Summative

The assessment will be a 10-minute, recorded presentation, in which students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of one principal of a sport and exercise discipline and evidence its relevance to physical education and/or sports coaching.

Formative

Formative assessment will form a key aspect of preparing students for their summative assessment. All students will receive a formative assessment opportunity as part of the module.

This module introduces students to the core disciplines that underpin human performance within physical education and sport coaching. Across six-week rotations, students will explore key concepts in physiology, psychology, biomechanics and strength and conditioning, gaining foundational knowledge of how each discipline contributes to effective teaching and coaching practice.

Throughout the module, students will engage with relevant digital technologies used across these disciplines, including performance analysis platforms, timing systems, wearable devices and simple data collection tools. They will also be introduced to research skills appropriate for Level 4, with guidance on locating academic sources, understanding evidence in applied settings and recognising the role of each discipline within wider professional environments. Opportunities to apply new knowledge to physical education and coaching contexts will be embedded throughout, supporting students to make meaningful links between theory and practice.

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the role sport science plays within physical education and sport coaching

Learning Outcome: PLO1 – Knowledge and Understanding

2. Demonstrate knowledge of digital tools and technologies relevant to physical education and sport coaching settings which could enhance professional practice.

Learning Outcome: PLO4 – Digital Literacy

3. Conduct academic research on physical education and sport coaching topics, exploring their place in a relevant area of related industries.

Learning Outcome: PLO5 – Research Skills

Learning in this module will combine interactive lectures with practical workshops across each of the four human performance disciplines, allowing students to experience and apply core concepts firsthand. Demonstrations, small group tasks and guided experiments will help students develop confidence in using digital tools and collecting simple data. Seminars and case-based discussions will support students in linking disciplinary knowledge to real physical education and coaching contexts. Structured research tasks will introduce students to academic literature, helping them develop early research skills and understand how evidence informs professional practice. Peer collaboration, reflective activities and formative feedback will ensure students build knowledge progressively and develop the skills required for their recorded presentation assessment.

Lecture/Seminar Room

Sports hall

A variety of sports coaching equipment designed for inclusive delivery

Freeman, W. H. (2013). Physical education, exercise and sport science in a changing society. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Nicholls, A. R. (2021). Psychology in sports coaching: Theory and practice. Routledge.

Knudson, D. (2021). Applying biomechanics in teaching and coaching. In Fundamentals of biomechanics (pp. 167-176). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Human Performance gives you a dynamic introduction to the key disciplines that shape effective physical education and sports coaching. Through hands-on sessions in physiology, psychology, biomechanics and strength and conditioning, you will explore how the human body and mind respond to movement and training. You will also work with digital tools used across sport and exercise science and develop the research skills needed to understand evidence and apply it to real coaching and teaching environments. This module is ideal if you want a strong foundation for future study and practice in sport.