A Decade of Partnership: How USC Rossier Uses Video Coaching to Transform Teacher Preparation

Some partnerships endure because they deliver real results. Our collaboration with the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education is one such example, and we’re proud to say it continues to grow stronger.

For the past ten years, teacher candidates in USC Rossier’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program have used Edthena’s VC3 video coaching platform to strengthen their instructional practices. Thanks to an extension of this partnership, educators will benefit from this proven model for teacher preparation and professional learning for years to come.

“At USC Rossier, we’re committed to equipping our teacher candidates with the tools they need to thrive and create positive learning environments,” said Pedro Noguera, Dean of the Rossier School of Education. “Our partnership with Edthena is vital to that mission, offering real-time, actionable feedback that drives professional growth.”

How VC3 enhances teacher development at USC Rossier

Teacher preparation programs can often struggle to provide consistent coaching when students are placed in various locations. Maintaining in-person observations can be challenging and time-consuming. As a result, some teacher candidates don’t get the feedback they need.

To solve this challenge, USC Rossier’s MAT program uses Edthena’s VC3 video coaching platform to make coaching more accessible, no matter where student teachers are placed.

With VC3, teacher candidates quickly and easily upload videos of their classroom instruction. They then share those videos with peers and coaches, and receive timestamped comments categorized as questions, suggestions, strengths, and notes.

Instead of traveling between multiple school sites, faculty members can log into the platform, review lesson videos, and support multiple candidates all in one place. The best part? They can do it in less time than it takes to commute to one in-person observation.

“Regardless of where our candidates are placed during student teaching, Edthena’s VC3 platform gives us a window into their classrooms. It allows us to observe their interactions with students, deliver precise feedback, and complete remote observations,” explains Frederick Freking, MAT program chair and professor of clinical education at USC Rossier.

This streamlined process saves time and makes it easier to provide consistent, personalized support to teacher candidates, all without adding more supervisors.

How USC Rossier’s teacher candidates use VC3

VC3 gives USC Rossier’s future teachers the tools to reflect on their teaching and keep improving. In the MAT program, candidates use it to:

• Record and share video lessons with peers and colleagues
• Self-reflect using videos of their lessons
• Receive clear, specific input from mentors and peers
• Submit video clips as part of their licensure requirements

VC3 helps candidates build a regular practice of self-reflection and coaching, which results in greater self-awareness and improved instructional practices.

Driving program-level excellence through data

The benefits of video coaching don’t stop at the individual level. USC Rossier also uses VC3 to collect data that helps improve the program as a whole.

“The platform is versatile and adapts to our needs for collecting critical program data,” says Sally Chuang, key assessment and teacher performance assessment coordinator. “We’ve designed key assessments as Explorations (customizable learning experiences in VC3) and use the data to inform program improvement efforts.”

This helps the MAT program track trends, adjust the curriculum, and make sure it’s meeting the needs of both teacher candidates and the communities they’ll serve.

A shared commitment to great teaching

What makes this partnership work? A shared belief in the power of reflection, feedback, and ongoing learning. USC Rossier and Edthena both understand that good teaching isn’t something that’s mastered overnight; it’s something that requires continual effort, feedback, and support.

That shared vision is why this collaboration goes beyond a typical vendor relationship. It’s a true partnership built on shared goals for better teacher preparation.

“The platform’s flexibility, ease of use, and robust features streamline the coaching process and help us to better support and develop our candidates,” Frederick said. “It continues to be the most effective video coaching solution for our program.”

Interested in bringing video coaching to your program?

We’re here to help you get started.

Reach out to learn how to bring stronger, more consistent coaching to your teacher candidates, no matter where they are.