‘We were all looking at them quite critically’: collaborative reflection on a university-based coach education program

ABSTRACT

Despite the potential to enhance learning in higher education, collaborative reflection in practical settings has received limited attention. This study investigated collaborative reflection within peer coaching assessments on a university-based coach education program. Data were collected through focus groups with undergraduate sports coaching students and individual interviews with module instructors. Thematic analysis revealed three main themes and six sub-themes as follows: reflective processes (evaluating peers’ experiences, collaboration through shared knowledge); social support (practical support, emotional support); and engagement (task engagement, pressure of assessment). Evaluating peer coaching performance through observation, participation, and discussion enhanced students’ awareness of their own coaching practice. Findings highlight a tendency for students to exchange knowledge informally and several barriers to collective reflection within formal practical settings. Students provided social support to help peers manage the demands of practical coaching assessments. Instructors’ perspectives supported and challenged the student data, culminating in recommendations to enhance collaborative reflection within and beyond a module of study.

KEYWORDS:

• Sports coaching
• strengths-based reflective practices
• social support
• thematic analysis
• higher education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Martin Dixon

Martin Dixon is a lecturer in kinesiology at San Francisco State University. Martin is a technical director and UEFA qualified soccer coach and has worked with academy and college teams. His research focuses on reflective practice in sports coaching.

Chris Lee

Chris Lee is former program leader and senior lecturer in sports coaching at Staffordshire University. Chris’ research interests include reflective practice for coach development and the coach-athlete relationship. Chris is a UEFA qualified soccer coach.

Craig Corrigan

Craig Corrigan is a PhD student and visiting lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton. His research investigates the use of sport to improve employability skills. Craig is the training team lead at Sport 4 Life, a sport for good charity located in Birmingham, UK. Craig is an FA qualified coach and is heavily involved in grassroots sport.