Expertise In Coaching Research Articles

Teacher Advice-Seeking: Relating Centrality and Expertise in Middle School Mathematics Social Networks

Background/Context Teachers’ relationships with principals, instructional coaches, and other teachers have important implications for the improvement of their instructional practice and student learning. In particular, teachers who access content-specific instructional expertise through their social networks are more likely to exhibit and sustain evidence of instructional improvement; teachers who seek advice from colleagues with knowledge of both content and pedagogy have evidenced growth in their own knowledge and improved classroom instructional practice. Purpose/Objective In this paper, we extend the literature by examining how formal role relates to the relationship between expertise and advice-seeking in the context of urban middle school mathematics teachers’ social networks. Specifically, we first explore how network centrality varies across formal role group (i.e., teacher, instructional coach, and principal/assistant principal), and second, we investigate how centrality relates to expertise within each formal role group. Research Design We draw on a variety of data sources taken from a 4-year observational study of a sample of 30 schools and 533 teachers, coaches, and administrators in four large urban school districts. In particular, we rely on data from a network survey to document teachers’ advice-seeking behaviors, and we draw on the broader data set to document formal role and measures of expertise within each role group. Findings/Results The main findings are: (a) coaches were significantly more central than teachers, who are significantly more central than administrators; (b) teachers with greater expertise were more central; (c) while coach expertise was not related to centrality, teachers were more likely to nominate a coach if they perceived the coach to have expertise and be evaluative; and (d) administrators were rarely nominated. Conclusions/Recommendations Findings indicate that teachers are accessing information from those with expertise and experience, which suggests that advice-seeking among teachers may be self optimizing. Furthermore, teachers’ advice-seeking seems to be shaped both by their efforts to access expertise and in response to accountability pressures. This calls for caution against the misalignment of formal role and expertise. Our findings suggest that those in a social network whose social status is elevated to the formal role of coach are more sought out for advice, particularly if they are perceived to have evaluative power. This can inform what administrators can expect of teachers’ informal advice-seeking as well as how advice-seeking patterns are likely to shift if a teacher is made a coach.

Developing Open Mindedness for Coaching Expertise

Effective coaches have the ability to recognize and use their athletes' strengths while at the same time finding ways to improve their weaknesses. An essential part of coaching effectiveness and expertise is a coach's ability to be introspective and reflective with an “open mind” that allows him or her to critically look back at past experiences, recognize weaknesses, and revise techniques when necessary. This article presents eight concepts of open mindedness that can help a coach to develop expertise.

THE HEAD COACH INFLUENCE IN INJURIES FREQUENCY IN ELITE WOMEN VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

BackgroundElite female volleyball players have a high risk for shoulder, knee and ankle injuries. The head coach approach is crucial to prevent injuries.ObjectiveTo compare the frequency of complaints and time...

태권도지도자의 전문성 척도 개발 및 타당도 검증

태권도지도자의 전문성 척도 개발 및 타당도 검증

Perceptual-cognitive expertise of handball coaches in their young and middle adult years

ABSTRACTThere is little research investigating the maintenance of perceptual-cognitive expertise in general and even less comparing coaches of different ages. The aim of this study was to test for perceptual-cognitive differences between age groups, licence levels, and their interaction. This study investigated differences in skilled performance between young and middle-aged coaches of three different skill levels. Participants performed an accuracy-oriented pattern recall (mean distance in pixel) and a time-oriented flicker test (mean detection time in ms). There were some significant differences between age groups and between skill groups for both tests, but no interactions. For the pattern recall test, the effect sizes were larger for skill level differences, while for the flicker test effects were larger for ageing. These results suggest coaches are able to maintain accuracy skills better than reaction timed tasks. This is in line with findings on speeded performance in general populations, which show declines with age. Moreover, results also support findings on perceptual expertise in skills where accuracy was important.

Renewing the expertise of health and social care professionals to provide integrated care: Evaluation of an intervention in a deprived Dutch neighbourhood

Rationale, aims and objectives: Multimorbidity in deprived populations is associated with longer hospital stays, more avoidable admissions and complications, higher costs, and lower satisfaction with available services. While integrated care has been proposed as a solution, the expertise of professionals to deliver this type of care has received little attention. Our case study evaluates an intensive intervention in a deprived neighbourhood in the Netherlands, launched in 2008, to tackle multimorbidity and the expertise of health and social care professionals to cater to the population’s health needs.Methods: Mixed-methods evaluation. Between 2009-2012 semi-structured interviews (n= 11), field observations, conversations, dialogue sessions and documentary review. In 2012 and 2013 quantitative before-and-after study with web-based questionnaire in the intervention and two control neighbourhoods (n= 86 at t0 and n=117 at t1).Results: The intervention sought to develop professional expertise in population health orientation, generalism, and coaching. Activities were supported by management that emphasized learning by doing, working bottom-up with direct application in practice, and professionals enjoying discretion to experiment. The intervention’s widely supported mission brought cohesion to its activities. In the interviews, professionals reported becoming more adept at understanding the common causes behind patients’ complaints, unravelling their multiple problems, and encouraging them to be more active in addressing their own health and well-being. But this was not supported by the quantitative data measuring professionals’ attitudes.Conclusion and practice implications: Neighbourhood interventions can strengthen professionals’ expertise in population health orientation, generalism and coaching, and the communication and collaboration skills necessary to employ them. Whether they can lead to more adequate responses to multimorbidity and more effective integrated care arrangements needs to be further researched.

Measuring coaching: behavioral and skill-based managerial coaching scales

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is two-fold: to identify the reliability and content validity of two popular managerial coaching scales – the Ellinger Behavioral Scale and the Park Skills-based Scale – to determine the extent to which the construct, coaching, is more accurately measured as a behavioral construct or a skill-based construct from the perspective of the coach, and from that of his or her direct reports using a single data set.Design/methodology/approach– This research utilized survey research which tested the reliability and validity of two existing coaching scales. Analyses included correlation matrices, principle axis factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis.Findings– Results of this research indicate that neither scale is perfectly reliable and valid. However, given the results of the analysis, the authors recommend the Park scale for leaders and the Ellinger scale for team members.Research limitations/implications– This research indicates that investment in valid scales for use by direct reports to measure the coaching expertise of their managers is warranted.Practical implications– There are several implications that are evident as a result of this research. First, there are implications for the training and development of employees. Too, many organizations look to coaching and coaching skills as a benchmark for selecting future leaders – the understanding of how current scales are able to identify coaching expertise is important to the manager selection process.Originality/value– This research offers one of the first comparative analyses of currently available coaching scales. It contributes to the literature on coaching by providing a clear and thorough review and analysis of scales currently available for testing managerial coaching expertise. Practitioners and scholars can benefit from this research by developing a better understanding of the contexts in which these two coaching scales are most reliable and valid.

The Coaching Needs of High Performance Female Athletes within the Coach-Athlete Dyad

Within the research literature there is little work that has examined how coaches (and coaching) can positively influence female athletes’ continued participation and development in performance sport. One barrier that has been recently cited that prevents more women from progressing in sport is the inability of coaches to understand how to engage their female athletes. With this in mind, utilising a phenomenological approach, the current study focused on the coaching preferences of female athletes within the elite coach-athlete dyad. Through interviews with 27 current high performance female athletes, four major coaching needs were found. These were: to be supported as a person as well a performer, coaching to be a joint endeavour, the need for positive communication, and recognition of the salience of gender within the coach-athlete dyad. The findings highlight the complexities and contradictions that are inherent within such a relationship, but ultimately provide evidence that the relational expertise of coaches is at the forefront of these women’s coaching needs. The present study also demonstrates that gender is a salient influence on the coach-athlete relationship. Such findings hold practical significance through demonstrating the need for gender-responsive coaching practitioners.

The importance of sports performance factors and training contents from the perspective of futsal coaches.

The aim of this study was to identify the importance assigned by futsal coaches with different education levels to the sports performance factors (technical, tactical, physical and psychological) and to the training contents. The sample was divided into three groups (novice: n=35, intermediate: n=42; and elite coaches: n=15) depending on the degree of specific education, coaching experience and the level of the teams trained. To achieve this goal, the coaches answered a questionnaire previously validated by specialists in sport sciences. The results showed significant differences between the novice and elite group in small-sided games, inferiority games, opposition and execution timing of the training and drill items. The analyses also showed significant differences between the novice and intermediate group in inferiority games and opposition of the training and drill items. Although, no differences were identified between groups for the remaining performance factors and training and drill items considered, the identified trends provide a baseline related to the knowledge that contributes to the development of expertise of futsal coaches.

Does Playing Experience Improve Coaching? An Exploratory Study of Perceptual-Cognitive Skill in Soccer Coaches

In many sports, it is common for top coaching positions to be held by former players; however, despite the natural progression in many sports for skilled players to become high level coaches, we have little understanding of how playing may develop useful skills for coaching. In this study we considered perceptual-cognitive skill across groups of high and low-skilled soccer players and soccer coaches. A range of perceptual-cognitive variables was measured in an attempt to capture the diverse skills related to expertise in sport and coaching. Generally, results highlighted similarities between coaches and players on some tasks and differences on others.

The Journey Is the Destination: Reconsidering the Expert Sports Coach

This article seeks to critically consider the traditional linear staged model of expertise development commonly employed in the sports coaching literature, which has been principally based upon the accumulation of threshold amounts of hours of experience. Here, we draw upon recent developments in the broader expertise literature, which is starting to represent expertise as complex, dynamic, non-linear, and contingent upon contextual influences. In particular, this article considers the potential utility of Grenier and Kehrhahn's Model of Expertise Redevelopment as a tool to further enhance our critical understanding of expertise in coaching. An example is provided in order to illustrate how the Model of Expertise Redevelopment might be useful for re-conceptualising expertise in coaching. This example not only acknowledges progress towards expertise, but also what happens after initial expertise is achieved, why redevelopment is sometimes required, and how redevelopment occurs in the developmental journey.

Challenges of Literacy Coaching in High School

This qualitative case study examined a state-run, foundation-funded initiative to introduce literacy coaching in a medium-sized urban high school district over a period of two years. Data analyses revealed the complex development and multiple understandings of the process of literacy coaching on the secondary level. The role of the coaches depended on the communication and clarity of their job description, administrative support, the expertise of coaches, and the fit with local school culture.

Essential Tools for the Evolution of Expertise in Coaching

Stone, Stone and Sands (2005) noted the critical lack of sport science and research based coaching practices in the United States. They noted that current practices are commonly not based on a systematic approach to coaching that allows for both intentionally applied evidence based scientific principles and valid and reliable evaluation methods. Coaching is a profession that requires strong decision making skills, constant assessment, and consistent integration of new information for successful talent development and performance management. Like athletic talent development, the development of these professional skills and the overall development of coaching expertise takes time and deliberate effort (Schempp, 2006). Unfortunately, while formal coaching education program and sport science studies emphasize the physiological, technical and tactical sides of preparing athletes, less attention is paid to the formal development of critical thinking and self-assessment necessary for professional growth and development as a coach. Further, the prevalent grass roots ‘athlete to coach’ and ‘assistant to head’ mentorship models of coach development provide even fewer opportunities for the systematic and deliberate development of these crucial skills.

Perceptions of Self-Development throughout the Spectrum of Football Coaching Expertise

The knowledge and experience acquired in Continued Professional Development (CPD) is considered self-development and is dependent upon the individual’s perception of control over professional growth (Chalofsky, 1990). The purpose of this study was to analyze coaches’ self-development perceptions through Chalofsky’s (1990) eight constructs. An inductive analysis revealed that novice coaches lacked responsibility for self-development and believed the head coach to be responsible for athlete results. Intermediate coaches had increased perception of control that enabled them to use their own coaching styles as they relied on experiences and daily reflection to improve. Similarly, expert coaches perceived full responsibility for their self-development, and realized the dependence of their assistant coaches as well. The findings supported Chalofsky’s (1990) contention that self-development is dependent upon individual perception of control.

Principal Component of Offense and Defense Techniques in High School Basketball League

This study analyzed the offense/defense techniques of men's Level A High School Basketball League (HBL) in the 2007 academic year. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to investigate the characteristics of offense/defense of an individual team. Fourteen items of data about offense/defense were grouped into four principal components. Similar trends and related contents were classified into the same category of PCA. Based on the coach's expertise and judgment, the characteristics of the team were discussed. Results indicated that in the first component, assistance, 3-point shooting percentage, 2-point shooting percentage and the 3-point were positively correlated. Whereas, free throw and offensive rebound foul were negatively correlated with the first four items. The second component was composed of defensive rebound, 2-point, foul and the total score. The third component contained blocked shot and steal. The fourth component was free throw percentage. From this data it is proposed that in future, coaches can adopt this method to analyze the characteristics of an individual team as to be the tactic and training reference.

Black Belt Coaching and Project Outcomes: An Empirical Investigation

This study investigates the impact of coaching expertise on project management outcomes within Six Sigma programs. Survey data were collected from 140 Black Belts and 176 team members at six organizations. In this research, the relationships between the independent variables (project characteristics, coaching expertise, employee focus, years of experience, number of projects completed, education level, and number of projects in a team) and the dependent variables (project management outcomes) were tested using linear regression. The data were analyzed for two groups—Black Belts and team members—using descriptive statistics, principle component factor analysis, correlation, and regression analysis.The results of the regression analyses showed that the independent variable coaching expertise explained most of the variance in project management for Black Belts and team members. Implications for this research include the implementation of coaching training into quality management system training initiatives.

Identity Formation throughout Varying Levels of Coaching Expertise

Identity Formation throughout Varying Levels of Coaching Expertise

Professional and peer life coaching and the enhancement of goal striving and well-being: An exploratory study

Few studies have investigated the impact of life coaching on self-regulated behavior and well-being. A limitation of past studies has been their reliance on peer rather than professional coaches. The present randomized controlled study compared peer with professional life coaching over a 10-week period with 63 participants. Results indicated that, compared to peer coachees and controls, coachees of professional coaches were more engaged in the coaching process, had greater goal commitment and progression, and greater well-being in terms of environmental mastery; other facets of well-being did not change. The results suggest that the presence of a supportive person may be a necessary but insufficient condition for enhancing goal striving and highlight the importance of expertise in coaching. Recommendations are made for future research and for using life coaching as a methodology for applied positive psychology.

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Examining and Extending Research in Coach Development

Research to date provides two approaches to assessing coaching expertise. The first is behavioral assessment and the second is to assess coaches' knowledge base. However, we contend that both approaches are flawed due to their inability to adequately improve coach development by failing to answer three fundamental questions: What knowledge should be taught to novice coaches? What is the optimal method for teaching this knowledge? And how should we assess to encourage learning? Cognitive psychology has demonstrated that someone with expert cognitive skill is characterized as having expert declarative and procedural knowledge. Experts are further characterized by having greater organization of this knowledge. Thus the expert is able to apply expert knowledge in a more expert manner to solve complex problems in a specific domain. Properly exploiting ideas such as these can help direct future research to provide answers to the questions posed above.