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Unit of study_

EXSS3072: Practicum in Exercise Science 1

Intensive January, 2024 [Professional practice] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

In this unit, students will participate in a practical experience relevant to exercise science. This practical experience will reinforce theoretical knowledge and skills acquired through university studies. As part of their placement experiences, students will compile evidence of professional competency via a personal portfolio.

Unit details and rules

Unit code EXSS3072
Academic unit Movement Sciences
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
EXSS2034
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Tim Davies, timothy.davies@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Placement hurdle task On-Campus Placement (Simulation)
Completion of the On-Campus Placement (Simulation) and related assessments
0% Multiple weeks N/A
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO5 LO3 LO2
Placement hurdle task Attendance
Placement attendance
0% Ongoing N/A
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Placement hurdle task Student Placement Assessment
Competency-based assessment of student performance across the placement
0% Ongoing N/A
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Skills-based evaluation Work, Health and Safety Checklist
Submission of a Work, Health and Safety Checklist of the site.
0% Week 01
Due date: 12 Jan 2024 at 23:59
N/A
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5
Assignment hurdle task Placement Schedule
Submission of a schedule outlining your schedule at the site.
0% Week 01
Due date: 12 Jan 2024 at 23:59
N/A
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment hurdle task Placement Portfolio
Completion of a group of tasks encompassing a placement portfolio
0% Week 13
Due date: 29 Mar 2024 at 23:59
N/A
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6
Assignment hurdle task Paperwork
Submission of required paperwork to document placement experience
0% Week 13
Due date: 29 Mar 2024 at 23:59
N/A
Outcomes assessed: LO2
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

  • On-Campus Placement (Simulation): Successful completion of a low-fidelity simulation placement prior to the first external placement. The On-Campus Placement (Simulation) must be completed before being able to attend the first external placement. 
  • Student Placement Assessment: Placement educators will use the Student Placement Assessment (SPA) tool to assess students’ performance against the placement learning outcomes via observation of student interactions with clients and co-workers, the performance of work tasks, and assessment of their knowledge and skills.
  • Attendance while on placement: Students must attend all scheduled >90% of placement days. Note, the On-Campus Placement (Simulation) is part of the placement activities, as such, the attendance criteria also apply to this activity.
  • Completion of required paperwork: Students are required to submit copies of their signed logbooks, supervisor forms, completed SPA tools, and a placement feedback form following the completion of placement through the appropriate learning management system assignment.
  • Placement Portfolio: Students are required to submit a series of tasks that provide a record of how placement experiences contributed to developing the competencies that are being assessed in the SPA. These tasks include:
    1. Skills checklist: Provide a checklist of skills learnt throughout your placement experience considered within the context of your site.
    2. Scope of practice report: A short report highlighting the potential career pathways of an Exercise and Sport Scientist with a link to the experiences from your placement to the Exercise Science workforce.
    3. Mapping of placement experiences: Provide a list of activities performed during your placement that meets the professional competencies of an Exercise Scientist within the scope of practice.
    4. Reflection task: Provide a series of reflections during your placement that detail successes, failures and learning opportunities throughout your placement.
  • Work Health and Safety Checklist and Placement Schedule: Students are to submit a checklist to assess their understanding of the site’s Work, Health and Safety requirements. This is a university requirement to ensure students understand the site’s risks and are appropriately inducted. The Placement Schedule is a necessary document to determine a placement student’s weekly schedule of days and times at the site. The submitted schedule must match the total number of hours allocated on SONIA.

 

All assessment tasks must be completed to a satisfactory standard to satisfy the requirements of this unit of study.

 

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on the learning management system.

Assessment criteria

Result name

Mark range

Description

Satisfied requirements (SR)

No mark

When you meet the learning outcomes to a satisfactory standard, for units that are marked as either Satisfied requirements or Failed requirements.

Failed requirements (FR)

No mark

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes to a satisfactory standard, for units that are marked as either Satisfied requirements or Failed requirements.

Results Incomplete (RI)

No mark

Temporarily used in cases where a result will remain incomplete for a longer period than the IC (Incomplete) result. You will be able to re-enrol with an RI result.

Unit of Study Continuing (UC)

No mark

When a unit continues in the following session. You will be able to re-enrol with a UC result.

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.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Late submission of assessments may delay the awarded grade for the unit or lead to the award of an Absent Fail (AF) grade.

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.

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

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Multiple weeks Placement experience as allocated by the Placements Team Placement (80 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
3 briefings outlining the nature of the unit of study Lecture (3 hr)  
Pre-semester On-Campus Placement (Simulation) Simulation laboratory (16 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6
Week 08 Catch-up Lecture Lecture (1 hr)  

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance at preparation lectures and/or tutorials: Students are expected to attend, in their entirety, all briefing and preparation sessions scheduled in the semesters before placements commence. All sessions are mandatory. These sessions will be scheduled into students’ timetables, and reminder notices will be posted via the learning management system. Failure to attend may result in a student not commencing placement.


Attendance at the placement site: Learning in a professional environment is a key feature of this unit of study. Students will be allocated to a placement site for up to 37.5 hours per week in one of the various blocks throughout the year. Placements are mostly within the Sydney Metropolitan area; however, you should expect to be allocated a placement outside this area (maximum 90 minute travel time, one-way). You will be required to work a variety of hours during your placement, depending on the site. Typically students work Monday to Friday within the hours of 8 am and 5 pm. However, some placements may require unusual work hours, such as early morning, evenings, or weekends. This is to be expected because these types of hours are standard for some sectors of the industry. The total hours of placement will vary depending on the site but will likely be ~80 hours. Students must attend >90% of the allocated placement hours. Failure to meet attendance requirements will prevent students from satisfactorily completing this unit of study.


Students are expected to attend all scheduled placement days and make up any days missed due to leave (sick, religious observance requirements, bereavement or other forms of leave, public holidays, or staff leave). Students normally would not attend placement if their nominated supervisor is taking a rostered day off unless the supervisor has made arrangements for someone else at the site to supervise the student. The timing of make-up days is to be organised by the relevant Placements academic (Dr. Timothy Davies), who will negotiate arrangements with the placement site.

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

N/A

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.

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

  • LO1. Demonstrate appropriate professional and socially responsible behaviour in a professional practice setting
  • LO2. Demonstrate effective communication with clients, colleagues and others
  • LO3. Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • LO4. Function effectively as part of a team
  • LO5. Demonstrate exercise science-related knowledge
  • LO6. Demonstrate exercise science practical skills

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
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes Competency standards
LO1
Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) - ESSA
1.2.1. Apply knowledge and skills in a variety of professional exercise science work settings.
1.2.6. Identify risks and apply appropriate risk management strategies to the professional practice of exercise science.
LO2
Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) - ESSA
1.2.3. Choose and apply a variety of verbal and non-verbal communication methods appropriate to the client and/or population, carers and other health and exercise professionals.
LO3
Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) - ESSA
1.2.3. Choose and apply a variety of verbal and non-verbal communication methods appropriate to the client and/or population, carers and other health and exercise professionals.
LO5
Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) - ESSA
1.2.1. Apply knowledge and skills in a variety of professional exercise science work settings.
14.2.4. Cite the research of others in written and oral communication
14.2.5. Select and apply basic data analysis techniques appropriate to exercise science subdisciplines.
4.2.2. Interpret data obtained during a client assessment to prescribe, deliver and monitor physical activity and exercise-based interventions.
8.2.5. Utilise relevant anatomical or lay terms in communication with clients, and families, carers and other health or exercise professionals where appropriate.
LO6
Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) - ESSA
1.2.1. Apply knowledge and skills in a variety of professional exercise science work settings.
1.2.3. Choose and apply a variety of verbal and non-verbal communication methods appropriate to the client and/or population, carers and other health and exercise professionals.
1.2.6. Identify risks and apply appropriate risk management strategies to the professional practice of exercise science.
4.2.2. Interpret data obtained during a client assessment to prescribe, deliver and monitor physical activity and exercise-based interventions.
8.2.5. Utilise relevant anatomical or lay terms in communication with clients, and families, carers and other health or exercise professionals where appropriate.
Accredited Exercise Scientist Professional Standards (2022) -
Competency code Taught, Practiced or Assessed Competency standard
1.2.1 P A T Apply knowledge and skills in a variety of professional exercise science work settings.
1.2.2 T P A Support clients to meet their goals through the integration and application of the exercise science sub-discipline standards.
1.2.3 T P A Choose and apply a variety of verbal and non-verbal communication methods appropriate to the client and/or population, carers and other health and exercise professionals.
1.2.4 P A T Practice with integrity within the scope of training for an Exercise Scientist and the ESSA Code of Professional Conduct and Ethical Practice.
1.2.6 P A Identify risks and apply appropriate risk management strategies to the professional practice of exercise science.
1.2.7 T P A Practice in accordance with ethically relevant policies, legislation and regulations that apply to exercise science settings including privacy, consent and record keeping.
14.2.4 P A Cite the research of others in written and oral communication
14.2.5 P A Select and apply basic data analysis techniques appropriate to exercise science subdisciplines.
8.2.5 P A Utilise relevant anatomical or lay terms in communication with clients, and families, carers and other health or exercise professionals where appropriate.

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

Feedback from USS surveys and informal student feedback has been considered and implemented where possible for 2024. This includes alteration of Canvas assignment set up and addition of the logbook entry and approval process.

This unit of study outline must be read in conjunction with the Medicine and Health Handbook: https://www.sydney.edu.au/handbooks/medicine_health/ 

All students are required to familiarise themselves with their academic responsibilities, and the academic policies governing their enrolment and progression. The handbook provides a direct link to the University of Sydney’s Coursework policy and Faculty provisions.

When considering applications and appeals relating to these matters, it will be assumed that students understand their academic responsibilities and are familiar with these key policies and procedures

The Work Integrated Learning Canvas site also provides information specific to Sydney School of Health Sciences placements such as essential preparation, forms and policies.

https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/9121 

Work, health and safety

As you are completing a health-related degree, there are clinical checks and clearances you will need to complete before you can undertake placement. You can find more information at: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/clinical-placement-checks.html

Further, students must have an up-to-date declaration (in Sonia) that they have read and understood key documents related to privacy and confidentiality, codes of conduct, NSW Health policies and general communication/ email etiquette. Failure to meet these requirements may prevent you from being allocated to and/or completing a placement or placement unit of study irrespective of your enrolment status. This includes uploading a valid “Perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation” certificate (HLTAID001 for face-to-face and HLTAID009 for online CPR certifications).

Failure to meet these requirements may prevent you from being allocated to and/or completing a placement or placement unit of study, students who have a status of Not Compliant will NOT be able to attend placement.

Consistent with New South Wales WHS legislation, you are required to complete a WHS induction within the first few days of placement, and if relevant, at any time your placement requires you to work in another setting.  This is an essential legal requirement to ensure that all risks are minimised for you, and others for whom you are responsible. The University has a duty of care to you to ensure you have been inducted appropriately.  Similarly, you are responsible for demonstrating that you know how to manage risk appropriately. You should complete the WHS Checklist from Sonia.

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.