What online platforms are available that would fit the needs?

Title:

Online Certification of Aerial Dance Teacher Training in Switzerland to enhance Service Quality

Introduction:

Currently, there is no recognized Aerial Dance Teacher training in Switzerland (at all). Anyone can start teaching, regardless of their knowledge or suitability, as it is not a regulated topic.

 

Aerial Dance includes: Pole Dance/Sport, Aerial Hoop, Aerial Trapeze, Aerial Sling/Yoga, Aerial Straps.

Available pieces of training, proposed by various providers worldwide, which are not specific to the Swiss market, are short and cover only very limited aspects of the whole curriculum that should be included in such a high-risk sport. The available training usually takes one or two days to complete. During those one or two days, the training covers:

  • Session break down / class design (warm up, main body of class, cool down)
  • Spotting techniques
  • Essentials of moves with regression and progression

A large amount of important information is left out, such as:

  • Anatomy
  • Physiology
  • Biomechanics
  • Adult learning/teaching principles
  • Nutrition
  • Flexibility training theory
  • Strength training theory
  • First Aid and CPR
  • Safety training

The available training certifications are privately owned and are not recognized. Due to this, the level of professionalism and confidence varies deeply between instructors, and students are not always left in competent hands.

The aim of the research is to investigate how a recognised training could be implemented to improve the quality of the service in the aerial dance industry in Switzerland.

Background literature:

Other similar sports have a much more researched approach for their training offerings.

Yoga has a very structured approach for their teacher training, where the Yoga Alliance requirements need to be met to be a registered Yoga teacher. A minimum of 200 hours needs to be absolved in a recognized school for the instructor to be recognized (Yogaalliance.org, 2016). Other aspects of teaching Yoga have been researched, such as voice and language, interpersonal skills, and the practice in itself (Stephens, 2010).

Dance education has also well developed and evolved during the last century (Sööt, 2013). Various bachelor degrees are now available. Various approaches are now utilised, such as holistic and somatic (Sööt, 2013), or cultural and pedagogical (Huddy and Stevens, 2011).

Recognized Fitness Trainer qualifications take around 4 months and Personal Training qualifications around 6 months to be completed in Switzerland (SAFS, 2021). The taught modules include: anatomy, nutrition, biochemistry, posture and movement coordination, fitness, management and communication.

Various studies have researched a methodological framework to be applied to Gymnastics coaches (Côté et al., 1995; Irwin et al., 2005). The level 1 gymnastics certification needs to be successfully completed to become a recognized gymnastics coach (Qualification System, 2021).

Pole dance literature consists more of the background of the discipline (Dale, 2013; Holland, 2010), and less on the teaching aspect of it.

This is lacking academic literature on service quality see e.g. TQM

You will also have to focus on the academic literature on adult training and learning generally first before application to aerial dance

Aim and Objectives:

This thesis will look at the educational aspect in Aerial dance (as sport). The idea is to create a course to provide regulated training in Switzerland and enhance the general service quality offered. The training will be offered online, also providing a database of instructors having completed the training. This will allow studio owners to have a better understanding of the instructor’s knowledge when employing them.

The Swiss Pole Sports Federation (SPSF), National Governing Body for the sport of Pole, dedicated to developing pole athletes, coaches and clubs across a range of disciplines (https://www.swisspolesportsfederation.com/?lang=en), is interested in regulating Pole Sport in Switzerland, and is supportive of the project. Other aspects are already being reviewed and advanced, such as trying to implement the Sport in the Olympics, offering more regulated competitions, reviewing the curriculum of the dance schools in Switzerland, etc.

Other similar disciplines teacher training will be researched and reviewed to find an optimal solution for the aerial dance industry.

Research questions:

How could an Aerial Dance training be delivered online (or as blended training) in Switzerland to enhance service quality?

  • To examine what the curriculum should cover for optimal pedagogy of the discipline
  • To explore how to deliver the online training and which Information Systems Management can be utilised
  • What about service quality?

 

  • It is unclear what the end goal is for engaging with the research. Can you ensure this is clear please. What are you hoping to achieve?????

 

 

 

Methodology and Content:

 

To examine what the curriculum should cover for optimal pedagogy for the discipline

  • What is currently available? What sources are there?
    • Current teacher training available worldwide
    • How long does the training take to complete
    • What is covered in the lesson plan
    • How much does it cost
    • Who is offering the training
    • How is it delivered (example: online, F2F, or blended)

 

Research methods

Secondary source of data:

  • Analysis, research on internet
  • Table with Qualitative & Quantitative research (with information on different providers)

 

  • What do similar disciplines (for example fitness, yoga, dance, gymnastics…) do?
    • What have other, older disciplines put in place and why
    • How do they regulate their sport and provide training
    • Do they offer online training and how does it look like

 

Research methods

Secondary source of data:

  • Literature review
  • Analysis on current offerings (internet search)
  • Descriptive

 

  • What should ideally be included in the curriculum (Professional knowledge & pedagogy & structure needed)?
    • Topics list from above conducted research
    • What do swiss aerial dance studio owners and instructors feel they need to know
    • What does the SPSF believe needs to be included

 

Research methods

Secondary source of data:

  • Descriptive
  • Conducted research/analysis (above)
  • Literature review

Primary source of data:

  • Survey or Interviews

 

 

 

To explore how to deliver the online training and which Information Systems Management can be utilised

 

  • Online adult pedagogy in sport – how to best deliver the training
    • How do adults best learn online when the topic involves sport
    • How can the training be delivered to meet the needs (how can information be stored, distributed, and displayed)
    • Prototype creation of online platform (‘on paper’)

 

Research methods

Secondary source of data:

  • Literature review

Primary source of data:

  • Experiment

 

  • Are swiss aerial dance studio owners and instructors open to the idea of such a training

 

Research methods

Primary source of data:

  • Survey and/or Interview

 

 

  • What online platforms are available that would fit the needs?
    • Training can be stored, distributed, and displayed appropriately (as explored above)
    • Admin area offers everything needed (tracking is available etc.)
    • How is client data saved and stored?

 

Research methods

Secondary source of data:

  • Literature review