Abstract

BATISTA, Paula M.; GRACA, Amândio  and  MATOS, Zélia. Terms and characteristics associated with competence. Comparative study among sport’s professionals who work in different contexts of sport. Rev. Port. Cien. Desp. [online]. 2008, vol.8, n.3, pp.377-395. ISSN 1645-0523.

Nowadays new contexts of professional intervention are gaining space and meaning for sports professionals. The profession is growing in complexity, requiring competent professionals able to answer to these new requirements. The lack of consensus around the concept of competence acquires greater visibility and urges the search for the elements that can contribute to the (re)construction of a valid and useful concept of competence, with potential to renovate professional field of sport. The main purpose of this study was to inspect the concept of competence ruling in four professional sports areas: Physical Education, Fitness, Coach training, and Adapted Physical Activity. A hundred and twenty sport professionals (30 by occupational area) were interviewed about the terms and characteristics they associate to competence. Content analysis procedures were used in data analysis. The results show a wide variety of terms and characteristics associated with the notion of competence, revealing the prominent place of ethical dimension and knowledge as a core component in all occupational areas.

Keywords : concept of competence; professional competence; knowledge; sport occupational areas.

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