The exciting project originated from the lack of opportunities coaching students had to reflect upon their own practice. With the coaching programme at capacity, much of the practical analysis has typically occurred immediately after learners have taught in ‘team-teaching’ scenarios, sharing the workload and inevitably the feedback, which isn’t conducive to best practice.
In order to combat this issue and tailor feedback to suit the individual, the method of capturing first-person video footage in timetabled coaching sessions, using GoPro wearable camera technology, has led to richer student engagement and greater continuity in learning throughout the coaching programme. Now, whether undergraduates coach independently or in teams, they can take ownership of their performance accessing personalised recorded video quickly and conveniently following the event.
The programme has also greatly benefited from showcasing ‘good practice’ from students and creating bespoke examples of coaching and teaching scenarios. These are now regularly shown to supplement current pedagogic themes during formal lectures and seminars, which provides a new dimension to individual and group activates in the classroom.
Initial findings have been presented internally amongst colleagues at the School’s Teaching & Learning Forum, demonstrating the GoPro technology in real-time, pairing laptops, mobile phones and tablets through Apple and Android applications (‘apps’). Footage collected and uploaded to IRIS Connect by Sport Development & Coaching level 2 students was also made available to demonstrate how intuitive the system was to integrate into module schedules throughout the academic year.
Practitioners from sports psychology, strength and conditioning and Physical Education (PE) have expressed strong interest in utilising these tools for client consultations/instruction, pre-screening exercises, interview technique analysis and further staff-student reflection/mentoring activities in PE teaching, internally and in the workplace.