BA (Hons) Physical Education

This module enables students to develop self-awareness and to identify those personal qualities, attributes and skills required for successful progression to Level 4 academic study

The module provides students with the opportunity to reflect on their existing abilities, and to further develop key academic and study skills.

This module allows students to learn about employment prospects in their chosen area of interest. This includes research about what employers are looking for in future recruits – including technical skills, transferable skills, personal attributes and business awareness – as an important pre-cursor for being able to present themselves effectively to employers using a CV, application form, social media networking and during a job interview.

Students will also develop entrepreneurial skills, being able to formulate a properly evidenced proposal to address the needs of identified consumers, for example, some innovation, service improvement or new business opportunity. They will be able to pitch their idea in a professional manner and using a range of appropriate visual aids.

This module provides students with the opportunity to analyse a problem that relates to their specialist subject area, making use of information gathered from various sources using different methods and strategies.

Once the problem is fully understood, as well as the requirements and expectations of the stakeholders, a project can then be planned and completed in a structured manner in order to implement some intervention to bring improvements and benefits to the inspected situation.

Throughout, students will be required to effectively communicate and report their progress with their project, and make use of the advice and guidance provided by an appropriate project supervisor.

A role of a sports coach isn’t just about picking the right team or laying out the cones, they must also be the guardian of the team, young and senior, and be able to apply a number of techniques to their players to ensure they are maximising their ability.

This module will introduce students to the fundamental principles of sports coaching and the role and responsibilities of the coach within a range of contexts, including legal obligations, problem solving, analysing, professional conduct and the ability to develop the skills necessary to plan, deliver and review the successful delivery of a sports coaching session.

In this module students will develop a knowledge and understanding of the fundamental athletic movements and games skills, as well as developing class organisation and delivery skills. As a prospective Physical Education teacher, sports leader or youth community coach they will need the knowledge and skills to teach in several sports, games and movement areas. This module is the opportunity to introduce, appreciate and understand the rules and roles of different games and athletic pursuits and start to explore fundamental movements that underpin sport and physical activity.

This module will study the evidence base and science concerning the practice of how best to teach and how people learn. Students will consider the specifics of how to teach sport within the wider context of using sport for general education. There will be an opportunity to share, review and reflect on students’ own experiences of physical education and youth sport. The module will consider the influence of background knowledge and experience, the situation, and the environment, as well as the learning goals set by the teacher / coach and the sports student. Students will explore the knowledge and understanding to facilitate effective and efficient learning in the individuals they teach or coach. This module will directly link different aspects of pedagogy and skill learning theory with practical teaching activities. Students will also develop an awareness of the wider issues in teaching including youth sport policy and ‘Olympism’.

This module will develop core understanding of curriculum design and assessment. Students will explore the different approaches to physical education and investigate how delivery and assessment changes across the key stages. They will also consider approaches to curriculum design and will address how curriculum changes have evolved and will identify varying methods of assessment and how that data is used. They will also evaluate up-to-date recommendations in line with current educational reform.

This module explores fundamental elements of sports science in relation to physical education. You will be introduced to the basics of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics and sports psychology and demonstrate how these key themes can be delivered across different key stages and at examination level. You will explore the main body systems and the effects of exercise and specifically look at some of the fundamentals of biomechanics and movement. In addition, you will look at how performance and participation are affected by psychology and psychological factor

This module will explore the roles and responsibilities that are inherent in the day-to-day working with children and the need for safeguarding and child protection legislation. Case studies of working with children, including teaching and coaching will be examined. Students will explore the challenges of supporting children’s physical and emotional wellbeing, overcoming challenges, looking after their rights, and helping to enable children to develop into successful and fulfilled adults. There will also be consideration of the child development process and as an underpinning part of sports teaching and coaching, students will explore learning difficulties and disabilities.

This module builds on movement and teaching skills explored in earlier studies and leads you on to a critical understanding and of gymnastics and dance in the context of Physical Education, the National Curriculum (particularly Key Stage 1 and 2) and in youth sports development. Through practical application, experience and demonstrations you will explore and gain knowledge and an understanding of expressive movement, choreography and skill acquisition in dance and gymnastics. By end of the module you will be empowered to deliver competent sessions to children.

The aim of this module is to provide the student with an understanding of research principles, a range of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and appropriate analysis for these. This will enable the student to develop the research skills and knowledge necessary to undertake an independent research project. Students will be provided with support in developing their writing style to incorporate citations and make use of referencing.

They will be introduced to Academic Journals and will use these to inform their understanding of the research approaches used in the sector. This will also serve to familiarise the learners with the role of Journals in their wider study. The final aspect of this module will introduce hypothesis testing, with learners making use of a computer package to undertake simple statistical tests commonly used
within their subject area.

Students will critique the most up-to-date literature and resources surrounding contemporary issues within physical education and education in a wider context. In line with educational reform they will investigate key organisations and agencies within education and examine the role and purpose(s) they have. The module will give a key insight into government directives and legislation and the impact this can have on schools and agencies involved in education.

This module builds upon previous pedagogical knowledge and perspectives but specifically considers the management of behaviour in the classroom. Students will study how groups are formed, how they evolve and how this can impact PE planning. Students will observe professional teachers in their schools and reflect on the structures that are required to manage behaviour, in large schools. Students will also get the chance to manage real behaviour situations and review what works and what doesn’t. This will support the students in becoming confident managers of behaviour so that they can organise different groups for best effect, cohesion and the support of learning.

This module builds on core understandings of the physical education curriculum to include the teaching of swimming and outdoor adventurous activities. Students will be involved in developing a school swimming syllabus and the design of outdoor educational activities (such as orienteering) that embrace the external environment. These activities, which are a key part of the national curriculum, will provide both theory and practice to enable students to engage with an outdoor and water environment and learn how to develop a school’s outdoor education syllabus.

This module equips students with the knowledge and understanding to help them support schools, groups and individuals to continue with physical activity throughout their lifespan. Students will examine the research on the effects of inactivity/activity on health and consider current patterns of physical activity and sporting participation in the UK and globally. Students will be involved in a real life professional intervention, with the aim of widening their perspective beyond the school/coaching setting and building additional health promotion skills. Students will integrate theory with practice, reflect critically on its implications and share knowledge and understanding through discussion and debate of current issues and guidelines.

This module aims to provide students with the opportunity for further independent learning through the completion of an extended research project. The project requires a high level of individual application and commitment to research and enquiry and offers the opportunity for students to collect their own primary data, run experiments or use professional software to check the significance of findings. It also provides students with the opportunity to identify, reflect upon and explore a topic that has implications for their own professional development.