Sports Coaching Academy.pdf

University Led Sports Coaching Project: A Space for Developing Student Success.

Rationale – recently within higher education there has been a shift from traditional approaches in teaching and learning with more emphasis on embedding situated learning in pedagogical practice to meet student academic and interpersonal progress. It provides real world learning and innovation across the curriculum to enhance student engagement (Yeoman & Wilson, 2019; Morley & Jamil, 2021). This paper explored a constructivist situated learning theory (SLT) (Lave & Wenger, 1991) as part of the Staffordshire Centre of Learning and Pedagogic Practice (SCoLPP) innovators award in developing a framework for understanding greater connections between sport and exercise undergraduate/postgraduate students’, leading to drive student success in widening participation, and social capital.

Methodology - the project offered a mixed approach in quantitative and qualitative research methods. Ten students (n= 10) from within sport and exercise degree courses at level 4 –7, volunteered to be interviewed (Smith & Sparks, 2016) and share their lived experiences, thoughts, and feelings in taking part in a sports academy type project that was delivered over two academic years. 

Findings - identified that constructivism SLT was instrumental in understanding student social learning experiences, informing pedagogy, and key characteristics of the learning environment. Further, it supported and maintained an effective educational experience that allowed real-world learning to be embedded in authentic contexts of practice, in which students participated in scaffolded complex tasks within communities of practice (Merry & Orsmond, 2020).

Implications – opportunities to embed SLT approach to school-wide micro-curriculum framework, supporting and developing pedagogical competency of educators in delivering experiential and real-world learning. Offered effective provision for maximising efficacy across educational practices (Kaynardağ, 2019) and legitimises situational learning as an entrepreneurial educational experience (Foliard et al., 2018).

Value – meets the literature call for engagement in teaching and learning associated with SLT and pedagogical practice. Presents some navigation around differentiated educational philosophy supporting the legitimacy for experiential real-world education for future student success in academic and professional identity.