“I Was Forming a Thought as We Were Chatting”: Narrative Pedagogy Stimulates Coach Developers Learning About Personal Epistemology

Sports coaching research has consistently demonstrated a link between a well-developed personal epistemology (beliefs about knowledge and knowing) and adaptable coaching behaviors. Given this connection, coach developers could benefit from learning about personal epistemology and the potential it has for the coaches it supports. As such, this project utilized narrative pedagogy, a psycho-sociocultural approach to learning grounded in the exploration of stories to understand (a) what coach developers took away from learning about personal epistemology and (b) the extent to which narrative pedagogy is a valuable form of continuous professional development for coach developers. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we propose that the content of personal epistemology, delivered to experienced coach developers through the medium of narrative pedagogy, can act as: (a) a stimulus for connection, (b) a stimulus for meaning making, (c) a stimulus for new ideas, and (d) a stimulus for change. The themes illustrate how narrative learning can support continuous professional development for experienced practitioners by engaging coach developers with the role of epistemic beliefs in coaching. In conclusion, personal epistemology is useful content for coach developers and narrative pedagogy is an appropriate way to engage coach developers with such complex and challenging content.