EHB Thinking Tool Cards for magazine

1. A key concept:
The 5 W’s
We need to understand the goals context, strategies
used (by coach and athlete) and how they
interrelate to understand practice and outcomes
In other words…The 5 W’s
What Works for Who in What Context and Why
North, Muir, Duffy & Lyle (2011)

2. So, it’s about evidence based practice…
But what evidence do we draw on to make
judgements about our practice & performance?
How we see the world depends on
the lens we look through.
(Muir, 2011)

3. Who are we coaching?
Using bio-psycho-social
theories and concepts as
thinking tools to understand
your players needs and wants
WHO are you coaching?
Using technical, tactical and
psycho-motor theories and
concepts as thinking tools to
build your sport specific
performance model
What are you coaching?
Using skill acquisition theories
and concepts as thinking tools
to optimize learning and
development opportunities
How are we coaching?
PLAN
DO
REVIEW
Understanding of Culture & Context:
Policies, Pathways, Resources, NGB, Player/Athlete/Participant/Other Expectations & Constraints
A Framework For Coach Decision Making (Adapted from Abraham, Muir & Morgan, 2010)

4. Understanding of Context, Culture, Policies and Expectations
Knowledge and Skills
[Who, What, How, Context, Self,
Plan-Do-Review]
Coaches
[Needs & Wants]
Who are we developing?
What are we working
with them on?
Learning Environment
[Learning and Development
Activities and Coach Educator
Behaviour]
RELATIONSHIPS
GOALS
PLAN
DO
REVIEW
How are we creating the
development experience?
The Coach Development Model (Abraham, Muir & Morgan, 2010)

5. Steven Covey:
Habit 5:
“SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND,
THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD”

6. Understanding “Folk Theories”
Bruner’s ‘revolutionary insight’
“...in theorising about the practice of
education in the classroom (or any other
setting, for that matter), you had better
take into account the folk theories that
those engaged in teaching and learning
already have. For any innovations that
you, as a “proper” pedagogical theorist,
may wish to introduce will have to
compete with, replace, or otherwise
modify the folk theories that already
guide both teachers and pupils” (p. 46)

7. Creating Constructively Aligned Plans To Meet
The Needs of Different Coaches (‘WHO’)
Level 1 Group
Level 2 Group
Type A
Type B
Type B
Type A
LO Assess K&S Exp. Res.
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LO Assess K&S Exp. Res.
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LO Assess K&S Exp. Res.
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LO Assess K&S Exp. Res.
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Adapted from Jolly, Muir & Piggott (2014)

8. P-R-O-B-E
• Perspectives – Background, developmental pathway,
engagement in sport – how have these things shaped an influenced
your coaching perspectives, beliefs and values?
• Role & Responsibilities– How many players do you
currently have in your squad? Age, stage and competitive level?
Number of contacts? Contextual factors?
• Objectives – What are your short, medium and long-term
objectives as a coach?
• Expectancies – What are your expectations of the players,
parents and other key stakeholders in the coaching context?
(Muir, 2014)

9. Session
Objectives
Learner
Engagement
Learning
Activity
Structure
Coach
Behavioural
Strategies
Goals OutcomesMicro Cycles1 2 3 5 6 7
The Coaching Practice Planning and Reflective Framework (Muir et al., 2011)

10. Experience and reflection
“Coaches learn from experience”
“Reflection-in-action”
1) Problem setting; 2) On-the-spot experiment; 3) Appraise consequences
Notice conflicts between
expectations and reality
(have clear expectations
and observe outcomes)
Possess ‘knowing-in-action’
(tacit knowledge) to guide
experiments, and the
confidence to try them out
Have the time and ability to
reflect accurately (observers,
mentors, video) and weigh
intended and unintended
consequences
Piggott (2014) adapted from (Schön, 1983)

11. Problem setting
TASK: relate an example from your own experience
Player cried,
parents
complain
Intensity of the
session was too
great?
Player is too soft?
Expectation of
intensity too high?
What do I want to
achieve?
Mentally tough
players
High tempo and
physical practice
Winning games
and player
progression
How to gradually
improve the mental
toughness of the players
in practice?
Puzzling,
troubling
situation
Real
problem
Piggott (2014)

13. Building blocks of
motivation
Competence
Relationship
Autonomy
Purpose
Higher
Motivation
Adapted from Deci & Ryan (1985)

14. Self-Efficacy
Albert Bandura (1986)
“the belief in one’s
capabilities to
organise and execute
the courses of action
required to manage
positive situations”
situation
specific
confidence
Previous
Results (past
experiences)
Physiological
State
(emotional
status)
Verbal
Persuasion
(coaching and
feedback)
Vicarious
Experience
(observation of
self and
others)

15. Feedback
Making sense
Doing
Needing
Wanting
Ripples On A Pond: Factors That Underpin Successful Learning
(Race, 2005)

16. Using more than one ‘thinking tool’ to promote successful learning
Muir (2012) (Adapted from Race, 2005 and Muir, 2011)