Coaching as Education Technology on Electrical

Engineering Education

Sushchenko Olena Anatoliivna
Tourism Department
Simon Kuznets Kharkiv
National University of
Economics
Kharkiv, Ukraine
helen.sushchenko@gmail.com
Trunina Iryna Mykhailivna
Tourism Department
Kremenchuk Mykhailo
Ostrohradskyi National
University
Kremenchuk, Ukraine
truninairina0@gmail.com
Basyuk Dariya Ivanivna Pokolodna Mariia Mykolayivna
Department of Tourism and Tourism and Hospitality
Hospitality Management Department
National University of Food O.M. Beketov National
Technologies University of Urban Economy
Kyiv, Ukraine Kharkiv, Ukraine
daruna.b@gmail.com mari.pokolodna@ukr.net

Abstract – The use of core principles and methods of

coaching as an education technology in higher education will
make it possible to create fundamentally new approaches to the
Electrical Engineers students training. The use of coaching in
higher education is especially important, since it allows to
maximize the inner potential of the individual, and to develop
competencies corresponding to the current requirements of the
global labor market. The basic purpose of the paper consists in
working out the theoretical and methodological principles of
coaching as education technology on electrical engineering
education. To achieve this purpose the methods of
monographic and structural-logical analysis were used.
Consequently the existing experience was generalized, the
educational coaching goals and objectives were determined, as
well as its main ideas, concepts, principles and regularities.
Moreover the scheme of educational coaching actors’
interaction was designed.
Keywords: electrical engineering education; coaching;
education technology; interaction.
I. INTRODUCTION
The role of a professor is constantly expanding,
complicated and diversified in the current higher education
in Ukraine. The professor who wants to be effective,
interesting, and helpful for students, performs multiple roles
and functions currently. Thus, in addition to be a specialist
in a particular area, he also organizes the educational
process, develops the content of training courses in
accordance with the required level of specific competencies
mastering, advises students, conducts research, acts as an
analyst, expert, takes an active civil position. To more
effectively achieve the teaching goals and to activate the
trainee process professor uses a wide range of pedagogical
techniques. One of the current pedagogical techniques is
coaching, which came to education from business relatively
recently.
“Engineers will address the complex societal challenges
of the 21st century by building a new generation of
machines, materials and systems. We should fundamentally
rethink how we educate engineers for this future,” says Ed
Crawley, the Ford Professor of Engineering in the
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics and faculty co-
director of the New Engineering Education Transformation
(NEET) initiative at MIT [1].
This realization is prompting us to rethink the
approaches the HEI’s use on electrical engineering
education process.
II. BRIEF LITERATURE REVIEW
Educational coaching has been the subject of research by
scientists relatively recently. The main problems of
educational coaching and its development are reflected in
papers by Goruk N.M. (2015) [2], Gulchevska V.G. (2012)
[3], Nejinska O.O (2015) [4], Protsenko O.S. (2013) [5],
Romanova S.M. (2010) [6], Rudnitskih O.V. (2014) [7],
Khmelnitska O.S. (2017) [8], Borova T. A. (2011) [9] etc.
The analysis of these scientists’ papers enabled coming to
the conclusion that the educational coaching is an effective
technology of students’ competences forming, it is
interactive technology, and the potential of its use in the
higher education is not fully disclosed.
Thus, the current definitions of educational coaching are:
a type of individual and personal support, and support in
education, in which the professor (coach, partner, facilitator)
does not give instructions, does not advise, does not solve
other people's problems [3];
tool to enhance collaboration and interaction
effectiveness in the education system as a whole, in all
directions [4];
relationship between a professor and students, when the
professor effectively organizes the process of students
finding the best answers to questions that interest [6];
technology that requires such professor relations with
students, when the professor’s task is to organize the process
of students' independent search for optimal solutions and
answers to their questions [8];
technology that is aimed at permanent professional
development of the subjects of the educational process
through education and training [9].
The analysis of these educational coaching definitions let
us to summarize that the main goal of educational coaching
is to change the traditional professor-student relationship
from a simple transfer of knowledge and the “Do as I Do”
model to the model, based on encouraging students to search
for the necessary independent solutions.
III. THE PURPOSE OF THE PAPER
This study aims to identify the theoretical and
methodological principles of coaching as education
technology on electrical engineering education and
determine its potential for students’ competences
development, and the educational process efficiency
increasing.

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 IV. RESULTS
Determination of the electrical engineering business
entity core fields of competence is the basis of generation of
its steady and unique competitive advantages in real
economy [10]. The global labor market requirements to
electrical engineering specialists and their professional
competencies necessitated the use of innovative technologies
in higher education. The coaching is one of such
technologies.
Recently, the term "coaching" and its principles are
increasingly used in educational sphere. It is surely migrates
from the business sphere to the higher educational
institutions programs. This is due, above all, higher
education attempt to respond flexibly to the needs of
business and the labor market, to form students' relevant
professional competences and to create a basis for the future
specialists’ personal development.
Currently Ukrainian engineering universities are
relatively rigid and unable to change and live up to modern
business requirements. It is necessary to eliminate the gap
between electrical engineering education and business
demands. Electrical engineering specialists must interact
with up-to-date complex goods market subjects. Thus,
students will need the specific competencies to successfully
enter job market and become part of company.
To prepare students for careers in modern business life it
is not enough to give them new knowledge in the form of
“recipes”; rather, they must be taught how to work on real
tasks in modern business and solve real-life problems [11].
As a mentor professor’s giving their technical knowledge
and council, but as a coach professor might ensure student’s
soft and leadership skills are high enough to work in a team.
The coaching is a technology let to solve the mentioned
problems, and to help students to create competences they
need for. With the benefit of dual education system (DES), it
is easy to apply coaching strategies in the HEI. DES is the
next step in the Ukrainian HEI’s development, taking the
best from classic mentorship and modern coaching. By
facing real-life tasks in the study process, electrical
engineering students using recently acquired skills, have an
access to the cutting-edge technologies and gaining
experience on the labor market. It benefits both students and
professors. Young graduates will enter labor market as
experienced workers while professors are aware of the
market’s demands.
Here lies the difference between professor as a coach and
as a mentor. While university education is about achieving
long-term goals, professor in DES should empathize with
student and push them to achieve short-term goals.
Professors are among the first ones in the student’s daily
life to give a good example of behavior on working place.
Thus, professor themselves should have proper level of soft
and business skills in addition to their scientific proficiency.
It is huge responsibility and we will research this area in our
next study. For now, our proposal is as follows: to increase
the interaction between professor and their students. In the
DES professor can interact with company HR department to
highlight strengths and weaknesses of every student.
427
As mentioned in [12], interpersonal communication skills
are one of the most important even in the engineering area.
Nowadays most of the engineering teams are quite diverse
and have people from different backgrounds, therefore
increasing the soft skills value. Indeed, to prepare student
and help him or her to choose the right hardware of software
engineering team is not enough.
In addition, the need for interaction is caused by the
following reasons [13]:
- the demand for specialists of different levels cannot be
determined without the participation of potential employers;
- the technical equipment of modern electrical
engineering enterprises requires the modernization of the
scientific and technical base of HEIs;
- the training of a modern electrical engineering specialist
is based on the constant adjustment of the educational
programs content, expanding the range of educational
activities.
Kremenchuk Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi National
University is one of the first Ukrainian HEI to implement
DES mentorship-coaching system. We’ll conduct further
research in the DES area and make a comparative study of
the classic educational system and the one being discussed.
Identification of trends in the use of coaching in the
electrical engineering students’ educational process and the
higher education system corresponding transformation
allows to develop a set of activities aimed at both the
formation of students' professional competencies, the
development of their potential and ensuring of effective
interaction between higher education and business. The
interaction of business and higher education, their integration
can significantly improve the efficiency of economic and
production activities of enterprises, especially the electrical
engineering ones. The economic benefit is in reducing the
cost of personnel training for electrical engineering
companies. In the production activity, the benefit is due to
the targeted training of specialists, from workers to
managers, in accordance with the directions of professional
activity.
Coaching has its own objectives, philosophy, principles,
directions and basic procedure. One of the main objectives of
coaching is to enhance the student’s awareness and
responsibility.
As main principles of coaching should be mentioned the
following:
- focus on strengths;
- focus on learning success, rather than an error;
- interaction between the coach and students based on
openness and trust;
- focus on future results;
- absence of value judgments and advice;
- self-esteem, i.e. all answers are inside the student;
- ease of the learning process and positive.
Coaching involves the interaction between professor and
 student on the basis of equal agreement. Such interaction
helps to unleash the potential of both students and
professors, to increase their motivation and efficiency.
Educational coaching has a three-pronged objective:
- disclosure of the internal potential of the student's
personality;
- personality development due to interest in education
and responsible attitude of all participants of coaching;
- achievement of a high level of responsibility and
awareness of available opportunities for achieving the
coaching participants goals, maximum involvement in the
educational process, which ultimately increases the
efficiency of mastering general cultural and professional
competencies.
In educational coaching professor stimulates creativity
decisions and supports the aspiration of students to achieve
goals and make changes in their lives.
Fig. 1 Scheme of interaction in educational coaching
Coaching as an education technology can be used
successfully in the teaching of various disciplines, and also
offers many prospects for improving the learning process. As a
learning style, coaching can be used in any form of the
educational process: during seminars, colloquiums, research,
coursework etc. New activity should be a special additional
training of teachers, changing and adapting curriculum during
coaching technology that will enhance audience engagement in
the process of identifying their real needs. The introduction of
coaching in some programs for the HEI’s teachers training
will help to increase the efficiency of educational activities of
universities. Today it is one of the most important directions,
along with the application of new information and
communication technologies in education.
The International Coach Federation (ICF) has developed
428
The coach-educator creates the necessary atmosphere of
mutual understanding and trust, openness to new ideas,
identifies alternative ways, encourages students to create and
implements independent decisions, ideas and projects.
The effectiveness of coaching tools in education depends
on the students’ preparedness level:
- awareness of the need for change;
- readiness for action;
- changes in perceptions of situations and criticism;
- awareness of your own responsibility for the learning
outcomes.
Another important condition for effective educational
coaching is established partnership between coach and
students that are built on trust, respect and mutual
understanding.
Authoring scheme of cooperation in educational coaching
is shown in Fig. 1.
a.
Source: made by the authors
eleven key competences of the coach. These competencies
have been identified to provide a better understanding of the
principles and methods of modern coaching. They are also the
basis for determining the level of coaching compliance with the
curriculum. The key competences of coaches are grouped into
4 main blocks according to the principle of matching the
approaches of each individual competence in the block. Each
competence has equal value and significance. All eleven
competencies are key and must be manifested in the work of
each competent coach [14]:
A. Setting the Foundation
1. Meeting Ethical Guidelines and Professional Standards
2. Establishing the Coaching Agreement
 B. Co-creating the Relationship
3. Establishing Trust and Intimacy with the Client
4. Coaching Presence
C. Communicating Effectively
5. Active Listening
6. Powerful Questioning
7. Direct Communication
D. Facilitating Learning and Results
8. Creating Awareness
9. Designing Actions
10. Planning and Goal Setting
11. Managing Progress and Accountability.
It should be noted that with regard to higher education,
these competencies should also be representative and for the
teacher. The exception to this list for a HEI’s professor is only
the need to conclude a coaching agreement, as it’s indicated in
block A. While this exception is rather formal, because the
establishment of a learning agreement between student and
university and the conclusion of the contract between professor
and university can, in this case, be considered as a substitute
for the coaching agreement.
There are some problematic aspects that may arise in the
learning process while using coaching as educational
technology in higher education to prepare electrical
engineering students. One of the problems is that curricula are
still based on outdated ideas about work and career. At the
same time, a significant part of Ukrainian HEI’s teachers have
no experience in business. Therefore, it is necessary to use a
structured approach to the use of coaching in the educational
process, which will expand the opportunities for both teachers
and students. Also necessary is the online technologies
introduction in the curriculum to form connections and ensure
cooperation coach, students, as well as specialists from the
sphere of real business.
It should be noted that the curriculum and educational
content of the courses are fairly static. Although educational
content is subject to annual renewal, but, as a rule, it doesn’t
take into account differences in the students groups, their
specifics and personal needs. Therefore, it is important to
determine the possibilities of applying an individual approach,
focus on a specific target audience and ensuring mutual
development.
Coaching can be used not only as a teaching style, but as a
way of interaction with colleagues, students and students. This
approach allows a new look at the essence of the process and
opens up new opportunities for the development of teachers
emotional intelligence. Effective coaching leads the teacher to
the goal, rewarding and fun, which will benefit all the
educational process participants.
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V. CONCLUSIONS
There coaching strategies have many views and
approaches, but their techniques and tools are universal.
Consequently the existing experience was generalized, the
educational coaching goals and objectives were determined, as
well as its main ideas, concepts, principles and regularities.
Overall coaching is to help in revealing the inner potential of
the individual. The use of coaching in higher education is
particularly important. Using coaching as an educational
technology in the electrical engineering students’ education
process, building effective and mutually beneficial
cooperation between universities, students and the business
community will enable forming the directions of their
competitiveness ensuring and enhancing.
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