'You Know, Coaching, It Feels Like a Bit of a Magpie Game': A Qualitative Investigation into Sources of Teacher-Coach Knowledge and the Subsequent Impact on Espoused Teacher-Coach Pedagogy

Abstract

The sources of knowledge that sport coaches use have been widely researched however, their impact on espoused pedagogy in the teacher-coach context is compara- tively underexplored The purpose of this study was to explore how teacher-coaches view knowledge, develop their knowledge, and espouse pedagogical practice. Semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis were used to explore this area with eleven teacher-coaches. Results were consistent with previous work on coaches’ and the perceived impact of for- mal coach education; however, certain aspects conflicted in the teacher-coach context. Teacher-coaches reported certain elements of their knowledge as fixed (such as technical models of skills) while acknowledging others such as pedagogical content as tentative. Similarly, although formal coach education was consistently regarded as low-impact due to prior teacher education, those teacher-coaches who had progressed furthest in this field displayed greater declarative nuance and adaptability. This suggests tacit benefits of formal coach education in the role of the theoretical underpinning of coaches’ practice.