You will be required to complete one (1) Online Quiz during the Residential School. The Online Quiz will assess content presented in lectures/tutorials, online learning activities, and compulsory readings from Weeks 1-6 (inclusive). The quiz will be comprised of two parts: Part A will include 30 multiple choice questions (each question worth 1 mark each); Part B will include short answer questions, fill in the blanks and matching questions. There will be 30 marks available in total for Part B. NB: For questions with text-based responses (e.g. fill-in-the-blank) you should take care with spelling (Australian English) and grammar, as answers are spelling and grammar sensitive. Failure to follow this instruction will result in your answer marked as incorrect. Questions and allocated marks will be equally spread from each week. 

The Online Quiz is closed book, and will be administered in a fully invigilated setting during the first session of the Residential School session that you attend. Students are required to complete the Online Quiz on their own laptop device. In the event you do not own a laptop, please contact the unit coordinator so alternative arrangements can be made. 

Level of GenAI use allowed: Level 1 No AI Use: You must not use AI at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.

The 72-hour grace period does NOT apply to this assessment. In the absence of an approved extension there will be no late submissions will be allowed for any of the online quizzes that make up this assessment task.

You will be assessed on your knowledge pertaining to:

• Theories and principles of skill acquisition
• Physical constraints & skill performance
• Informational constraints on coordination
• Dynamics of skill acquisition
• Interacting constraints and practical issues for representative learning design
• Designing practice environments

Responses to online quiz questions will be marked as correct or incorrect by Moodle, and tabulated to give your mark for each online quiz. For fill-in-the-blank questions, you should take care with spelling (Australian English) and grammar, as answers are spelling and grammar sensitive.

Traditional coaching often relies on an Information Processing (IP) model, where the coach provides explicit instructions and athletes attempt to execute idealised movement patterns. This model assumes the brain acts as a central controller that “plans” and “programs” movements. Contemporary approaches to skill acquisition, particularly Ecological Dynamics and the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA), argue that movement instead emerges through self-organization, shaped by the interaction of individual, task, and environmental constraints.

In this assessment, you will critically argue why an Ecological Dynamics / CLA perspective provides a more effective basis for long-term skill acquisition, adaptability, and representative practice design than a traditional IP-based coaching approach. You will be provided with a “traditional” coaching session that includes block drills, prescriptive instructions, and technique-focused coaching.

Your task is to complete two components:

• Part 1: Critical Evaluation of the Traditional Session. Using relevant scientific literature, you will identify the key theoretical assumption underpinning the session; critically evaluating the session design, and explain the limitations of the traditional session design for developing skilled performance in sport.
• Part 2: Session Redesign. Redesign the coaching session using principles from Ecological Dynamics and CLA. Your redesign must, identify the key constraints manipulated in each task (individual, task, environmental), and justify why these constraints were selected, using academic research by outlining how the sessions enhances performance.

Further details regarding layout, formatting requirements, references, and marking rubric will be available on Moodle

Level of GenAI use allowed: Level 2 - AI Planning. You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.

You will be assessed on your understanding of skill acquisition theory, quality of critical evaluation of the session, application of ecological dynamics and constraints led approach in the redesigned session, appropriate use of scientific literature, clarity, structure, and quality of writing, and adherence to assessment guidelines. A detailed marking rubric will be available on the ESSC13006 Moodle site.

The practical activities undertaken in this unit provide an opportunity for you to complete a range of tasks related to aspects of motor learning and skill acquisition. Throughout these activities, you will be assessing different aspects of skill acquisition, and you will be required to develop a Portfolio, from data collected during the residential school, and design an inclusive, evidence-based skill learning program for a specific population. You will demonstrate understanding of how task, environment, and individual constraints shape learning, and how practice environments can support adaptation, inclusivity, skill acquisition, and retention for specific population groups.

There are five key parts to this Portfolio:

1. Client information. You will be provided with information related to a specific client. This will include background information, and details related to a movement, skill or performance area of interest.
2. Performance assessment. During the residential school, you will undertake a series of practical tests and assessments. During this time, you will collect data relevant to the movement, skill or performance areas related to the background information of your client. You will be required to identify and summarise the performance assessment outcomes, and use this information in the following sections of the Portfolio
3. Skill-training program. You will be required to design a practice program to improve the movement, skill or performance area of interest. You are expected to develop an evidence-based program, using relevant motor learning principles. A template will be provided on Moodle for you to follow.
4. Justification. Provide a detailed justification of the design of your training program. You must use appropriate scientific literature to support the features of the training program.
5. Relevant to professional practice. In the final section, you are to provide a personal comment/self-reflection on how this learning process relates to professional practice and your career goals.

Further details will be provided on Moodle, and you will have opportunity to work on this task during the residential school session.

Level of GenAI use allowed: Level 2 - AI Planning. You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.

The Portfolio will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• Understanding of client information and constraints relevant to the skill/performance
• Data presentation and interpretation of outcomes
• Skill training program design and application of skill acquisition principles
• Justification and support using scientific literature
• Professional practice and reflection
• Adherence to assessment guidelines

A detailed marking rubric and assessment information sheet are available on the ESSC13006 Moodle site.

This assessment involves the compulsory attendance and active participation in the residential school session for the unit. You are required to attend (and actively participate in) ONE of the timetabled residential school  sessions (Mackay, Rockhampton, or Cairns). Further details regarding the times and dates of these residential school sessions can be found in the Term Specific Information section of the ESSC13006 Unit Profile, on the ESSC13006 Moodle site and via the CQUniversity Handbook. A series of practical activities will be completed during the residential school sessions and you are expected to attend and participate in all tasks. A Practical Activity Manual will be provided to you via the ESSC13006 Moodle site prior to the residential school which contains information to assist in performing each task, tables for data collection, and critical thinking/discussion questions. These sessions contribute to the data collection and analysis for your Portfolio assessment task. To complete this assessment item you must:

1. Sign the attendance sheet. Please note there will be multiple attendance sheets to sign throughout the residential school 
2. Bring a printed copy of the Practical Activity Manual to the residential school 
3. Actively participate in each of the tasks delivered throughout the residential school  

If you miss any part of the residential school without an approved reason, there will not be an opportunity to simply catch up at any time. The Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework) outlines acceptable reasons for adjusting assessment. If you do not attend part of the residential school and provide a valid reason with supporting documentation, then an attempt to make alternate arrangements will be made in consultation with your unit coordinator.

Level of GenAI use allowed: Level 2 - AI Planning. You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.

The 72-hour grace period does NOT apply to this assessment.

Attendance at a residential school with sufficient participation will result in a passing grade for this assessment. Failure to attend and adequately participate in a residential school may result in failing this assessment item, and being unable to pass this unit. Attendance for all practical activities will be assessed through attendance records documented by staff managing the sessions.

If you miss any part of the residential school without an approved reason, there will not be an opportunity to simply catch up at any time. The Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework) outlines acceptable reasons for adjusting assessment. If you do not attend part of the residential school and provide a valid reason with supporting documentation, then an attempt to make alternate arrangements will be made in consultation with your unit coordinator.