Plagiarism in Coaching and Teaching: A Catalyst for Progression

Teaching is a unique field where it is not only encouraged but essential to borrow and build upon the ideas of others for its progression. This phenomenon is observed worldwide and sheds light on the strength and conditioning industry. With access to various coaches worldwide through social media, there are numerous ways to learn how to squat, rotate or not to rotate, and more.

Practitioners in this field often incorporate techniques they have seen on social media into their training. While it may seem paradoxical, this aspect can be seen as a form of "plagiarism" in a constructive and ethical sense, most times with a tag of who they learned it from.

Education thrives on the collective knowledge and experience of educators, scholars, and experts who have contributed to a vast pool of pedagogical techniques and content. The same happens with strength and conditioning, where new ways to apply methods and principles are discovered by building upon the collective knowledge and experience of experts in the field.

The celebration of this "plagiarism" in teaching arises from several factors. Firstly, education is inherently repetitive and cumulative; each generation of educators refines and evolves the methods and materials of their predecessors. Secondly, it recognizes that no single individual can possess the entire spectrum of knowledge and innovative teaching strategies. Thus, borrowing and adapting ideas from others enriches the teaching process.

Furthermore, teaching acknowledges the importance of adapting and contextualizing knowledge to suit the diverse needs of students. In this way, even when ideas are borrowed, they are transformed and personalized, making them unique to each coach/educator's style and their students' needs.

Teaching has a unique approach to the concept of plagiarism, driven by its focus on educating and empowering future generations, instead of merely serving individual interests. This approach highlights the collaborative nature of education and the belief that knowledge should be available and adaptable to all. In essence, it underscores the importance of making education accessible to everyone.