Abstract:

Since 2008 OBC College of Engineering has been implementing a Personal-Academic Coaching Program for promoting students’ learning skills, self-efficacy and academic achievements, and on the college level - decreasing learning failures and dropping out in the first academic year.

The program is based on a unique personal -academic coaching model developed by Kedem (2006) -"The Six Stages Model". The model offers a systematic methodology and a unique "tool box" leading to promote change, ultimate use of potential and success in reaching desired life goals.
The coaching process is accompanied by a longitudinal research.

Aims:
To examine coaching program’s contribution to students' learning.

Methodology:
The research methodology is Mixed-Methods (Creswel, 2013) - quantitative and qualitative methods. Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were administered to 30 students and 16 lecturers who are the coachers in this program.

Findings:
The research findings point to improvements in the students’ sense of self-efficacy and achievements, acquiring tools for managing academic studies and taking responsibility for their learning process.
The uniqueness and success of the coaching program in the college is based on the interaction between three factors: the students, the coaches- college lecturers who got special training, and the Center for Teaching and Learning. It seems that the coaching process has great potential for the success of all its participants
In my presentation I shall discuss the theoretical rational of the program, its implementation in the college and the main findings of the research from the students and the lecturers-coaches point of view.

Keywords:

Personal Academic Coaching Program, “The Six Stages Model”, self-efficacy, learning skills.