Ben Oakley's OpenLearn Profile

Ben is Professor in Sports Performance Education. He originally established Sport and Fitness qualifications at the Open University in 2007having previously lecturedat Portsmouth and Southampton Solent Universities. Ben is Professor in Sports Performance Education. He originally established Sport and Fitness qualifications at the Open University in 2007having previously lecturedat Portsmouth and Southampton Solent Universities. He originally worked in sport for a national governing body, the RYA,for 8 years as National Coach in windsurfing including attending the Seoul and Barcelona Olympic Games. His coaching background and detailed knowledge of online learning has helped guide the development ofthe subject area at the OU including the approach to work-related learning. Hisacademic research originallyfocused on sport policy and in particular the development of elite sport systems in different countries. More recently he has supported coach CPD workshops and free online learning resourcesExploring sport coaching and psychologyandCommunication and working relationships in sport and fitness. He is currently working on two further online learning projects focusing on i) coach developers and ii) learning from athlete and coachburnout.He sits on the Advisory board for the Applied Coaching Research Journal. A further aspect of his roleshas been acting as amedia fellowfor the University in developing links between academics and media output.He has been anacademic consultant with theBBC Olympic Dreamsprogrammes andChannel 4's Chasing Perfection.He has also beeninterviewed onBBC Radio4Todayprogramme, numerous regional programmes andcontributed to the BBC Sport website. In 2014he pulled together existing researchand the patterns of 25 sporting autobiographiesinto a book,Podium: What shapes asporting champion?published by Bloomsbury - seehere.