ICT-based training and education in volunteer sports communities: an action design research project with soccer referees during the COVID-19 pandemic
ISSN: 1066-2243
Article publication date: 9 October 2023
Issue publication date: 19 March 2024
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the beliefs and attitudes toward the use of information and communication technology (ICT). The study examines the challenges of implementing ICT-based training and provides insights for promoting the acceptance of online training in volunteer sports communities.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses an action design research methodology that combines the implementation of ICT-based training, interviews, and a survey of 523 participants to examine the influence of online training on beliefs and attitudes.
Findings
The study shows that before the COVID-19 pandemic, soccer referees had negative beliefs about the use of ICT for learning. However, the experience of being forced to use ICT for training during the pandemic led to a positive shift in their beliefs about ICT.
Research limitations/implications
The study offers four lessons learned for promoting the use of ICT-based training in voluntary sports. Future research should investigate the influence of blended learning approaches on affective, cognitive, and skill-based learning outcomes.
Practical implications
The study has practical implications for those responsible for implementing ICT-based training in voluntary sport. The findings suggest that design features such as usefulness, ease of use and enjoyment should be emphasized to increase the acceptance of online training.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the literature by providing insights into the challenges of implementing ICT-based training in voluntary sport contexts. The findings suggest that the experience of being forced to use ICT can promote the acceptance of online training in volunteer sports communities.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
An earlier version of the paper has been presented at the Americas Conference on Information Systems in 2021: Laumer, S. and Maier, C. (2021), “How soccer referees changed their mind: A belief-update perspective on digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic”, Proceedings of the 2021 Americas Conference on Information Systems. The authors are thankful for the feedback received from the editorial teams at the conference as well as from the editorial team at Internet Research.
The authors also want to acknowledge the support from the Bavarian Soccer Association (www.bfv.de) and especially Alessa Plass and Alexander Pott, who were both involved in developing and providing the ICT-based training and education for soccer referees in Bavaria that is the focus of the reported action design research project.
Citation
Laumer, S. and Maier, C. (2024), "ICT-based training and education in volunteer sports communities: an action design research project with soccer referees during the COVID-19 pandemic", Internet Research, Vol. 34 No. 2, pp. 586-609. https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-10-2021-0714
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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