Year
2024Credit points
20Campus offering
Prerequisites
(EXSC198 - Physiological Bases of Exercise OR EXSC225 Physiological Bases of Exercise ) AND EXSC205 Industry Experience Preparation AND ANAT100 Anatomical Foundations of Exercise Science
Teaching organisation
300 hours of focused learning
Unit rationale, description and aim
To be a competent professional, the knowledge and skills students have gained throughout their degree must be able to be transferred to a professional context, with increasing autonomy and confidence. Professional practice provides students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge, skills, and attributes of a professional in a work context and gain the necessary experience under the supervision of qualified professionals, in order to begin the transition from learner to practitioner. Experiential learning through real world professional experience will enable students to develop expertise relevant for the exercise and health industry. The aim of the unit is to provide an authentic learning experience in which students can integrate evidence-based learnings in applied professional settings, in order to critically reflect on their career path through feedback from their supervisor towards development as a professional.
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.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Demonstrate professional practice knowledge, skills and attributes for employment opportunities in health and exercise science | GC2, GC7, GC11 |
| LO2 | Design and implement an evidence-based professional practice service which integrates knowledge, skills, and attributes of health and exercise science | GC2, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC12 |
| LO3 | Critically reflect on feedback from a variety of sources including placement supervisor(s), peers, and self to improve your professional practice in a work context | GC7, GC9 |
| LO4 | Demonstrate competency of professional practice in a health and exercise science work context. | GC2, GC3, GC4, GC7, GC8, GC12 |
Content
This unit requires the completion of a minimum of 140 hours of industry experience placements. Content delivery is arranged as required to support these placements and the underpinning theoretical components (as introduced in EXSC205 Industry Experience Preparation). This content includes:
- application of principles and practices in health and exercise science
- professionalism in work contexts
- Critically reflection of competency, based on a variety of feedback
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
EXSC399 Industry Experience sits in one semester of the timetable, however students have the full year to complete the minimum 140 hours of professional practicum experience in the field.
Learning and teaching strategies include:
- Authentic learning and case-based learning through application of knowledge, understanding and skills of course learnings under the supervision of a qualified professional in a professional workplace environment for a minimum of 140 hours
- Active learning which will allow students to develop effective professional verbal and nonverbal communication skills by interaction with both clients and professionals in the exercise science field.
- Critical reflective thinking activities which will give a greater awareness of the scope of practice of an Exercise professional and the integration of the principles of Catholic Social Thought and the University’s Mission
These strategies will allow students to meet the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of 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 actively during practicum placements.
Assessment strategy and rationale
Students will have a variety of assessment activities to demonstrate completion and achievement of the learning outcomes for the unit. This unit draws upon on both internal opportunities and placement experiences to facilitate continual reflection upon a student's professional practice and skills, promoting their professional growth. The assessment strategy aligns with the concepts of job-readiness, actively doing the job of a professional and continuing professional development.
The Professional Portfolio: Enables students to assemble a professional portfolio for an industry job and prepare relevant documents in preparing for a mock interview. This task will enable students to understand the job market and to prepare high-quality documents in preparation for applying for professional industry roles
Design and implement an Evidence-Based Service: Students will design and implement an evidence-based service for a client/cohort through practical application experiences. This activity will enable them to practice and explore different service delivery methods through simulated and practicum experiences with feedback provided by supervisors, staff, and peers.
Professional Development: Being life-long learners is critical in ensuring that students remain contemporary and is often a mandatory part of professional practice accreditation requirements. This task will enable students to reflect upon their strengths and opportunities for them to improve upon and develop professional practice activities to address these areas.
Professional Practice Reflection: Students will present a summary from their industry experience and reflect upon their knowledge, skills and attributes. This summary will allow students to reflect on their practicum from both an academic and industry experience perspective as they near the end of their practicum hours. This will both clarify and deepen their understanding of their professional practice and the key skills they require to enter the workforce.
Competency Assessment: Competency as an exercise professional is evaluated by supervisors while on placement and within the unit of study. Students will receive feedback from supervisors, staff and peers on their professional practice skills and attributes. They will have the opportunity to demonstrate their professional practice skills through recorded and simulation experiences. Critical reflection and integration of feedback is essential as part of professional practice within the unit.
Students will be required to pass all assessment tasks in order to meet all learning outcomes and to pass the unit. The Extended Unit Outline will provide information as to the number of attempts permitted for each Hurdle Task.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Professional Portfolio Enables students to assemble a professional portfolio for a mock industry-specific job in a competitive opportunity, demonstrating knowledge of the skills and understanding required for a job in the field of exercise science. | 20% | LO1, LO4 |
Design and implement an evidence-based service Enables the student to demonstrate their professional practice skills relevant for their scope of practice through simulated and practicum experiences and reflect upon their performance | 40% | LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Professional Development Allows students to identify aspects of their professional practice which they determine require improvement and plan professional development activities to improve their practice | 40% | LO3, LO4 |
Professional Practice Reflection Present a summary from your industry experience and reflect upon your knowledge, skills and attributes. | Ungraded Hurdle Task | LO1, LO3 |
Professional Competency Students must demonstrate the application of discipline-specific knowledge, understanding and skills. Supervisors will complete an evaluation of student’s performance while undertaking practicum. | Ungraded Hurdle Task | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
Representative texts and references
ACU Assessment Policy. https://www.acu.edu.au/handbook/handbook-2022/policies-and-general-information/assessment---policy-and-procedure .
ACU Catholic Intellectual Tradition last updates 28/6/17 http://www.acu.edu.au/about_acu/our_university/mission_and_profile/catholic_intellectual_tradition
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) (2020). Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (11th ed.). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams.
Coombes and Skinner (2014) ESSA student manual for health, exercise and sport assessment. Mosby and ESSA.