Dr Seamus Kelly

UCD Centre For Sports Studies

Creating a Learning Environment

Personal Background Sporting

Playing: G.A.A. Semi & Professional Football with UCD, Cardiff City, St

Patricks Athletic, Bohemian FC, Longford Town

Coaching: Offaly, Shamrock Rovers, Drogheda United, Shelbourne

Consultancy

UK & Ireland Clubs & Coaches (GAA, Soccer, Hockey, Rugby)

Education & Research PhD, MBS, PGDipTL, BComm

Professional Football Management

Player Assessment & Development

Coaching

Overview • Theory

– Learning

• Key Issues

– Reflection

– Questioning

– Feedback

– Observation

• Self Assessment & Reflection

Ten Expert Development Academy Coaches (Mills et al., 2012)

Youth Talent Development in Denmark (Larsen et al., 2010)

What is Learning ?

1

2

3

Learning

“a persisting change in human performance or

performance potential . . . (brought) about as a result

of the learner’s interaction with the environment”

“the relatively permanent change in a person’s

knowledge or behavior due to experience”

“an enduring change in behavior, or in the capacity to

behave in a given fashion, which results from

practice or other forms of experience”

Learning Theory

Q: How do people learn?

A: Nobody really knows

But there are 6 main theories: 1. Behaviorism

2. Cognitivism

3. Social Learning Theory

4. Social Constructivism

5. Multiple Intelligences

6. Brain-Based Learning

How People Learn:

Information Processing

How Players Learn?

How do Players Learn?

Vibrant Learning Environment

Active Player Engagement

Discussion and Debate

Player-Centred and Problem-Based Learning

Critical Thinking, Reflection & Peer-to-Peer

Learning

Guided Discovery & Discovery Learning

FEEDBACK

Constructivism

• It holds that learning is an active, constructive

process

– Learner-centered

– Learners arrive with prior knowledge that they can use as a building block for acquiring new knowledge

• The learner is an information constructor. New information is linked to to prior knowledge.

• The learner is not a blank slate (tabula rasa) but brings past experiences and cultural factors to a situation

Constructivist Learning Goals

– Emphasizes learning in context through meaningful

activities

– Focus on high-level thinking activities to develop

cognitive flexibility

– Constructivists are interested in having learners identify

and pursue their own learning goals

– Problem solving, reasoning, critical thinking and

reflection constitute the goals of constructivist

instruction

Meaningful Activities

1.

2.

3.

Problem Based Learning

Critical Thinking

Goal Setting

Communication

Reflection

Learning by doing

Peer-to-Peer Learning (Players & Coaches)

Un-structured problems

Small sided games

School Kids (Huball & Robertson,2004)

Scenarios & Problems

15 Minutes Preparation

3 X 10 Minute Games

10 Minutes Feedback

Preparation: 1 Problem & 1 Solution

Goalkeepers & Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

Decoy & Link Players

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

"What a child can do with assistance today, she will be able to do by herself tomorrow"

Questioning ?

• Knowledge

• Comprehension

• Application

• Divergent

• Convergent

Types of Questions?

1.

2.

Purpose ?

Knowing the Game

Good decisions?

1.

2.

Why_____________________________

Not so good decisions?

1.

2.

Why______________________________

Decision Making

Good decisions?

1.

2.

Why_____________________________

Not so good decisions?

1.

2.

Why_______________________________

Little black book

Movement & Runs (Learning Through Reflection: Peer to peer)

Intelligent Runs?

1.

2.

Why_____________________________

Not so Intelligent Runs?

1.

2.

Why_______________________________

1 Minute paper

Please answer each question in one or two sentences

1. What was the most useful or meaningful thing you learned in training

today?

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

2. What questions or concerns do you have after todays training

session ?

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Feedback

• Feedback is any information, verbal and non-verbal conveyed to athletes about the extent to which their behaviours and performance correspond to expectations and is viewed as a crucial coaching behaviour that directly conveys information about an athlete’s competence (McGarry et al., 2013).

• Objective & Augmented

• Coaching instruction is not only a mediator of what is learned but an individual’s ability to recall information and the extent to which they engage with the communicator’s message (Januario et al., 2013).

Dr. Seamus Kelly

&

Ronan McGann

Exploring the Role of Mobile Phone Applications in

the Assessment and Development of Elite Athletes

The Reflective Cycle

Terminology

Reflective Practice

Analysis of feelings or SELF to inform practice

Learning through ones EXPERIENCE

A CHANGE in perspective

Reflection

Applying Reflective Practice

• Technical – Organisation and practical running of session

• Practical – Personal feelings and emotion focussed account of

practice

• Critical reflective practice and process – Role efficacy

– Philosophical: contesting, challenging and changing practice

• Engagement and debate

• Resistance, uncertainty and hostility

Types of Reflection

• Reflection; Thinking back on what you have done in

order to discover how our knowing in action may have

contributed to an unexpected outcome

• We may do so after the fact, in tranquillity (reflection on

action)

Or

• We may pause in the midst of the action (reflection in

action)

Scenario’s & Reflection

Doing Reflection

Personal attributes

• Open-mindedness

– Desire to engage, openness to opposing

views/possibilities and recognition of errors

• Wholeheartedness

– Absorption and/or interest in process

• Responsibility

– Consequences of actions are considered and

accepted (New Zealand All Blacks, Kidman, 2001)

Conceptual Model (Chopra & Kanji, 2010)

Coach Observation

Thank You

Any questions ?