Unit rationale, description and aim
In prescribing and delivering sport performance programs, effective practice requires the use of evidence-based behavioural strategies that align with the unique needs of those in performance settings. This is consistent with the professional standards for any accreditations, including those for Exercise Science. This unit aims to provide students with an understanding of the psychological influences on performance and well-being in sport settings. Students will explore evidence-based psychological, interpersonal, and leadership skills for use in performance settings, as well as the role of psychology in contemporary sport issues.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Critique athletes’ use of psychological skills and...
Learning Outcome 01
Evaluate interpersonal skills and leadership pract...
Learning Outcome 02
Examine contemporary issues in sport from a psycho...
Learning Outcome 03
Understand theories and evidence underlying the ps...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Mental skills for performance enhancement and well-being in sport settings
- Interpersonal skills development
- Models of leadership in sport
- Contemporary issues in sport
- Multicultural and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in sport.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements.
The first two assessment tasks require students to critique athletes’ use of psychological skills and how they affect performance and wellbeing. The third assessment task has students evaluate interpersonal skills and leadership practices in relation to performance and wellbeing. The final assessment task asks students to examine contemporary issues in sport from a psychological perspective. In addition to these summative assessment tasks, students will have the opportunity to engage in the dynamic world of exercise and sport science by participating in or observing applied work.
Strategies aligned with transition pedagogies will be utilised to facilitate successful completion of the unit assessment tasks. For each assessment, there will be the incorporation of developmentally staged tasks with a focus on a progressive approach to learning. This will be achieved through activities, including regular feedback, particularly early in the unit of study to support their learning; strategies to develop and understand discipline-specific concepts and terminology; in-class practice tasks with integrated feedback; and greater peer-to-peer collaboration.
Overview of assessments
Assessment 1: Athlete Performance Task 1 Enable...
Assessment 1: Athlete Performance Task 1
Enables students to critique athletes’ use of psychological skills and how they affect performance and wellbeing
10%
Assessment 2: Athlete Performance Task 2 Enable...
Assessment 2: Athlete Performance Task 2
Enables students to critique athletes’ use of psychological skills and how they affect performance and wellbeing
15%
Assessment 3: Leadership Task Enables students ...
Assessment 3: Leadership Task
Enables students to evaluate interpersonal skills and leadership practices in relation to performance and wellbeing
35%
Assessment 4: Case Study Task Enables students ...
Assessment 4: Case Study Task
Enables students to examine contemporary issues in sport from a psychological perspective
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The learning and teaching strategies of this unit are designed to allow students to meet the aims, learning outcomes of the unit and graduate attributes of the University. They are intended to reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to engage actively with unit content and learning activities.
The unit contains three distinct modules that complement the learning outcomes. The first module considers the psychological skills athletes can employ to enhance their own performance and well-being. The second module focuses on the leadership styles and practices coaches can use to influence the performance and well-being of athletes. The third module takes a contextual perspective and considers contemporary issues and challenges that professionals in high performance settings might face and how to react to them. Learning is scaffolded within and across activities with the intention of combining knowledge and promoting deep and critical thought. Strong emphasis is placed on scientific enquiry and the links between theory, evidence, and practice. To support this emphasis, learning activities engage students in independent thought, collaborative discussions, and applied practice.
Further to this, to ensure students are ready to transition from the Diploma and articulate into the second year of undergraduate study, transition pedagogies will be incorporated into the unit as the key point of differentiation from the standard unit. This focuses on an active and engaging approach to learning and teaching practices, and a scaffolded approach to the delivery of curriculum to enhance student learning in a supportive environment. This will ensure that students develop foundation level discipline-based knowledge, skills and attributes, and simultaneously the academic competencies required of students to succeed in this unit.