How Could Meta-Assessment Enhance the Coaching-Learning Process? A Longitudinal Study in a Youth Female Volleyball Team

The importance of adaptable assessment practices is widely acknowledged, but there is scarce research on how meta-assessment procedures may be applied in educational settings. This research delves into real-life meta-assessment processes within a learning and training context, aiming to provide insights into the implementation, adaptation, barriers, and opportunities of assessment procedures in 24 female minivolleyball players. Over a near-complete volleyball season, the cohort was randomized into an experimental group where planning could be changed daily, and a contrast group where planning could be changed monthly. Reflexive Diary and Field Notes, from practices contributed to analyze the assessment process and how it evolved in time. The conjugated information from daily, subjective assessments was complemented with weekly Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI) assessments. Every month, based on how the groups evolved, the GPAI variables, categories, and criteria were adapted to better suit the evolving pedagogical needs. This iterative meta-assessment process yielded five distinct versions of the GPAI throughout the season, reflecting the evolving needs and progress of the players. More than technical refinement, this process represents an innovative and context-responsive approach to assessment design. It highlights the novelty of applying meta-assessment in a real-world sport setting, where adaptability and responsiveness are crucial. The meta-assessment process played a central role in informing flexible and individualized planning, allowing pedagogical decisions to be continuously aligned with emerging learning insights. Standardized assessment allows greater comparability and is prevalent in scientific research, but unstandardized, dynamically evolving assessment may better suit the needs of specific teams and players.