If you really want to learn the rules, help teach the rules to others!

IAABO #111 is venturing into the world of using online software to teach basketball rules and mechanics.  Moodle, an online course management sytstem, will serve as the main artery for the sharing portion of the prospective officials’ course.  With content and learning materials available online, learners take on the role as assistant teacher when posting questions and answers and discussing the intricacies of rules and the purpose of the rules.

Online learning reduces travel expenses for those that live in rural areas and allows the learner to access the learning process at her/his leisure (preferably at times when there won’t be a lot of interruptions.  With all the web 2.0 tools (ie. Google Apps., Bubble.us, del.ici.ous, wikis, blogs, forums), discussion evolves into collaborative writing and learning.

Other benefits include the relative ease of sharing documents and other digital information. Online reduction reduces the wasteful stream of paperwork and allows students to access, study, and communicate their learning at their leisure.  Some students will put forth a valiant effort since they are excited to learn and their energy can lead the participants and on an over-achieving and reflective journey.  Home-based learning just might be one of the healthiest winter activities only second to running up and down a basketball court.  This says it all, “Basketball officials get the best of both worlds–basketball and financial compensation for doing something you will love to do.

Obviously we will not replace all face-to-face meetings because we have to learn court mechanics on a basketball court with other students and rule situations are always integrated during on-court sessions.  The essence of basketball officiating is  Consistently enforcing rules and dealing appropriately with all kinds of learners (spectators) is the essence of basketball officiating.  People skills are part of the package.  It is imperative that people discuss and describe rule situations accurately and thoroughly.

The course remains available online so people can constantly refer back to previous learning linking new experiences to the foundation that comes with the prospect of becoming a certified IAABO official.  I especially would feel good about eliminating most of the wasteful printing of documents and handouts.  People print only if they want a hard copy.  Today’s officials are used to reading online and must be online regularly to monitor games being assigned which is also done online.

Overall, a collaborative course with pre-determined lessons allows participants and teachers to fit the learning into their lives wherever it fits best.   Officials in the course should be expected to reflect on their work discussing their learning experiences.  Add a mentoring program to Moodle, regular meetings, and real game experience and you have an efficient learning process where learning is dynamic and demanding by nature.  I have learned that additional rule study will never make you a worse official.

My prediction:  You will see some poor officials who may know all the rules, but you will never see a great official who doesn’t know the rules.

Explore posts in the same categories: Association Improvements, Basketball Rules, Commentary, Mechanics, Official Interpretations

Tags: Add new tag, basketball officiating, iaabo, mentoring, Moodle, NFHS, online learning, web 2.0

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