Unit rationale, description and aim

Exercise Scientists are most effective when they understand the individuality of the broad demographic groups they will work with and the sociocultural factors governing who they are and what their goals may be. Crucial to the development of these skills is opportunities for exposure to individuals and groups whose experiences, values, culture and constraints differ from their own. Exercise Scientists need to appreciate the meaningful impact their practice can have on national and international communities given the personal, social and health outcomes that occur through sport and physical activity.

An exercise science community engagement (CE) experience is a transformational learning opportunity. It exposes students to new perspectives and helps build capacity within the student and their partner community. It challenges students to gain an enhanced understanding of their community and the people within it, driving the development of key qualities, such as empathy, critical to future practice. CE also provides opportunities for students to engage with the ACU Mission in an active and impactful way. The aim of this unit is to provide the foundational knowledge to prepare and plan a CE experience, the opportunity to engage with a partner community and then critically reflect and learn from the experience.

2026 10

Campus offering

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  • Term Mode
  • Semester 1Multi-mode
  • Term Mode
  • Semester 1Multi-mode
  • Term Mode
  • Semester 1Multi-mode
  • Term Mode
  • Semester 1Multi-mode

Prerequisites

Nil

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.

Explain the principles and focus of community enga...

Learning Outcome 01

Explain the principles and focus of community engagement, how it links to the ACU Mission and Catholic Social Thought, and contemporary models of community engagement
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC3, GC6

Identify the impact of community engagement practi...

Learning Outcome 02

Identify the impact of community engagement practice both on one's self and partner communities
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC6, GC11

Analyse the sociological determinants impacting th...

Learning Outcome 03

Analyse the sociological determinants impacting the physical activity, health and/or performance of individuals within different societal systems including multicultural, disability and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC11

Assess community engagement experience through ref...

Learning Outcome 04

Assess community engagement experience through reflection, with specific reference to the importance of communication and empathy, the role of an Exercise Scientist, their values, assumptions and attitudes of transformation and the principles underpinning ACU’s Mission
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC11

Content

Topics will include: 

  • What is community engagement and why is it important?
  • Principles of community engagement and how it relates to the ACU Mission.
  • Models of community engagement including Assets-based Community Development.
  • Empathy - what is it and why is it important.
  • The sociological determinants of health.
  • Health in marginalised and disadvantaged communities.
  • Sport for development and peace.
  • Community engagement through Exercise Science: Impact on oneself and partner communities.
  • Preparation for community engagement and reflective practice.
  • Organising and participating in 25 hours of community engagement activities.

Assessment strategy and rationale

Assessments are designed to elicit and support the learnings, which occur before, during and after community engagement experiences. The ungraded hurdle tasks and Assessment 1 have been designed to ensure that students engage with the unit content, understand the ethical and legal frameworks surrounding community engagement experiences and meet milestones towards completion of their required community engagement experience. Assessments 2 and 3 are designed to facilitate critical reflection and leverage the transformative education experience that can come from their community engagement. Reflective skills will be scaffolded across assessments and class work to facilitate development of this important tool. To pass the unit, students must demonstrate achievement of every unit learning outcome, pass hurdle tasks, and obtain a minimum mark of 50% for the unit.

Overview of assessments

To pass the unit, students must demonstrate achievement of every unit learning outcome, pass hurdle tasks, and obtain a minimum mark of 50% for the unit.

Ungraded Hurdles* Community Engagement Complianc...

Ungraded Hurdles*

Community Engagement Compliance and Milestone Portfolio:

Pre-engagement requirements:

  • Complete ACU Engagement Canvas module.
  • Successfully apply for an approved Community Engagement Experience.


Community Engagement Commencement:

  • Successfully commence an approved community engagement experience


Community Engagement Commencement:

  • Successfully complete the requirements for an approved community engagement experience
Weighting

*Ungraded

Hurdle

Learning Outcomes LO1
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC3, GC6

Assessment 1 Online Exam: Assess knowledge and...

Assessment 1

Online Exam:

Assess knowledge and ability to explain understanding of content delivered in weeks 1-4.

Weighting

20%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC6, GC11

Assessment 2 Pre/Peri Experience Reflective Assi...

Assessment 2

Pre/Peri Experience Reflective Assignment and Asset Mapping:

A pre/peri reflective assessment of their community engagement experience including a map of community assets.

Weighting

30%

Learning Outcomes LO2, LO3, LO4
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC11

Assessment 3 Post Community Engagement Experienc...

Assessment 3

Post Community Engagement Experience Critical Reflection:

Based on 25 hours of community engagement experience, students will complete a critical reflection task.

Weighting

50%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC11

*Ungraded Hurdles: Students will have unlimited attempts to achieve the ungraded hurdle task requirements up until the published due dates.

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This is a community engaged learning unit delivered in multi-mode with both face-to-face, online and community engagement experience components. It is designed to provide students with a transformative educational opportunity through access to the knowledge, resources and preparatory requirements necessary for understanding, planning, completing and critically reflecting on a new community engagement experience. Direct active learning through structured online modules and classroom activities facilitate these outcomes alongside the 25 hours of new community engagement experience with an approved ACU partner organisation. This strategy allows students to meet the aims, learning outcomes and graduate capabilities associated with 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 accordingly.

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Ash, S. L., & Clayton, P. H. (2004). The articulated learning: An approach to guided reflection and assessment. Innovative Higher Education, 29(2), 137-154.

Australian Catholic University (2023). ACU Vision 2033. https://vision2033.acu.edu.au/

Biggs, J. & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for Quality Learning at University.  McGraw Hill.

Conway, J. M., Amel, E. L., & Gerwien, D. P. (2009). Teaching and learning in the social context: A meta-analysis of service learning's effects on academic, personal, social, and citizenship outcomes. Teaching of psychology36(4), 233-245.

García, I. (2020). Asset-based community development (ABCD): Core principles. In Phillips, R., Trevan, E., & Kraeger, P. (Eds.) Research handbook on community development (pp. 67-75). Edward Elgar.

Gordon, C. S., Pink, M. A., Rosing, H., & Mizzi, S. (2022). A systematic meta-analysis and meta-synthesis of the impact of service-learning programs on university students’ empathy. Educational Research Review37, 100490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100490.

Harrison, R., Blickem, C., Lamb, J., Kirk, S., & Vassilev, I. (2019). Asset-based community development: narratives, practice, and conditions of possibility. Sage Open, 9(1).

Hatton, N., & Smith, D. (1995). Reflection in teacher education: Towards definition and implementation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 11(1), 33-49.

Hunt, R. (2007). Service-learning: an eye-opening experience that provokes emotion and challenges stereotypes. Journal of Nursing Education, 46(6). https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20070601-07.

Knowles, M. S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education : from pedagogy to andragogy (Rev. and Updated.). Association Press.

Note: Knowles, M. (1988). The Modern Practice of Adult Education: From Pedagogy to Andragogy. Prentice Hall is a reprint of the 1980 version not available at the ACU Library.

McLeod, B., Lys, I. Y., & Taylor, P. G. (2024). Building Sustainable and Engaging Service-Learning Subjects for Students in Higher Education: Case Studies and Lessons at an Australian University. In S. Valarmathi, J. Kareem, V. Tantia, K. Babu, & P. Lucas (Eds.), Enhancing Curricula with Service Learning Models (pp. 19-50). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. McLeod, B., Lys, I. Y., & Taylor, P. G. (2024). Building Sustainable and Engaging Service-Learning Subjects for Students in Higher Education: Case Studies and Lessons at an Australian University. In S. Valarmathi, J. Kareem, V. Tantia, K. Babu, & P. Lucas (Eds.), Enhancing Curricula with Service Learning Models (pp. 19-50). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-5933-4.ch002.

Valarmathi, S. (Ed.). (2024). Enhancing curricula with service learning models. Information Science Reference an imprint of IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-5933-4.

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