EDF1071 - Introduction to health and physical education - 2017

This unit introduces students to the three curriculum areas of health, physical education, and health and physical education, and provides foundation knowledge for subsequent curriculum units. The unit is the first in a sequence of studies that provides students with essential skills, knowledge and understandings to critically engage with new and established curriculum frameworks, models and pedagogical approaches. A focus on socio-critical and socio-ecological approaches and practical workshop sessions are designed to challenge students' thinking about health and physical education, introduce students to a range of pedagogies, and facilitate the application of theoretical insights to pedagogical practice. National and state curriculum and assessment frameworks provide a focus for investigation of the theoretical underpinnings of contemporary developments, and the influence of competing disciplinary perspectives and political, social and cultural factors on health and physical education curriculum texts and pedagogical practices. Exploration of international developments is used to extend insights into curriculum, pedagogy and assessment models and practices.

Upon successful completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of current national and state curriculum and assessment frameworks for health and physical education
2. identify competing interests and discourses associated with health and physical education curriculum and recognise the influence of different discourses on curriculum developments and pedagogical practices
3. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of socio-critical and socio-ecological perspectives as they relate to contemporary health and physical education curriculum and pedagogy
4. demonstrate their ability to apply and critically evaluate the use of different curriculum models and pedagogical approaches associated with health and physical education.

Practical and written workshop task: application and evaluation of curriculum models and pedagogical approaches (1600 words, 40%)

Essay: critical review of selected curriculum developments (2400 words, 60%)

Minimum total expected workload equals 144 hours per semester comprising:

1. Contact hours for on-campus students:
   • one 2-hour workshop per week for 12 weeks
2. Additional requirements:
   • weekly independent study consisting of readings, preparation for workshops and for assessment tasks
   • group learning activities assigned as preparation for and/or follow-up to workshop sessions

See also Unit timetable information

Dr Justen O'Connor

Primary and secondary health and physical education

Secondary health and physical education