Some say that we're currently going through a digital revolution. This has led to unbelievable amounts of information for public access. This would appear to be a device that could only be used to increase the education and understanding of someone wanting to increase their knowledge on a subject. The problem can be that there is too much information, that no matter what conclusions one study might come to, there will be 100 studies contradicting those conclusions.
Also the digital age allows everyone to have their say. In the past only academics and professional would be able to reach the masses with published literature. Now every 2nd person with an internet connection is an expert. This has led to a lot of information out there that is not scientifically significant or true, yet easily leads people to believing it.
Conspiracy theories for example, are usually created and become popular in somewhere like YouTube. There is no actual data or real evidence provided but the creator provide information that draws together coincidences, put some scary music together with some loose physical 'evidence' and suddenly thousands of people are calling for a revolution. In the week 10 lecture we looked at the US wealth distribution video and it was moving and believable for everyone watching it. I even took notes on the 'facts' it provided, thinking it would be referenced to later in the lecture. Keith then revealed that the video had been criticized and the data was determined not to be scientifically significant, or was represent in the wrong way. Funnily enough, a couple weeks later a co-worker of mine burnt me a copy of the new SIRIUS conspiracy theory DVD and it feature the same US wealth distribution video and used it as 'evidence' for their argument. This example shows the amount of convincing, unreliable data out there.
As Wolfram (2002) says, there is so much data, its making basic things very complex. As coaches and teachers I believe we have to stick to what we know and keep it simple. We should rely firstly on personal experience and primary data. If using secondary data, use scientific literature that shows its methods so you can be sure its results are scientifically significant. Meta-analysis can also be used to gain understanding as a coach. These are handy as they collect the bulk of the information for you and sort through all the contradictions to reveal some truths and draw to a conclusion that can hopefully be confirmed and confidently used for guidance. Ultimately what you know and are comfortable with as a coach is important to trust and use. Change is healthy, though don't feel you have to change your coaching philosophy with every bit of new research. The information might not be significant, true or helpful. Use your common sense and trust in what ever thinking is used to guide your teaching and coaching.
References
Wolfram, S. (2002). A new kind of science. Champaign, IL: Wolfram Media.
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