Year
2021Credit points
10Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitPrerequisites
UNCC100 Self and Community: Exploring the Anatomy of Modern Society & Completion of Faculty of Health Sciences Pre-Placement Requirements
Teaching organisation
150 hours of focused learning.
Unit rationale, description and aim
Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science students and graduates will fulfil roles where they need to apply and communicate discipline specific knowledge and skills with supervisors and clients drawn from broad demographics. An Exercise Scientist should strive to understand the individuality of these people and the sociocultural factors governing who they are and what their needs may be. Crucial to the development of these skills is the opportunity for exposure to individuals and groups whose experiences, values, culture and constraints are different to their own. Exercise Scientists also need to appreciate the meaningful impact that their practice can have on myriad national and international communities.
An exercise science community engagement (CE) placement exposes students to new experiences and helps build capacity within the student and their partner community. It challenges them to gain an expanded and enhanced understanding of their community and the people within it and drives the development of key qualities, such as empathy, which are critical to exercise science practice. A CE placement also provides an opportunity for students to engage with the ACU Mission and identity, that which is unique to our University while also applying professional skills learnt within their degree so far.
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.
On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
LO1 - Explain the principles and focus of community engagement and its links to the ACU Mission and Catholic Social Thought (GA1, GA2, GA3, GA7, GA8, GA9, GA10)
LO2 - Identify the impact of community engagement practice both on oneself and partner communities (GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9, GA10)
LO3 - Analyse the sociological determinants impacting the physical activity, health and/or performance of individuals within different societal systems including multicultural, disability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4, GA5, GA6, GA7, GA8, GA9, GA10)
LO4 - Plan, and conduct an Exercise Science relevant community engagement experience (GA1, GA2, GA3, GA8, GA9, GA10)
LO5 - Critically reflect and evaluate a community engagement experience with specific reference to the importance of communication and empathy, the role of an Exercise Scientist, their values, assumptions and attitudes of transformation and the principles underpinning ACU’s Mission (GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4, GA8, GA9, GA10)
Graduate attributes
GA1 - Demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity
GA2 - Recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society
GA3 - Apply ethical perspectives in informed decision making
GA4 - Think critically and reflectively
GA5 - Demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession
GA6 - Solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account
GA7 - Work both autonomously and collaboratively
GA8 - Locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information
GA9 - Demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media
GA10 - Utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively
Content
Topics will include:
- Principles of community engagement and how it relates to the ACU Mission
- Community & Health – the role of CE within different societal groups
- Barriers and enablers for community engagement in the area of exercise science
- Effects of community engagement on self
- Preparation for practice and reflection
- Organising and participating in 40 hours of community engagement activities
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit is delivered in both face-to-face and online modes that employ an active learning approach. It is designed to provide students with access to the knowledge and understanding, resources and preparatory requirements necessary for understanding, planning, completing and evaluating meaningful community engagement experiences. Direct active learning through structured online modules and classroom activities facilitate these outcomes. These strategies will allow students to meet the aims, learning outcomes and graduate attributes associated with the unit. Learning and teaching strategies will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate accordingly.
Assessment strategy and rationale
Tasks are designed to elicit and support the learnings which occur before, during and after community engagement experiences. Assessment tasks 1 and 2 have been designed to ensure that students engage with the unit content and understand the ethical and legal frameworks surrounding community engagement experiences. Tasks 3 and 4 enable effective planning and completion of an authentic community engagement placement. The final task (Task 5) facilitates successfully evaluation of the outcomes of this experience and planning of future impactful projects.
Within this assessment strategy, students are required to successfully complete the online ‘ACU Child-safe Organisations’ module and complete 40 hours of approved community engagement placement as hurdle requirements.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes | Graduate Attributes |
|---|---|---|---|
Core requirement: completion of ‘ACU Child-safe Organisations’ module | Hurdle | LO1, LO2 | GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9, GA10 |
Online Exam: students will respond to community engagement case scenarios which apply an exercise science perspective which assesses their knowledge, and ability to explain their understanding, of preparatory content. | 30% | LO1, LO2, LO3 | GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4, GA5, GA6, GA7, GA8, GA9, GA10 |
Planning Submission: provide description of the community engagement placement activity, the preparation for undertaking it and the expected outcomes. | 20% | LO1, LO2, LO3 | GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4, GA5, GA6, GA7, GA8, GA9, GA10 |
Exercise Science Community Engagement Placement: organise and undertake a minimum of 40 hours of suitable exercise science community engagement placement. Document this in a placement journal. | Hurdle | LO2, LO4 | GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9, GA10 |
Post Community Engagement Critical Reflection: students will write a reflection on their community engagement experience. Students will also develop a proposal for a CE project which would enhance the community and organisation which you worked with. | 50% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 | GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4, GA5, GA6, GA7, GA8, GA9, GA10 |
Representative texts and references
ACU Catholic Intellectual Tradition
http://www.acu.edu.au/about_acu/our_university/mission_and_profile/catholic_intellectual_tradition
ACU Community Engagement
http://www.acu.edu.au/about_acu/our_university/community_engagement
Egan, L., Butcher, J., & Ralph, K. (2008). Hope as a basis for understanding the benefits and possibilities of community engagement. Strathfield, NSW: The Institute for Advancing
Community Engagement, Australian Catholic University
Exercise & Sports Science Australia. (2021) ESSA Code of Professional Conduct and Ethical Practice. https://www.essa.org.au/Public/Professional_Standards/ESSA_Code_of_Professional_Conduct___Ethical_Practice.aspx
Hoekema, D. (2010) Is there an ethicist in the house? How can we tell? in Kiss, E, Euben, J. P. Eds. 2010 Debating Moral Education: Rethinking the Role of the Modern University).