Unit rationale, description and aim
Gymnastics and aquatics are important movement contexts within Health and Physical Education, providing opportunities for students to develop movement competence, confidence, personal challenge, risk awareness, and lifelong participation in physical activity. These contexts require teachers to possess both practical movement capabilities and a strong understanding of safety, learner development, and evidence-informed pedagogical approaches. The unit responds to the professional expectations placed on HPE teachers to create inclusive and engaging learning environments that support diverse student needs while maintaining duty of care.
The unit explores social, historical and cultural perspectives, movement science principles, safety considerations, skill development, teaching strategies and assessment approaches relevant to gymnastics and aquatics. Preservice teachers will analyse movement patterns, examine progression pathways, and apply contemporary teaching methods to support learner development across varied educational contexts. Preservice teachers will develop knowledge, skills and confidence required to teach gymnastics and aquatics safely and effectively in school settings.
The aim of this unit is to prepare preservice teachers to design, implement and critically evaluate safe, inclusive and developmentally appropriate gymnastics and aquatics learning experiences that enhance student participation, skill acquisition and wellbeing.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.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.
Demonstrate fundamental gymnastic and aquatic skil...
Learning Outcome 01
Explain fundamental scientific principles of exerc...
Learning Outcome 02
Analyse movement patterns, elements of composition...
Learning Outcome 03
Design inclusive teaching and learning activities ...
Learning Outcome 04
Critically reflect upon effective teaching and lea...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Social, historical and cultural perspectives on gymnastics and aquatics
- Safe and inclusive teaching of gymnastics and aquatics
- Science of movement in gymnastics and aquatics, including dominant movement patterns
- Gymnastics
- Fundamental gymnastics skills and movement concepts
- Gymnastics sequencing and composition
- Teaching and assessment strategies for gymnastics
- Aquatics
- Water familiarisation and principles of movement in water
- Water safety, survival and rescue skills
- Organising safe and competitive activities in aquatics
- Teaching and assessment strategies for aquatics
Assessment strategy and rationale
Preservice teachers will demonstrate the learning outcomes through two complementary assessment tasks that measure practical competence, pedagogical understanding, critical analysis and reflective practice. The assessment sequence is designed to provide progressive opportunities for preservice teachers to apply theoretical knowledge while developing confidence in the teaching of gymnastics and aquatics. The unit supports ethical and transparent use of generative AI tools where permitted, providing preservice teachers with a structured approach to engaging with these tools professionally and ethically. Reflection in integrated to support the development of professional awareness and critical self-evaluation.
Task 1 asks preservice teachers to demonstrate gymnastics and aquatic skills accompanied by professional teaching notes. This task provides evidence of movement competence, understanding of movement principles, and the capacity to communicate skills for educational purposes. Task 2 requires preservice teachers to analyse, evaluate, adapt and plan learning sequences and detailed lesson plans in gymnastics and aquatics. Through critical engagement with movement science, learner progression, inclusion, and evidence-informed pedagogy, preservice teachers demonstrate their ability to design effective learning experiences and justify professional decisions.
To pass this unit, preservice teachers must demonstrate satisfactory achievement of all learning outcomes and attain of an overall passing grade.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Video Demonstration of Skills ...
Assessment Task 1: Video Demonstration of Skills
Create two video presentations demonstrating and explaining basic skills in (1) gymnastics and (2) aquatics. Prepare teachers notes that explain the movement relevant to the skill, connections to curriculum, integration into a teaching and learning sequence, suitable uses for the video within a lesson, and any health and safety considerations. Reflect on your skill development, considering your professional responsibilities in teaching and learning for gymnastics and aquatics.
50%
Assessment Task 2: Planning Lesson Sequences Fin...
Assessment Task 2: Planning Lesson Sequences
Find or generate two lesson sequences for 3-6 lessons designed to support learner progression in a selected area of (1) gymnastics and (2) aquatics. Critically analyse and evaluate the sequences with reference to exercise and movement science, learner development and progression, and evidence-informed pedagogical approaches. Suggest changes and improvements to the sequences, including how you would ensure that you are meeting the needs of students with diverse learning strengths and needs. Select one lesson from each sequence and develop a full lesson plan that shows how the lesson would be implemented in practice. Reflect on the planning process, considering your professional responsibilities in teaching and learning for gymnastics and aquatics.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Preservice teachers will engage in theoretical study, practical skill development and critical reflection. Learning activities are designed to support adult learners by connecting contemporary theory with authentic teaching practices encountered in school and community contexts. Through practical activities, online learning modules, guided inquiry and reflective tasks, preservice teachers will develop their own movement competence while building the pedagogical knowledge required to teach gymnastics and aquatics effectively to diverse student cohorts.
Teaching strategies will emphasise active participation, experiential learning, observation and movement analysis. Preservice teachers will engage with contemporary research, curriculum requirements, and professional resources to examine learner development, movement progression, safety management, and inclusive practice. Technology-enhanced learning opportunities, including video analysis and digital resource creation, will support the development of professional skills relevant to contemporary HPE teaching.
The learning design will encourage critical reflection on professional responsibilities, ethical practice, and evidence-informed decision making. Throughout the unit, preservice teachers will develop confidence and readiness for professional practice in diverse school environments.
Representative texts and references
Recommended texts and documents
Australian Curriculum
Relevant state curriculum documentation
Recommended references
Baumgarten, S., & Pagnano-Richardson, K. (2010). Educational Gymnastics: Enhancing Children’s Physical Literacy. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 81(4), 18–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2010.10598460
Button, C., Button, A. J., Jackson, A. M., Cotter, J. D., & Maraj, B. (2020). Teaching foundational aquatic skills to children in open water environments. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 13(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.25035/ijare.13.01.01
Chan, D. K. C., Lee, A. S. Y., Macfarlane, D. J., Hagger, M. S., & Hamilton, K. (2020). Validation of the Swimming Competence Questionnaire for children. Journal of Sports Sciences, 38(11-12), 1366-1375. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2020.1754724
Dudley, D., Mackenzie, E., Van Bergen, P., Cairney, J., & Barnett, L. M. (2022). What drives quality physical education? A systematic review and meta-analysis of learning and development effects from physical education-based interventions. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 799330. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.799330
Invernizzi, P. L., Rigon, M., Signorini, G., Alberti, G., Raiola, G., & Bosio, A. (2021). Aquatic physical literacy: The effectiveness of applied pedagogy on parents' and children's perceptions of aquatic motor competence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(20), 10847. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010847
Kaioglou, V., Kouloutbani, K., & Venetsanou, F. (2025). Developing children’s physical literacy in sport: evaluation of a theory-based physical literacy intervention in gymnastics. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2025.2533799
Kaioglou, V., & Venetsanou, F. (2020). How can we assess physical literacy in gymnastics? A critical review of physical literacy assessment tools. Science of Gymnastics Journal, 12(1), 27-47. https://doi.org/10.52165/sgj.12.1.27-47
McVeigh, J., & Waring, M. (2023). Developing the pedagogical practice of physical education pre-service teachers in gymnastics: Exploring gendered embodiment. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 28(4), 397-410. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2021.1990246
Pickard, A., & Maude, P. (2021). Teaching physical education creatively (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003090885
Sloan, S. (2007). An investigation into the perceived level of personal subject knowledge and competence of a group of pre-service physical education teachers towards the teaching of secondary school gymnastics. European Physical Education Review, 13(1), 57-80. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X07072674
Valle-Muñoz, V. M., Mendoza-Muñoz, M., & Villa-González, E. (2025). Physical literacy as a pedagogical model in physical education. Children, 12(8), Article 1008. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12081008