Outline

Overview

This unit covers the rationale and recommendations for the use of exercise and the promotion of physical activity from childhood through to old age, including those with chronic disease and disability. The student will explore evidence for the contribution of exercise to psychological health and well-being, improvement in body composition associated with poor health outcomes, and for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases and disability, including cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, cognitive impairment, depression, diabetes, obesity, vascular disease, renal failure, and mobility impairment . Appropriate exercise modalities for older adults and implementing the exercise prescription in those with chronic disease and frailty as well as promoting behavioural change will also be taught.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	EXSS3050
Academic unit	Movement Sciences
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	None
Prerequisites ?	EXSS2032 and EXSS2034
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Maria Fiatarone Singh, maria.fiataronesingh@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Maria Fiatarone Singh, maria.fiataronesingh@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Guy Wilson, guy.wilson@sydney.edu.au
	Trinidad Valenzuela Arteaga, t.valenzuela@sydney.edu.au
	Kenneth Daniel, kenneth.daniel@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Clinical exercise program description Written assignment and design	50%	Formal exam period Due date: 14 Jun 2024 at 23:59	usually between 50-100 pages
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	In person assessment of competence and filling out of written data collection sheet. For the cognitive tutorial, submission of a video of the cognitive assessment being done on another person. Submission of video/data sheets and demonstrating competence in person	20%	Multiple weeks	2-3 p data sheet x 4; 15 min video x1
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	Endnote library Creation Computer literacy skills assessment	10%	Week 03 Due date: 08 Mar 2024 at 23:59	Approximately 50-75 references
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Complex case and synopsis Oral presentation with slides and written synopsis	20%	Week 12 Due date: 14 May 2024 at 13:00	15 minute powerpoint; 3 pages written
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Endnote library creation: Students are to create endnote library relevant to chosen exercise medicine topic that will form the basis for the clinical exercise facility design assignment. These libraries are to be prepared individually, but will then be combined within each group to create the resources for the design of the clinical exercise facility.
Competency in Use of Screening Tools: Students are required to demonstrate competency in assessment of muscle function, frailty and sarcopenia, functional performance assessment of mobility, assessment of body composition, nutritional status and cognitve status. This will be assessed by face-to-face competency evaluation of their performance of the required tools and tasks, and proper completion of data collection sheets for each assessment. For the cognitive screening, it will be done by an upload of a video of them conducting a cognitive assessment with an older adult and submitting a completed data collection sheet and scoring of rhe cognitive performance as well. The tutorial assignments are due on Tuesday at 5pm in weeks 3, 5 and 7. There is also a tutorial assignment due at 11:59pm on the Friday of week 11. This is a hurdle task, and students must score 60% in the mark for each assessment.
Complex case and synopsis: Students are to design and defend an evidence-based and feasible assessment and exercise prescription for a complex patient with multiple co-morbidities, physical and behavioural barriers to exercise adoption and adherence.
Clinical exercise program description: Design a comprehensive exercise facility modified for individuals with a specific chronic which is evidence-based, safe, and effective, and includes a strong rationale based on a referenced review of the literature, and plans for the physical building, protocols for staff training and competencies, types of programming and equipment, means for behavioural change implementation, quality assurance and safety monitoring protocols, and integration within the health care system and communication of results to other health care providers. This is a hurdle trask and the groups must achieve a mark of at least 60% to pass the unit.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	1. Introduction to course and Overview of Assessments 2. Reviewing the literature	Lecture and tutorial (1 hr)
Week 01	Data Base Teaching and ENDNOTE Tutorial	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 02	Medical screening and assessments during exercise in clinical cohorts lecture	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 03	STRENGTH TESTING AND TRAINING AND SARCOPENIA SCREENING TUTORIAL	Tutorial (3 hr)
Week 04	Sarcopenia and Frailty Lecture	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE TESTING TUTORIAL	Tutorial (3 hr)
Week 06	1. Falls and gait disorders lecture 2. Osteoporosis and hip fracture lecture	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 07	BODY COMPOSITION/NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT TUTORIAL	Tutorial (3 hr)
Week 08	Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Lecture	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	COGNITIVE SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT TUTORIAL	Tutorial (3 hr)
Week 10	Osteoarthritis Lecture	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Cancer Lecture	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Individual complex case presentations in class	Presentation (4 hr)
Week 13	1.Peripheral vascular disease Lecture 2. Renal dissease Lecture	Lecture (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: There are 3-4 hours total of lectures and/or tutorial sessions each week, all within the same time block on Tuesday afternoons from 1-5 pm on campus. Attendance and participation in the live on-campus sessions is expecred for all lectures and for all tutorials, as all sessions are needed for the completion of your assignments successfully.

Tutorial participation in person is mandatory and the associated assessments are hurdle tasks for the unit and must be completed and passed.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

These will be posted on Canvas each week along with the slides.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. The principal objective is for you to gain an ability to critically evaluate the evidence and apply this evidence about the relationship of exercise and physical activity to growth, development and ageing, and to the prevention and treatment of chronic disease and disability via appropriate physical activity strategies. Special attention will be given to age-related changes in physiology that are important in exercise capacity and participation in physical activity, as well as the types of exercise prescriptions which are useful for health maintenance, disease prevention, and disease treatment in older adults of all fitness levels.
LO2. Articles in peer-reviewed journals based on research investigations and systematic reviews of the literature are the basic mode of communication among scientists and health care professionals. It is important to be able to critically review journal articles as well as to write clearly and concisely in a scientific and evidence-based format. The skills of searching computerised databases for published articles on a particular topic, organizing them into a personal reference library, and understanding how the findings of studies are summarised in a brief review of the literature will be taught in this course. The ability to synthesise and convey the information covered in this course in an oral presentation about a clinical case, in an Endnote reference library, and in the written presentation of a comprehensive exercise program will be assessed.
LO3. Develop scientific and clinical writing and presentation skills that communicate the findings of a group of investigations of a topic in a clear and concise way.
LO4. Learn and apply the basics of the prescription of the appropriate modality, frequency, intensity, and volume of exercise for the promotion of health and targeting of common health related concerns of childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, as well as healthy ageing, and chronic diseases of the ageing population.
LO5. Demonstrate competence in the assessment maximal dynamic strength (1RM testing) using weight lifting machines and free weights and objective and subjective perceived exertion scales, as well as how to safely conduct power testing and training, including an understanding of modifications needed for underlying diseases and disabilities in older adults or clinical cohorts.
LO6. Demonstrate competence in the performance of body composition assessments with precision including height, weight, waist circumference and calf and mid-arm circumference as well as administer questionnaires about metabolic risk and malnutrition.
LO7. Demonstrate competence in the measurement of performance-based tests of function, including habitual, maximal, and dual task gait velocity, chair stand time, static and dynamic balance, and 6-minute walk testing, and interpretation of test results with respect to age- and cohort-related normative data.
LO8. Demonstrate competence in the conduct and interpretation of screening questionnaires/tools for assessment of frailty, sarcopenia, insomnia, cognitive impairment, fear of falling, and undernutrition in clinical cohorts.
LO9. Demonstrate Computer Literacy Skills, including how to: • Utilise the library and librarian resources • Initiate interlibrary loans • Access computerised databases of scientific and medical literature • Download references into a personal ENDNOTE library, save the search strategy, and create an electronic reference library with sub-folders using ENDNOTE • Review the scientific peer-reviewed literature for a particular topic • Preparing a written comprehensive design with appropriate referencing for a clinical exercise facility to treat a particular chronic disease or condition relevant to exercise programming and assessment in a clinical cohort.
LO10. • Using an epidemiological and experimental evidence base, discuss the relationship of exercise and physical activity to growth, development and ageing • Using an epidemiological and experimental evidence base, discuss the relationship of exercise and physical activity to the prevention and treatment of chronic disease and disability • Explain the age-related and disease-related changes in physiology and body composition that are important for exercise capacity and participation in physical activity and disease burden • Using an epidemiological and experimental evidence base, describe the types of exercise prescriptions which are useful for health maintenance, disease prevention, and disease treatment in older adults of all fitness levels
LO11. • Explain the principles and procedures of pre-exercise prescription and risk assessments • Outline the prescription for the appropriate modality, frequency, intensity, and volume of exercise for the promotion of health and targeting of common health related concerns of childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, as well as healthy ageing, and chronic diseases and syndromes of the ageing population • Describe the risks of exercise and the ways to screen for potential problems and minimise them • Discuss practical implementation of physical activity programs in health care settings and health policy relevant to physical activity promotion in the community.
LO12. • Construct a case study of a complex patient, and defend the plan for exercise assessment and treatment in this patient presenting with complex chronic disease and co- morbidities relevant to physical activity in both oral presentation with slides and written description with references
LO13. Design a comprehensive exercise facility modified for individuals with a specific chronic which is evidence-based, safe, and effective, and includes a strong rationale based on a referenced review of the literature, plans for the physical building, protocols for staff training and competencies, types of programming and equipment, means for behavioural change implementation, quality assurance and safety monitoring protocols, integration within the health care system and communication of results to other health care providers.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Alteration of tutorial and lecture schedule to better align Endnote assignment due earlier now that Ennote tutorial is given Week 1 Additional time for tutorial participation Less group work

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Students should follow COVID-19 directions from staff or the University for on-campus attendance.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

EXSS3050: Exercise Across the Lifespan

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect