How Does Coaching Benefit College and University Students?
Posted on April 27, 2013 by Rosanne Kerr, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Coaching assists university students to be more positive, achieve their goals and reach their potential. Read on to see what the research says.
Is coaching an effective support for college and university students who are coping with ADHD or other disabilities? Researchers from the College of Education at Wayne State University concluded it was very beneficial, after conducting a two year study of 110 college students from across the United States.
Many college students with disabilities have had supports provided in the K to 12 school system: special education teachers who teach learning, study and organizational strategies; teachers and counselors who check in with students to help them meet deadlines for homework and assignments; technology supports to assist with learning and organization; and classroom teachers provide accommodations to support their unique learning challenges. School personnel are also the liaison with community organizations and mental health personnel, and refer students and families to available community supports.
Parents and family members also play a huge part in a student’s success in elementary and high school. Working with school personnel to help the student with ADHD or learning challenges stay organized, get assignments completed, and study for exams.
One way to provide a bridge from the school and home supports that have been provided in the past, to a college student’s new reality as an adult learner, is to provide a coach.
The transition to college life is very challenging for typical college students, but when you add the challenges associated with ADHD or other disabilities the transition can be even more difficult. Many students with or without learning challenges have found coaching to be very effective.
Coaching sets the student up for success. In the United States the Coaching profession is better-known, with many US universities and colleges providing coaching services on-site. In Quantifying the Effectiveness of Coaching for College Students with ADHD the researchers summarize that coaching for students with ADHD is an effective support to help college students be successful and reach their potential in a post-secondary setting.
What do coaches do? Coaches engage in weekly 30-minute phone calls during which coaches ask students about their academic goals, and their physical and emotional well-being. The focus of coaching is determined by the student; often areas of priority for coaching include: scheduling, goal setting, confidence building, focusing, prioritizing, persisting at tasks, and organization.
Coaches will also assist students in increasing their positive emotions and overall well-being, and decrease negative emotions such as stress. Helping students focus on maintaining a healthy balance between school, home, and work is essential for their success.
In addition to the weekly phone sessions, coaches communicate with students frequently via text, email or shorter phone calls. Students find these regular reminders about their goals and plans enable them to develop greater accountability, because coaches can track students’ progress with greater frequency and intervene quicker if students are off track.
It seems that Coaching provides a very good support for college students with disabilities, who are struggling with the demands of college or university. However, any college student, who is struggling would benefit from coaching. Coaching would be beneficial as a student transitions to college, throughout his or her college experience, and as they enter the next important life transition which is finding that first job out of college.
Reference:
Sharon Field, Ed.D., David Parker, Ph.D., Shlomo Sawilowsky, Ph. D., Laura Rolands, MA. “Quantifying the Effectiveness of Coaching for College Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder”. College of Education, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. August 31, 2010.
