Applied Coaching Research Journal Research Journal 1 | Page 11

APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2018, Vol. 1
What does this mean for coach education?
Problem-based learning may provide an effective
way to work with, and develop solutions for,
problems and issues that arise for coaches in the
context in which they work. For problems to be
effective learning tools they should be ill structured.
This means that they are presented to the learner
not as complete problems, but with the complexity
of a problem in real life where the learner may
have to go away to find out more information to
first identify the problem and to develop workable
solutions. It may be that coaching problems reflect
the encounter of a specific situation that has not
been faced before (eg how to prepare for a cup
final) or it might be a problem related to a specific
athlete (eg my athlete has developed unhelpful
pre-competition nerves). For performance-based
problems, such as those related to strategy or
tactics, computer simulations might offer a valuable
learning tool. London South Bank University
provides an example of this in the simulation game
they generated in order to develop coaching and
tactical skills among novice coaches. The programme
enabled learners to apply selection strategies,
physical conditioning programmes, tactics and
strategies to their virtual team and monitor their
progress, and effectively monitor the effectiveness
of their own solutions.
In addition to this, we should also recognise that
problems in coaching do not necessarily have a
performance focus and may, by their very nature,
be more complex. Gilbert and Trudel (2001)
highlight that simply presenting problems might not
be effective in capturing the realities of coaching
practice. For example in coaching practice, problems
are not necessarily “presented” but need to be first
recognised, acknowledging that problems emerge
over time and might be influenced by events that
have happened in the past weeks, months or even
years. Given this, the most realistic problems for
coaches to work with and learn from might be
the actual problems they face. Here, some of the
collaborative learning ideas discussed above might
prove useful.
Project-based learning
Project-based learning shares many similarities
with problem-based learning in that learning
activities are often organised around working with
a particular problem. However, the emphasis with
project-based learning is the resultant project
or product. Within a project-based approach
learners are usually provided with specifications
for a desired end product (build a rocket, design
a website, etc) and the learning process is more
oriented towards following correct procedures. The
role of facilitator here is to provide more expert
guidance and feedback within the process to
achieve workable solutions to the problem.
As with problem-based learning, the learner is at
the centre of the learning process, and learning
requires the learner to be active in the process,
rather than a passive receiver of information that is
transmitted by a tutor, such as in more traditional
classroom-based scenarios. This activity encourages
the learner to develop skills to learn outside the
classroom, which is a key attribute for successful
professional practice. Project-based learning also
contributes to the development of the softer skills
often required for professional practice, such as
leadership, team building, communication and
conflict resolution.
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