Colorado SWIVL Video Coaching for Childcare Workers

26 Mar

Overview

Colorado's SWIVL Video Coaching program improves the quality of childcare for infants and toddlers from low-income families by making professional coaching for childcare staff more accessible and affordable. While research shows that coaching is exceptionally effective for improving childcare workers' skills, conventional, in-person coaching is expensive and often impractical. This program uses automated video recording technology so that staff can record and receive feedback on their classroom interactions, enabling much wider use of coaching to improve the quality of care that staff provide to young children.

Why It Matters

Coaching is an exceptionally effective way of improving the quality of childcare staff's work with young children. But the conventional, in-person approach is expensive and often not feasible, especially in rural areas where long travel distances make regular in-person coaching impractical.

SWIVL technology solves this problem by using a robotic base that automatically tracks staff who are wearing a wireless small microphone capturing high-quality video and audio without an observer in the room. This allows off-site coaches to provide specific, evidence-based feedback and guidance based on real classroom interactions. The technology is particularly useful in improving the quality of staff working with vulnerable infants and toddlers, including those living in poverty, in foster care, experiencing homelessness, and with special needs.

Quick Facts

Core Model: Hands-free video recording and coaching with SWIVL technology
Notable Feature: Robot automatically tracks caregiver activity while capturing clear audio from multiple small microphones
Launch Date: 2020
Eligibility: Childcare providers serving low-income infants and toddlers
Current Funding: Project funding drawn from annual $3.1 million federal Early Head Start grant
Participation Rates:
- Providers: 40 licensed childcare centers and family childcare homes
- Classrooms: 80-90 impacted
- Children: 250 children served
Program Coverage: Adams, Arapahoe, Garfield, Mesa, Morgan, and Pueblo counties

Background

Early Learning Ventures set up the Colorado SWIVL Video Coaching program with funds from an annual $3.1 million grant from the federal Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership initiative. The program aims to improve the quality of both family and center-based childcare serving vulnerable infants and toddlers.

Conventional, in-person coaching, while effective, is often not feasible both because of its cost and because of difficulty in regularly visiting providers that are spread far apart across more rural areas. SWIVL technology provides a practical solution by allowing remote observation and guidance.

How it Works

The program operates through an innovative technology platform:

The SWIVL Robot tracks caregiver movement automatically using a wearable marker
Wireless microphones capture high-quality audio of teacher-child interactions
A secure cloud platform stores videos and allows time-stamped comments from coaches

Caregivers can record themselves during regular daily activities without a coach present. Later, coaches review the footage and provide specific feedback tied to exact moments in the video. This approach reduces classroom disruption, increases coaching precision and effectiveness, lowers costs, and makes quality coaching available to many more providers than would otherwise be possible.

Key Features

Remote Coaching Capability: Reduces travel time and costs while making effective coaching more widely available across all areas
Hands-free Recording: Robot automatically follows the caregiver throughout regular activities, eliminating the need for camera operators
Multi-Audio Technology: Wireless microphones capture clear conversations between caregivers and children, even in noisy environments
Time-Stamped Feedback: Coaches can link comments to specific moments in the video, making feedback more precise and actionable

Policy Levers

This project has been implemented by a private organization with federal Early Head Start funding. However, it provides a valuable model for states aiming to improve the quality of care and education programs by increasing the effectiveness of ECE staff.

Key components include:

Technology Investment: Allocated federal funding to implement cutting-edge video coaching technology
Remote Service Delivery: Expanded access to coaching in rural and underserved areas
Quality Improvement Framework: Aligned with Colorado Early Childhood Coach Credential to ensure qualified coaching staff
Ensures Data Privacy: Implemented secure technology platform that protects sensitive information about children and staff

Results

The Colorado SWIVL Video Coaching program is still new, with comprehensive evaluation data not yet available. Early feedback shows promising outcomes:

Coaching Efficiency: Coaches can observe more classrooms and provide more detailed feedback without increased travel time
Teacher Self-Reflection: Educators report greater self-awareness and confidence in their work with young children
Meeting Standards: Video evidence helps ensure that caregiver practices align with standards for high-quality care
Quality Enhancement: Improved interactions between caregivers and children, creating better childcare environments for infants and toddlers