Unit rationale, description and aim
In an increasingly complex, sedentary and rapidly changing world, it is critical that pre-service teachers learn how to teach children to not only be able to cope with life’s challenges but also to flourish as healthy, safe and active citizens in the 21st century. To effectively teach Health and Physical Education, pre-service teachers must have an understanding of development and movement, as well as knowledge of factors that influence health, safety, wellbeing and participation in physical activity.
In this unit, pre-service teachers will acquire knowledge, skills and understanding of national and relevant state curricula and policy necessary to teach health and physical education. Pre-service teachers will develop communication, planning and problem-solving skills relevant to this curriculum area as they learn about the importance and examine issues of health, wellbeing, development, and movement education in primary school and early years settings, including transition to school, family and community. Pre-service teachers will engage in both practical and theoretical workshops to learn both about and through movement, along with participating in face-to-face lectures, independent reading and engagement with online materials.
This is an introductory level unit that provides the relevant knowledge, skills and understanding needed for pre-service teachers to be able to promote wellbeing and teach Health and Physical Education in the primary school and early years contexts.
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.
Identify knowledge of the physical, social and int...
Learning Outcome 01
Explain content of the current curriculum, learnin...
Learning Outcome 02
Organise Health and Physical Education content int...
Learning Outcome 03
Apply knowledge of strategies to develop appropria...
Learning Outcome 04
Incorporate a range of verbal and non-verbal commu...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Health and Physical Education curriculum development, implementation and assessment including risk management and safety policies and procedures; health promotion and child protection and the involvement of parents/carers in the educative process
- Exploration of the Health and Physical Education curriculum including content strands and sub-strands and relevant national and state-based curricula documents and early years learning frameworks
- Exploration of relevant policy and program documents for health and physical education in the early years
- Exploration of child development (specifically motor skill development) in the early years and primary school contexts
- Health focus areas will include alcohol and other drugs; food and nutrition; health benefits of physical activity; mental health and wellbeing; relationships and sexuality; healthy choices; and child safety, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic violence and bullying (including cyberbullying)
- Physical Education focus areas will include active play and minor games; challenge and adventure skills; fundamental movement skills; ball handling skills; games and sports education; lifelong physical activities; and rhythmic and expressive movement such as dance and gymnastics
- Development of fundamental movement skills and health education in the early years
- Strategies to manage Health and Physical Education activities in varying learning contexts, with a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement
- Consideration of a range of curriculum perspectives, including literacy, numeracy, ICT, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education, students with special education needs, and behaviour management in outdoor settings, will be applied to the Health and Physical Education components of the Curriculum
- Exploration of the context of prevention and the implementation of teaching and management practices to reduce risk and enhance protective factors
- Development and understanding of strategies to engage with parents/carers in order to work effectively, sensitively and confidentially to build strong partnerships
- Legislation and policy in the area of child protection and duty of care is addressed within the context of prevention and the pre-service teachers are prepared as mandatory reporters of students at risk or harm.
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment in this unit is designed to allow students to demonstrate that they have the required knowledge and understanding of the Health and Physical Education curriculum to plan effective teaching and learning sequences in health and physical education. The assessment also provides the opportunity to measure students’ ability to implement their planning. This is done by demonstration of their pedagogical skills relevant to health and physical education via peer teaching.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate the achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, students are required to submit all assessment tasks and achieve a cumulative mark of more than 50%. In addition, assessment in this unit includes a Critical Task: Assessment Task 3 Lesson Plans/Unit of work. This task is core to the demonstration of a number of Australian Professional Teacher Standards. Pre-service teachers must demonstrate mastery of every summative standard listed in the learning outcomes and attain a score of at least 50% in Task 3 in order to pass this unit.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 Developmental map and activity...
Assessment Task 1
Developmental map and activity resource:
Students will develop a map of developmentally appropriate activities for children aged B-12 years of age, including physical activity resources for each stage of development.
20%
Assessment Task 2 Teaching Presentation: Physic...
Assessment Task 2
Teaching Presentation:
Physical Education activity – based on developmental guide.
Students will present one of their developmentally appropriate activities and teach it to their peers.
30%
Assessment Task 3 Lesson Plans / Unit of work C...
Assessment Task 3
Lesson Plans / Unit of work
Critical Task:
Students will develop a unit of work based on an allocated Health and Wellbeing component of the HPE curriculum. This unit will address:
- sensitive issues
- literacy and numeracy demands of and strategies in HPE
- strategies to ensure safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT
- assessment
- behaviour management
- strategies to support inclusive participation and support the needs of diverse learners in HPE <
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Pre-service teachers will undertake a range of teaching and learning strategies, due to the nature and practical demands of the unit. These will include lectures, individual and group work, workshops, and problem-solving, from both a school and university perspective. Practical activities will be a feature of this unit, whereby pre-service teachers will be able to synthesise health and physical education theory and apply their knowledge and skills. The unit is specifically designed to provide reflective learning experiences for students to construct their own understandings of effective pedagogy meeting students’ needs, underpinning the learning required to complete the assessment tasks and meet the learning outcomes of the unit
Technology Enhanced Learning
Technology will be used throughout the unit. Lectures will be recorded and accessible for review via the Learning Management System. Practical workshops and tutorials are not possible to record.
Face-to-face/Online Learning support
Students enrolled in both face to face and online learning modes are required to regularly log into the Learning Management System to access recorded lectures and important announcements, to communicate with other students and lecturers, and to submit assessments and access feedback and grades. Students who are enrolled in either face to face or online learning will have equal access to support from the lecturer in charge and tutors.
Additional equipment requirements for online learning:
- Reliable broadband access is recommended.
- Headset with microphone to listen to podcasts, view videos and interact in synchronous classes.
ACU Online
This unit uses an active learning approach to support students in the exploration of knowledge essential to the discipline. Students are provided with choice and variety in how they learn. Students are encouraged to contribute to asynchronous weekly discussions. Active learning opportunities provide students with opportunities to practice and apply their learning in situations similar to their future professions. Activities encourage students to bring their own examples to demonstrate understanding, application and engage constructively with their peers. Students receive regular and timely feedback on their learning, which includes information on their progress.
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
ACECQA Curriculum Specifications
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following specific knowledge:
Representative texts and references
Required text(s)
Australian Curriculum https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/.
Australian Curriculum – Health and Physical Education https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/health-and-physical-education/.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) www.acara.edu.au.
Relevant State and Territory curriculum documents.
Recommended references
Dudley, D., Telford, A., Peralta, L., Stonehouse, C., & Winslade, M. (2020). Teaching quality health and physical education (2nd ed.). South Melbourne, VIC: Cengage Learning Australia.
McMaster, N. (2019). Teaching health and physical education in early childhood and the primary years. Australia: Oxford University Press.
Meldrum, K., & Peters, J. (2014). Learning to teach health and physical education: The student, the teacher and the curriculum. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Australia.
Miller, J., Wilson-Gahan, S., & Garrett, R. (2018). Health and physical education (3rd ed.). Port Melbourne, Vic: Cambridge University Press.