PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ing for similar programmes or of an expanded nature will contin- ue in the future. Formal mentoring could also be arranged with a private individual/organisation if the practitioner considered that the nominated mentor possesses appropriate skills and was will- ing to be paid for his/her time.

Whether formal or informal, the relationship between mentor and practitioner must always be respected and remain professional.

SETTING LEARNING OBJECTIVES Learning outcomes are the academic means of measuring the learning that has taken place. Outcomes should be written as achievable and appropriate objectives, and should be discussed and agreed before embarking on the programme. It is likely that several learning outcomes will be stated in the agreed learning contract, although this does vary considerably.

An example of objectives that may feature on a learning contract follow: By the end of this contract massage practitioner ‘X’ will be able to: ■ Outline the demands and needs of the sport of archery ■ Explain the role of the sports psychologist in the management of the athlete following injury

■ Describe the support needs of swimmers with a disability when preparing for a major competition

■ Adapt current massage skills for use with elite power-lifters with a disability

■ Analyse the effectiveness of his/her role and work at a train- ing camp

KEY POINTS OF THE BPA/UK SPORT INITIATIVE

Purpose To develop knowledge and skills for effective work with disabled athletes in a multi-discipline, multi-sport environment.

Method Two practitioners were linked with an experienced mentor, Linda Mitchell, through formal mentoring arrangements in order to develop ‘professional practice in sport’. Mentoring contracts were funded by UK Sport from March - October 2004, which included payment for the mentor’s contact hours, and financial support for the practitioners to undertake visits to the GB camps in Cyprus. Individual learning needs and plans to demonstrate learning were discussed. Learning contracts and contact arrangements were agreed.

Examples of broad learning needs expressed by the practitioners included: ■ Understanding the general and specific needs of these athletes ■ Adapting clinical skills ■ Working in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary support team

■ Working effectively in unusual situations ■ Gaining confidence to practice within this unique environment. Learning needs were personal to each practitioner and were relat- ed to previous experiences and learning aspirations.

Learning objectives were formulated and reflected individual learn- 16

ing wishes, while heeding time constraints and personal commit- ments. Examples of outcomes were to: ■ Analyse learning experiences ■ Critically evaluate the impact of professional input ■ Reflect and comment on actions or observed practices ■ Report on findings.

A plan to demonstrate learning was collated for each practitioner listing items which would stimulate discussions with the mentor and, eventually, produce evidence of learning. These included: ■ Maintenance of a reflective diary outlining all aspects of learning

■ Production of evaluative reports documenting specific practical or educational experiences

■ Synthesis of plans for interventions or approaches ■ Evaluation of case management ■ Recording of significant or critical incidents as these occurred.

Each practitioner was also scheduled to attend the BPA Paralympic preparation camps in Cyprus in April and September 2004 to gain supervised practical work experience. Specific learning outcomes were discussed before and after each visit.

Mentoring contact was scheduled to be by phone and e-mail, with an additional small amount of face-to-face contact with the men- tor at the camps. Supervision at the camps was to be by the lead physiotherapist at this venue and other members of the sports sci-

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■ Evaluate the impact of the provision of sports massage services through one training season.

Learning outcomes must be specific to the practitioner’s needs and usually relate also to the needs of the sport/athletes with which he/she intends to work.

Outcomes can be simple or more complex, as they encompass a range of learning experiences. Examples of simple outcomes relate to the words used to describe how learning can be shown, so verbs like describe, explain and discuss, are frequently used. These are very measurable and it isn’t difficult to provide written evi- dence of all of these.

More complex outcomes reflect a greater depth of thinking and learning. An example of such an outcome would include verbs such as analyse, reflect, formulate, debate, evaluate. Evidence of learning for these types of learning might come from a combina- tion of several pieces of work, or one larger one.

In order to demonstrate learning through mentoring, evidence has to be produced and it is easier to break this down into smaller tasks that illustrate one or more of the learning outcomes stated. Evidence of learning will often be written, but does not need to take the form of an essay. For example, evidence could come from a brief formal appraisal by a colleague, from feedback from an athlete/coach or from an annual report concerning the services provided.