Module: Decision Making in Elite Sport Performance

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Decision Making in Elite Sport Performance
Module Code	SS506 (ITS) / SPO1049 (Banner)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Health & Human Performance
Module Co-ordinator	Rosie Collins
Module Teachers	Robin Taylor, Áine MacNamara
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	7.5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Coursework Only

Description

In this module, students will deepen their understanding of the decision making literature, the research and practice underpinning how decision making is acquired and the metacognitive skills that underpin effective decision making. Students will explore philosophical (e.g., ethics and values) underpinnings of their own practice, and how it pertains to issues concerned with knowledge and practice in sport. Specifically, students will have the opportunity to consider the application of these theoretical concepts in elite sport environments. On this basis, students will critically consider the evidence base underpinning knowledge and practice in their domain and how people reason, learn and make decisions for practice.

Learning Outcomes

1. Critically analyse information relating to professional practice and make informed judgments on professional practice issues relevant to their sport performance domain
2. Examine the central problems in epistemology in the area of sports performance, and explain and identify some major contributions to recent debates in the area
3. Critically reflect on the extent to which research-informed practice is a feature of their current professional context and propose strategies which will enable it to shape future practice.
4. Critically evaluate the decision making process in their professional context

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Online activity	25	Students will engage with online material via Loop including but not limited to webinars, online tasks, quizzes, and tutorials
Independent Study	100	Independent pursuit of relevant issues and ideas raised during the module. Participants will be expected to engage in reading and critical review of literature relevant to the module
Directed learning	25	Stimulus presentations and discussion, delivered online using blended learning formats, will be used to tease out possible contributing topics and test the student’s current levels of knowledge and experience with them. As their reading progresses, students may be directed towards relevant recent investigations in their own and parallel domains.
Assignment Completion	37.5	Students will individually complete assignments
Total Workload: 187.5

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Critical Thinking in Performance Domains
Students will critically examine the theory and practice of problem solving and critical thinking in complex environments by considering how individuals in performance domains think critically and creatively. Students will examine metacognitive skills and how they apply to learning and development in their performance domain. Students will further consider the evidence base underpinning our understanding of how people reason, learn and make interpretations about their domain and how this impacts on decision making in performance domains

Professional Judgement and Decision Making
Carr (1999) has identified that professions are defined by their recourse to theoretical and/or empirical knowledge in making judgements. Students will explore the decision making literature and the extent to which practitioners in sport engage in professional decision making in all of their decisions. Professional judgement and decision-making (PJDM) is an important skill for applied sport practitioners, because decisions made by the practitioner hold an influential role in the selection, design, and implementation of successful interventions. Students will explore how decision making is acquired and the cognitive skills that underpin effective decision making in complex environments such as sport.

The decision making process in sport
Students will explore the processes involved in decision making at an individual, group and organizational level and the heuristics and biases involved

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Assignment	A written report exploring decision making processes in the student's professional context. The assessment format is flexible. Indicative assessment formats are below: (a) Written report – 8000 words (b) Journal article – 3000 - 8000 words depending on target journal (c) Portfolio submission (e.g., powerpoint slides, visual data, AV data) with accompanying narrative (3000 - 5000 words)	70%	n/a
Presentation	In an oral presentation, students will summarise and challenge an identified common assumption from their performance domain and reflect critically on the implications for applied practice	30%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Lyle, J., and Cushion, C: 2919, Sports Coaching: Professionalisation and Practice., Churchill Livingstone, Oxford,
Kahneman, D.: 2911, Thinking, fast and slow, Penguin, London,
Bar-Eli, M., Plessner, H., & Raab, M.: 2011, Judgement, decision making and success in sport.,, Wiley., Sussex,

Other Resources

65702, Website, Jones, J., 2017, Carl Sagan Presents His “Baloney Detection Kit”: 8 Tools for Skeptical Thinking. Open Culture, http://www.openculture.com/2016/04/carl-sagan-presents-his-baloney-detection-kit-8-tools-for-skeptical-thinking.html,