The Evolution and Learner-Centered Status of a Coach Education Program

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Paquette ◽  
Pierre Trudel

The history of coach education in Western countries, much like higher education, has been shaped by societal influences and external drivers. The resulting trajectory includes a notable movement and shift in focus related to educational paradigms. Being learner-centered (LC) has become a central theme and mission by many coach education programs. The purpose of this case study was twofold: to explore the evolution of the historically rich coach education program of golf in Canada, and to assess the LC status of the most recently developed context of the program using Blumberg’s (2009) framework for developing and assessing learner-centered teaching (LCT). A series of program documents and interviews with seven coach development administrators involved in the program were analyzed. Findings revealed the turbulent epistemic evolution of the program and its pedagogical approaches, as well as the combination of internal and external drivers that triggered the shift from one extreme (instructor-centered teaching) to another (LCT) until finding a functional equilibrium. Moreover, the assessment of the program confirmed its claims of being LC. Discussions are presented on leading a LC change, facilitating learning, and using the framework to assess LC coach education.

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle J. Paquette ◽  
Aman Hussain ◽  
Pierre Trudel ◽  
Martin Camiré

Building on Hussain et al.’s (2012) analysis of Triathlon Canada’s constructivist-informed coach education program from the perspective of the program designer, this case study explored the structure and initial implementation of the program, as well as coaches’ perspectives of their journey to certification. Through a series of document analyses and interviews with the inaugural group of coach participants (N = 4), strategies for the application of constructivist principles are presented and discussed in relation to the coaches’ perspectives and coach development literature. More specifically, through its innovative use of learning activities and formative evaluation and assessment strategies, the program is shown to place considerable emphasis on coaches’ biographies, refection, and representation of learning. Finally, recommendations for coach educators are presented.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. e44910313568
Author(s):  
Heitor de Andrade Rodrigues ◽  
Vinicius Zeilmann Brasil ◽  
Michel Milistetd ◽  
Pierre Trudel

Sport coaching researchers have provided generous recommendations on the importance of developing coach education programs based on learner-centered teaching (LCT) principles. However, empirical studies are rare, and without concrete examples, administrators and instructors will be reluctant to adopt this approach. In this case study, we used Weimer’s (2002, 2013) five dimensions of LCT to analyze (a) the perspective of a recognized researcher in the LCT coach development field, (b) his course plan and delivery strategy, and (c) the students’ perceptions of this course. A qualitative approach was used and included different tools to collect the data. The first two authors attended all the lessons, participated in all the learning activities, and took notes in a reflective journal. At the end of the semester, they conducted a semi-structured interview to get the instructor’s perspective on the LCT approach. Finally, an e-mail was sent to the students to collect their perceptions. The data were analyzed and interpreted using concept mapping, and Weimer’s five dimensions. The results showed that (a) most of the LCT dimensions were respected in the planning and delivery of the course, (b) there were times when the instructor felt uncomfortable playing a less important role, and (c) most students had positive learning experiences, although some have been taken out of their comfort zone with this new teaching approach. The article ends with a reflection on the recent impact of COVID-19 on education in Higher Education (HE).


2021 ◽  
pp. 218-230
Author(s):  
Michel Milistetd

The field of sport coach development has changed considerably in the last decades and everything indicates that, in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world (VUCA world), many other changes will take place. It seems increasingly likely that ways will have to be found to harmonize on-the-job learning with the formal coach education programs from which qualifications are derived. In an attempt to analyze the present and to address some directions for the future of sport coach development research and practice, this insight paper presents the summary of a series of conversations with one of the researchers who has greatly influenced the development of sport coaches over the past 30 years, Professor Pierre Trudel.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-96
Author(s):  
Ian Reade ◽  
Wendy Rodgers

This study asked a group of coaches about the major challenges they encounter in their coaching experience. The study was conducted with a group that had recently completed an introductory coaching course, but they had widely varied coaching experience, and coached male and female athletes in a variety of sports at multiple levels. We were interested in the extent to which the challenges were specific to the coaches’ context, or varied according to the age, education or experience of the coach. Our results showed that coaches face multiple challenges, but dealing with parents was commonly cited as the most challenging in all contexts, indicating that a generic coach education program on this topic could be effective. Other challenges tended to be associated with specific contexts and generic coach education programs may not be able to effectively prepare coaches for those challenges.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Paquette ◽  
Pierre Trudel

Despite a well-established understanding of the complexity inherent to both learning and sport coaching, programs designed to educate coaches have until recently been guided by pedagogical approaches aligned with rather simplistic views of learning. Thanks to the critical and innovative efforts of coaching scholars to uncover the shortcomings of traditional programs and their guiding epistemic traditions, coach education is becoming increasingly infused with constructivist, learner-centered (LC) strategies to help meet the complex needs of coaches. Although many LC informed recommendations have been offered, rarely do they provide coach development administrators (CDAs) with concrete, practical suggestions. Furthermore, the recommendations are scattered throughout the literature, which makes an already arduous task of bridging research and practice even more difficult for CDAs. Guided by the LC literature, a practical learner-centered teaching (LCT) framework, and previous recommendations presented in the coach education literature, this Best Practices paper presents a theoretically robust and empirically supported collection of practical recommendations for CDAs to support three critical areas of LC coach education: program design, facilitation, and coach engagement.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel Milistetd ◽  
Pierre Trudel ◽  
Steven Rynne ◽  
Isabel Maria Ribeiro Mesquita ◽  
Juarez Vieira do Nascimento

Previous research has suggested a shift from instructor-centred to learner-centred approaches in an attempt to improve coach education programs. To implement such crucial change it is essential to master the ‘new language’ and better understand educational contexts. The purposes of this article are to (a) highlight new social factors indicating an urgent need to change, (b) present a learner-centred framework based on the work of a recognized group of researchers (i.e., Blumberg, Cullen, Harris, and Weimer), and (c) analyse the learner-centeredness of a Bachelor in Physical Education program, especially with respect to its sport performance area. Based on the social factors explored throughout the text and the learner centred principles, results showed inconsistencies between the conceptual orientations mentioned in the ‘official documents’ and the teaching processes used in the Bachelor program. Recommendations for higher education leaders and instructors are explored.


2011 ◽  
pp. 2272-2287
Author(s):  
Hilary Wilder

This case study explores the use of online distance learning technology to bring an international component to a teacher education program. By converting a course in the program into a fully online offering, the author was able include students from Namibian teacher education programs in the class along with her own students from New Jersey. The objective was to give all students a chance to interact with peers that they would not otherwise have the chance to meet, and to explore differences and commonalities in their respective education systems. This case study describes the pitfalls and successes in meeting that objective.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-267
Author(s):  
Travis Crickard ◽  
Diane M. Culver ◽  
Cassandra M. Seguin

Traditionally, playing experience in sport has been used as a springboard into the coaching profession. Specifically, playing experience has been discussed in research as facilitating the transition into early coaching roles, fast-tracking through coach education programs, and being viewed as a desirable factor in high-performance sport. However, explorations into the intricacies that make this playing experience so valuable have been minimal. Thus, this Insights article is meant to foster discussion within the coach research community regarding the role of playing experience in coaching pathways from a position perspective. This unique area of inquiry may offer insight to those concerned with coach pathways, coach development, and coach education. To promote this discussion, the following article will present some avenues through which previous playing experience could be explored. In addition, the authors will present a study that was conducted with high-performance head ice hockey coaches who formerly played goaltender and offer interesting directions for future research inquiries. Notably, the authors will consider playing experience in connection with career advancement, potential implications for hiring processes, considerations for coach education, and possible barriers to coaching opportunities.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bettina Callary ◽  
Scott Rathwell ◽  
Bradley W. Young

Masters Athletes (MAs; adult athletes typically over 35 years old who prepare in order to compete at levels ranging from very recreational competition to serious competition) want coaches to cater their approaches to working with adults. Using adult learning principles, we previously found that some coaches cater their approaches in ways to accommodate the manner in which adult athletes prefer to learn. The purpose of this article is to articulate swim coaches’ perceptions of how they learned to work with MAs and whether their formal coach training meets their needs related to coaching MAs. Eleven swim coaches were interviewed regarding how they learned to coach MAs, and were questioned specifically about their coach development broadly and coach education specifically. The data were thematically analyzed and results revealed six main learning sources: coaching experiences (e.g., interacting with MAs, reflection, advice from MAs, coaching youth), experience as an athlete, reading books and Internet searches, networks and mentors, formal coach education, and non-swimming experiences. Results also revealed key themes about coaches’ perceptions regarding coach education, specifically the lack of connection between coach education programs and the Masters sport context, and coaches’ interest in coach education specific to MAs.


Author(s):  
Seamus Kelly ◽  
Niall O’Regan

This article explores how the 2020 edition of the Union of European Football Association’s (UEFA) Coaching Convention impacts coach education in the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), a member of the UEFA. First, this article provides a brief history of the UEFA Coaching Convention and it’s historical benefits. Second, the UEFA Coaching Convention’s principles and practices of adult learning and reality-based learning are identified, along with the national association’s responsibilities for their implementation. Third, we outline the four main changes to the 2020 UEFA Coaching Convention, and fourth, following an overview of coach education in the FAI, we identify how the FAI’s Coach Education Department adopts a constructivist, learner-centered approach when implementing the UEFA adult learning and reality-based learning principles. Fifth, we discuss some of the implemented and planned coach education initiatives in the FAI and provide an overview of the FAI’s redeveloped coach education pathway, which was launched in August 2020 for implementation from 2021 to 2025. The article concludes with an overview of the future of coach education in the FAI and suggestions for further research.


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