he or she is at the
beginning of the coaching process. The learner’s perception of the
value of the process and perceived outcomes of the coaching, the
level of the learner’s fear, and the strength of competing
commitments provide this context.
Designing an Evaluation
The following are some helpful questions to consider when
designing an evaluation: