Applied Coaching Research Journal Research Journal 1 | Page 15

APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2018, Vol. 1
UK Coaching has responded to the changing political
climate through the launch of a new strategy for
2017–2021 4 . The strategy established a clear vision
to inspire an active nation through great coaching
and set out how the workforce will be supported
to deliver great experiences for all participants.
One of the key aims of the UK Coaching strategy
is to develop a coach learning system that leads
the way globally. To achieve this aim, UK Coaching
is conducting a holistic review of its existing
learning programmes and is considering how future
learning for coaches is designed, delivered and
evaluated. Central to this activity is improving the
use of research and insight to ensure that learning
solutions are evidence-based, learner-centred and
fit for a modern world. The first stage of the review
process has involved the design and testing of a
new tool to identify the learning and development
needs of sports and physical activity coaches.
Learning needs analysis
A learning needs analysis, often referred to
as a training needs analysis or training needs
assessment, is the systematic process of collecting
and analysing data to identify the learning and
development needs of individuals, teams and
organisations, in order to develop learning solutions
that meet those specific needs.
Learning needs analyses can identify the skills
gaps of a workforce and can help organisations to
make effective decisions about future training and
development. They are often used as the first step
in the learning and development cycle, and are
recommended prior to the implementation of any
new learning initiative.
Learning needs analyses are not a new tool to aid
learning and development. They grew in popularity
during the 1990s and there has been some growth
in more recent years, particularly in the public
sector 5 . Customised learning needs analysis tools
have been developed within healthcare settings, fire
and police services, and the military 6 . Many tools
use a common analytical framework, which could
easily be applied to other professions and sectors.
While learning needs analyses are commonly used
in some organisational settings, they have not been
used in a systematic or consistent manner in the
sport and physical activity sector. UK Coaching
previously developed tools to identify training
needs at an individual level 7 , but prior to this study
had not completed a learning needs analysis from
either a workforce or organisational perspective.
A new learning and development framework
has therefore been developed by UK Coaching
to identify the learning needs of coaches
working across the sport and physical activity
sector, and to identify potential gaps in learning
provision. The framework involves a learning
needs analysis of coaches, coach developers,
coaching system managers and employers/
deployers of coaches. This article presents the
key findings from the first stage of this process
(a learning needs analysis of coaches).
Aims of the study
The aims of the study were:
• to develop and test a new learning needs analysis
tool for coaches
• to determine whether the tool could be used for
wider roll-out across the sector
• to support the development of a new UK Coaching
learning strategy
• to inform the future development of learning
programmes for sport and physical activity
coaches.
Method
The study involved the distribution of an online,
self-completion survey to sport and physical
activity coaches during July and August 2017. The
questionnaire was open access and was promoted
to coaches via the UK Coaching mailing list, the
ConnectedCoaches online forum, social media, and
via partner contacts.
Questionnaire development
The questionnaire was developed following a review
of the research literature and was loosely based on
the UK Coaching Coach Behaviour Framework 8 and
the Hennessey-Hicks Training Needs Analysis 9 . The
questionnaire was cognitively tested via a focus
group of coaches prior to implementation.
The core of the questionnaire comprised 39
items in five superordinate categories relating to
coaching practice: people skills; knowledge and
understanding; environment and risk; management
and administration; and other tasks. All items relate
to the key tasks that are central to the role of a
coach and include both technical skills as well as
softer skills.
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