Investigating the Perceived Impact on the Professional Work of Sports Coaches and Practitioners After Completing Online Coach Education Material Underpinned by Ecological Dynamics
Authors:   , Yearby Tyler 
Published: December 2024

This thesis investigates the impact perceived by sports coaches and practitioners after interacting with online education material underpinned by ecological dynamics and applying the ideas in their professional practice. Chapter 1 introduces the thesis and emphasizes the paucity of research investigating the impact (positive or negative) perceived by coaches and practitioners after engaging with online education material underpinned by an ecological dynamics framework. Chapter 2 provides a critical overview and critique of the literature relating to both traditional and contemporary views of skill acquisition in sports. Moreover, this chapter discusses key concepts of ecological dynamics, such as constraints and affordances. After discussing ecological dynamics, this chapter discusses how coaches learn and the growing need and desire that movement professionals have for online professional development, which is critical to helping shape the way education material can better meet individual needs. The chapter concludes by covering previous research and the impact coaches and practitioners perceived from the online learning opportunities they interacted with (they were not underpinned by ecological dynamics), while delineating possible benefits and shortcomings they found. Chapter 3 presents the methodological approaches and standpoints taken. Rationale relating to the research paradigm is discussed alongside the mixed-methods approach taken in the thesis; the chapter concludes by discussing research quality, rigor, and ethical considerations. Chapter 4 introduces the quantitative data, which contextualizes the qualitative data that follows. The first theme, which serves as the principal theme, is presented and discussed, offering rich insight into the lived experiences of the participants and the changes they made in their coaching after interacting with the online educational material. Chapter 5 presents and discusses the first and second sub-themes for the principal theme, highlighting the confidence coaches and practitioners perceived that supported the changes they made in their coaching. In addition to changes in their confidence, their ability to design changing movement problems to assist athletes in becoming more adaptable is discussed. Chapter 6 introduces the second theme, which presents and discusses challenges and opportunities that coaches and practitioners perceived after applying contemporary skill acquisition ideas in their professional practice. Chapter 7 discusses the significant conclusions as demonstrated by the participant’s experiences in the previous chapters and elucidates the overwhelmingly positive outcomes of the thesis, addressing how the research contributes new knowledge to the field and advances practice. Chapter 8 concludes the thesis by discussing pertinent research implications, notably the contributions to existing research and how the findings are impactful to others (e.g., coaches and universities). Finally, the limitations of the study are discussed, followed by recommendations for future research.