A computer-based observational analysis of physical education teachers and youth sport coaches pedagogic behaviour

This study adopted a positivist research design and quantitatively assessed the pedagogic delivery of teachers of physical education and youth sport coaches. The frequency and duration of behaviours from twenty-two teachers of physical education and twenty-two youth sport coaches were independently observed using a validated observation instrument ASUOI (Arizona State University Observation Instrument). The ASUOI was configured to a computerised software system BEST (Behavioural Evaluation Strategies and Taxonomies) and data were collected from practical teaching and coaching environments. Independent sample t-tests revealed significant differences in both frequency and time duration in the behaviour categories pre-instruction, negative modelling and scold. The level of significance was set at p < .05. Both the teachers and the sports coaches were engaged in prolonged periods of management and silence. However, no other statistical significances were found. The findings from this study suggest that the pedagogic delivery of teachers of physical education and youth sport coaches may actually contain more similarities than differences. The notion that a difference exits between the pedagogic behaviour of teachers of physical education and sports coaches, in this study at least, cannot be totally supported.