Systems for technical refinement in experienced performers: The case from expert-level golf

This paper provides an overview of current golf coaching practices employed with experts, when attempting to make changes to (i.e., refine) a player’s existing technique. In the first of two studies, European Tour golfers (n = 5) and coaches (n = 5) were interviewed to establish the prevalence of any systematic processes, and whether facilitation of resistance to competitive pressure (hereafter termed “pressure resistance”) was included. Study 2 employed an online survey, administered to 89 PGA Professionals and amateur golfers (mostly amateurs; n = 83). Overall, results suggested no standardized, systematic, or theoretically considered approach to implementing technical change, with pressure resistance being considered outside of the change process itself; if addressed at all. In conclusion, there is great scope for PGA professionals to increase their coaching efficacy relating to skill refinement; however, this appears most likely to be achieved through a collaborative approach between coach education providers, researchers, and coaches

Models for Learning (Mod4L) Final Report: Representing Learning Designs

The Mod4L Models of Practice project is part of the JISC-funded Design for Learning Programme. It ran from 1 May – 31 December 2006. The philosophy underlying the project was that a general split is evident in the e-learning community between development of e-learning tools, services and standards, and research into how teachers can use these most effectively, and is impeding uptake of new tools and methods by teachers. To help overcome this barrier and bridge the gap, a need is felt for practitioner-focused resources which describe a range of learning designs and offer guidance on how these may be chosen and applied, how they can support effective practice in design for learning, and how they can support the development of effective tools, standards and systems with a learning design capability (see, for example, Griffiths and Blat 2005, JISC 2006). Practice models, it was suggested, were such a resource. The aim of the project was to: develop a range of practice models that could be used by practitioners in real life contexts and have a high impact on improving teaching and learning practice. We worked with two definitions of practice models. Practice models are: 1. generic approaches to the structuring and orchestration of learning activities. They express elements of pedagogic principle and allow practitioners to make informed choices (JISC 2006) However, however effective a learning design may be, it can only be shared with others through a representation. The issue of representation of learning designs is, then, central to the concept of sharing and reuse at the heart of JISC’s Design for Learning programme. Thus practice models should be both representations of effective practice, and effective representations of practice. Hence we arrived at the project working definition of practice models as: 2. Common, but decontextualised, learning designs that are represented in a way that is usable by practitioners (teachers, managers, etc).(Mod4L working definition, Falconer & Littlejohn 2006). A learning design is defined as the outcome of the process of designing, planning and orchestrating learning activities as part of a learning session or programme (JISC 2006). Practice models have many potential uses: they describe a range of learning designs that are found to be effective, and offer guidance on their use; they support sharing, reuse and adaptation of learning designs by teachers, and also the development of tools, standards and systems for planning, editing and running the designs. The project took a practitioner-centred approach, working in close collaboration with a focus group of 12 teachers recruited across a range of disciplines and from both FE and HE. Focus group members are listed in Appendix 1. Information was gathered from the focus group through two face to face workshops, and through their contributions to discussions on the project wiki. This was supplemented by an activity at a JISC pedagogy experts meeting in October 2006, and a part workshop at ALT-C in September 2006. The project interim report of August 2006 contained the outcomes of the first workshop (Falconer and Littlejohn, 2006). The current report refines the discussion of issues of representing learning designs for sharing and reuse evidenced in the interim report and highlights problems with the concept of practice models (section 2), characterises the requirements teachers have of effective representations (section 3), evaluates a number of types of representation against these requirements (section 4), explores the more technically focused role of sequencing representations and controlled vocabularies (sections 5 & 6), documents some generic learning designs (section 8.2) and suggests ways forward for bridging the gap between teachers and developers (section 2.6). All quotations are taken from the Mod4L wiki unless otherwise stated

The Use of Reflective Questioning as a Peer Coaching Strategy in an Asynchronous Online Cognitive Apprenticeship

The cognitive apprenticeship framework melds situated, authentic learning with social learning theory. The learning strategies included in a cognitive apprenticeship are modeling, coaching, scaffolding, articulation, reflection, and exploration. Previous research indicates that the most beneficial strategy for the learner is coaching, and is also the most time-consuming strategy for the instructor. However, no previous research has been conducted to determine which coaching strategies can be utilized in order to lessen the burden on the instructor, while being beneficial to the learner. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of guided reflective questions as a strategy for enhancing cognitive presence in peer dyad groups. These dyads were created in order to provide a platform for peer coaching in an online, asynchronous professional development course designed using the cognitive apprenticeship framework for the professional development of professional programming librarians and paraprofessional programmers. The current study found a significant difference in cognitive presence levels between the control and treatment groups, and no significant difference in learning outcomes between the two groups. Additionally, the study highlighted the challenges faced by participants, such as lack of time to devote to professional development and lack of peer engagement from their peer coach. Participants also valued the fresh perspectives that they experienced during peer interactions and the availability of resources that were provided during the course. Discussion of the results highlights constraints, limitations, challenges, and positive aspects of participation in an asynchronous online cognitive apprenticeship. Discussion of the results also sheds light on questions worthy of future research in order to develop best practices for the use of cognitive apprenticeships in professional development and online contexts

What do faculties specializing in brain and neural sciences think about, and how do they approach, brain-friendly teaching-learning in Iran?

Objective: to investigate the perspectives and experiences of the faculties specializing in brain and neural sciences regarding brain-friendly teaching-learning in Iran. Methods: 17 faculties from 5 universities were selected by purposive sampling (2018). In-depth semi-structured interviews with directed content analysis were used. Results: 31 sub-subcategories, 10 subcategories, and 4 categories were formed according to the “General teaching model”. “Mentorship” was a newly added category. Conclusions: A neuro-educational approach that consider the roles of the learner’s brain uniqueness, executive function facilitation, and the valence system are important to learning. Such learning can be facilitated through cognitive load considerations, repetition, deep questioning, visualization, feedback, and reflection. The contextualized, problem-oriented, social, multi-sensory, experiential, spaced learning, and brain-friendly evaluation must be considered. Mentorship is important for coaching and emotional facilitation

Expertise in coach development:The need for clarity

In this position paper, we start by identifying the issues inherent to coach development; we then consider the current status of coach development and present our position before concluding with key points and suggesting resolutions for the issues. Our intention is to propose the progression of appropriate practices and approaches for the professional development and preparation of coaches. In coach development, a lack of clarity exists at both organisational and individual levels, particularly around the role of and aims for coach developers. Organisationally, we consider a radical reframing required to progress the profession of coach development. We also suggest that many individuals currently involved in coach development do not possess the requisite knowledge to move the field forward. Our aspirations for coach development include recognising the need for expertise and what it looks like in practice. Coaching and coach development interactions should examine particular coaching challenges, concentrating on the thought processes and decision-making strategies necessary to solve them. This necessitates a bespoke, problem-based approach to learning.</p

Impacts of the Game-Centered Approach on Cognitive Learning of Game Play and Game Performance during 5-week of Spring Season with Intercollegiate Female Soccer Players

Game-centered approaches have been increasingly recognized for their features and the impacts in coaching profession. Research with the game-centered approach is still underdeveloped in coaching sports and physical activities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe the impacts of the game-centered approach on cognitive learning of game play and game performance during 5-week of spring season with intercollegiate female soccer players. Game performances at beginning, mid, and end of the season were examined through Game Performance Assessment Inventory (GPAI) with seventeen participants. Cognitive learning of game play was also assessed with instant recalls and practice journals with all participants as well as simulated recall with three target players. Results indicated the potential to improve the players’ game performance with the game-centered approach through reinforcing the recognition of more quality game information in larger scale and the adjustments on and off the ball movements. In the complex and dynamic game learning situation, the players were seemed to identify the key tactical/technical components of the soccer game. The learning process supported the cognitive learning of game play by interacting mind and body as well as building different domains of game knowledge through the game-centered approach. The players used the game information to make adaptations through the complex game situation, and then constructed and built the cognitive representation which became more meaningful knowledge in the game. Additionally, this study positively supported the game learning through social interaction. The players were encouraged to communicate with each other, construct the tactical meaning through the interaction with other players, and reflect on their learning in the game situation. In conclusion, the players’ cognitive learning with and without the ball was enhanced by being able to analyze more quality game information and linking different domain-specific knowledge. There were also some positive components which could have indicated the potential improvement of actual game performance. Additionally, the players seemed to be encouraged to carefully observe the game situation, analyze them, make tactical decisions, and construct game knowledge through the collaboration of body and mind as well as the social interaction with other players

Applying science of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum

The field of specialization known as the science of learning is not, in fact, one field. Science of learning is a term that serves as an umbrella for many lines of research, theory, and application. A term with an even wider reach is Learning Sciences (Sawyer, 2006). The present book represents a sliver, albeit a substantial one, of the scholarship on the science of learning and its application in educational settings (Science of Instruction, Mayer 2011). Although much, but not all, of what is presented in this book is focused on learning in college and university settings, teachers of all academic levels may find the recommendations made by chapter authors of service. The overarching theme of this book is on the interplay between the science of learning, the science of instruction, and the science of assessment (Mayer, 2011). The science of learning is a systematic and empirical approach to understanding how people learn. More formally, Mayer (2011) defined the science of learning as the “scientific study of how people learn” (p. 3). The science of instruction (Mayer 2011), informed in part by the science of learning, is also on display throughout the book. Mayer defined the science of instruction as the “scientific study of how to help people learn” (p. 3). Finally, the assessment of student learning (e.g., learning, remembering, transferring knowledge) during and after instruction helps us determine the effectiveness of our instructional methods. Mayer defined the science of assessment as the “scientific study of how to determine what people know” (p.3). Most of the research and applications presented in this book are completed within a science of learning framework. Researchers first conducted research to understand how people learn in certain controlled contexts (i.e., in the laboratory) and then they, or others, began to consider how these understandings could be applied in educational settings. Work on the cognitive load theory of learning, which is discussed in depth in several chapters of this book (e.g., Chew; Lee and Kalyuga; Mayer; Renkl), provides an excellent example that documents how science of learning has led to valuable work on the science of instruction. Most of the work described in this book is based on theory and research in cognitive psychology. We might have selected other topics (and, thus, other authors) that have their research base in behavior analysis, computational modeling and computer science, neuroscience, etc. We made the selections we did because the work of our authors ties together nicely and seemed to us to have direct applicability in academic settings

Tactical Preparation in Sport Games and Motivational Teaching of Sport Games Tactics in Physical Education Lessons and Training Units

In this chapter, we deal with issues that are relevant to educational processes where the cultivation of game performance is a primary or parallel goal. Developmental tendencies in sport games focus not only on the content of the training process, its rationalization and optimization, but also on the content of teaching sport games, which recently have significantly influenced the preparation and preparedness of players and pupils in school physical education and in training process too. Didactic process in sport games is understood as a system of interactions (mutual relationships and mutual influence) among the main subsystems: pupils or players, teacher or coach, content and conditions with the intention to cultivate the game performance of individuals or team. Tactics, generally refers to a player’s system of acting, system of various alternatives of decision-making responses, which allows in a time-bounded concept of a goal realize player’s conduct and team’s conduct within the short-term relation. Chapter provides the comparison of traditional approach and approach of teaching games for understanding. Teaching tactics in physical education and training process is very important part of educational process and the motivation for learning is an integral part of whole activity

A little less conversation; a little more (relational) action please. A fictional dialogue of integrating theory into coaching practice

This paper presents a fictional dialogue that supports the application of theory in coaching pedagogy. The “constraints led approach” (CLA) is promoted throughout in conversation form, providing pedagogic solutions in response to the decaying performance levels of a fictitious football team. This deterioration is linked to “poor” coaching and the merits of a more innovative pedagogy through a discussion between “manager” and “coach” are presented. Recommendations are made with particular reference to developing games players, who are skilful, perceptive and intelligent, through being able to initiate and modify actions in dynamic contexts. Through substantiating a platform for both changing perceptions about coaching practice and challenging assumptions about learning, such accessibility to unfamiliar knowledge(s) can allow coaches to clearly consider possibilities for change. It is further suggested that through embracing the use of novel methodologies to consider unfamiliar theoretical territory, this demonstrates a responsibility to close and not widen a theory-practice gap. By presenting Mark (coach) as “theoretical negotiator”, this paper emphasises the potency of experimenting with nuanced methods that can be part of an academic process to help shape more theoretically literate coaches