Training soccer referees and assistant referees from the flipped learning approach

Abstract

Abstract: FlippedREF is a training project that was developed within the Navarre Committee of Soccer Referees (Spain) during the 2018-2019 season. The main objective of this plan is to carry out an educational experience from the Flipped Learning pedagogical approach, in the area of ​​technical training for soccer referees and assistants. Thus, this article makes an approach to the scenario resulting from its development, which is characterized by a modular structure and by the two spaces and differentiated training times. In the first, participants establish a first contact with the didactic material prepared by the teaching team for each module, and work on it before the corresponding training session. In the second, trainers accompany, streamline, and guide the activities proposed in each of the face-to-face sessions for teamwork, organize the debates and moderate the discussions. In this way, a horizontal communicative and educational approach is sought, and contrary to the unidirectional and transmissive model that has characterized the training of this group for the work on the content of the rules of the game. The results of the evaluation of the experience are very positive in relation to the degree of the objectives proposed in the project, the educational resources used, and the methodological strategies addressed to promote participation, interaction, and collaboration among participants. However, greater differences are found when evaluating some of the tools used in the work sessions. This proposal, and its pedagogical approach, aims to be transferable to other contexts in the field of physical activity and sport.