VCE Physical Education

The study of VCE Physical Education enables students to integrate a contemporary understanding of the theoretical concepts of physical activity with practical application. This develops the knowledge and skills required to critically evaluate influences that affect their own and others’ participation and performance in movement.

Aims

This study enables students to:

• Engage in practical activities that integrate theoretical understanding with practical application in all types and intensities of movement

• Develop the knowledge and skills to critically evaluate their participation and learning in, through and about movement

• Engage in practical activities to determine and analyse how the body systems work together to produce and refine movement 

• Critically evaluate trends in participation in physical activity, sport and exercise from a
  psychosocial perspective

• Analyse movement skills from a biophysical perspective and apply relevant training principles and methods to improve performance in physical activity at an individual, club and elite level.

The human body in motion

Students explore how the musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory systems work together to produce movement. Students investigate the role and function of the main structures in each system and how they respond to movement. 

Areas of Study: 

1. How does the musculoskeletal system work to produce movement?

Students examine the muscular and skeletal systems of the human body and how the muscles and bones work together to produce movement. Through practical activities, they explore, from a biophysical perspective, the major components of the musculoskeletal system and its contributions and interactions during physical activity, sport and exercise.

2. What role does the cardiorespiratory system play in movement?

Students investigate the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the human body and how the heart, blood vessels and lungs function at rest and during physical activity. Through practical activities, students explore the structures and function of the cardiorespiratory system and the contributions and interactions of each system during physical activity, sport and exercise at various intensities. 

Physical activity, sport, exercise and society

Students develop understanding of physical activity, sport and exercise from a participatory perspective. Students are introduced to types of physical activity and the role that physical activity participation and sedentary behaviour plays in their own health and wellbeing, as well as in other population groups and contexts. 

Areas of Study: 

1. How do physical activity, sport and exercise contribute to healthy lifestyles?

Students focus on the role of physical activity, sport and exercise in developing and promoting healthy lifestyles across the lifespan. Students explore the sociocultural influences on participation in various forms of physical activity. They investigate the physical, social, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits of participation in regular physical activity at the individual and population levels, and the potential health risks associated with physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour.

2. What are the contemporary issues associated with physical activity and sport?

Students focus on a range of contemporary issues associated with physical activity and sport at the local, national and global levels. They investigate a range of intrapersonal and interpersonal factors that affect access to, and inclusion, participation and performance in, physical activity and sport, such as injuries, coaching, sports technology and the media, psychological strategies and equity for a range of population groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Students explore one contemporary issue relevant to physical activity and/or sport and prescribe and participate in practical activities to highlight the issue.

Movement skills and energy for physical activity

Students explore principles used to analyse human movement from a biophysical perspective. Students use a variety of tools and coaching techniques to analyse movement skills and apply biomechanical and skill-acquisition principles to improve and refine movement in physical activity, sport and exercise. 

Students consider the cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular systems and the roles of each in supplying oxygen and energy to the working muscles. They investigate the characteristics and interplay of the 3 energy systems for performance during physical activity, sport and exercise. Students explore the causes of fatigue and consider different strategies used to postpone fatigue and promote recovery.

Areas of Study: 

1. How are movement skills improved?

Students examine the biomechanical and skill-acquisition principles that can be applied when analysing and improving movement skills for participation and performance. Through practical activities, students explore and analyse their own movement and use coaching to investigate factors that influence skill acquisition. They develop an understanding of how appropriately applying biomechanical and skill-acquisition principles leads to the development of optimal movement patterns to enhance participation and performance.

2. How does the body produce energy?

Students explore the various systems and mechanisms associated with the production of energy required for human movement. They consider the cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular systems and the roles of each in supplying oxygen to, and creating energy at, the working muscles. They examine the ways in which energy for movement is produced by the 3 energy systems and the associated fuels used for physical activity, sport and exercise of varying intensity and duration.  Students also consider the many factors contributing to fatigue, nutritional tools to delay fatigue and recovery strategies used to optimise the return to pre-exercise conditions. 

Training to improve performance

In this unit, students’ participation and involvement in physical activity will form the foundations of understanding how to improve performance from a physiological perspective. Students analyse movement skills and fitness requirements and apply relevant training principles and methods to improve performance at various levels (individual, club and elite).

Students assess fitness and use collected data to justify the selection of fitness tests based on the physiological requirements of an activity, including muscles used, energy systems and fitness components. Students then consider all physiological data, training principles and methods to design a training program. 

Areas of Study: 

1. What are the foundations of an effective training program?

Students analyse the information required to form the foundation of an effective training program. Through participation, they undertake and collect data from an activity analysis and justify the specific physiological requirements of an activity.

Students determine the relevant factors that affect each of the fitness components and conduct an assessment of fitness that demonstrates correct and appropriate implementation of testing protocols and procedures and informs the design of the training program.

2. How is training implemented effectively to improve fitness?

Students focus on participation, implementation and evaluation of training principles and methods from practical and theoretical perspectives. They consider the ways in which fitness can be improved by applying appropriate training principles and methods when designing and critiquing a training program. Students identify and consider components of an exercise training session, and they record and analyse relevant data that can be used to adjust training. Students explain the chronic adaptations of the cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular systems that improve fitness and enhance performance.

3. Integrated movement experiences

In this area of study, students reflect on their participation in a practical activity and use primary data collected to demonstrate their integration of theory and practice across Units 3 and 4. Using an interdisciplinary approach, students are required to analyse the interrelationships between skill acquisition, biomechanics, energy production and training, and the impacts these have on performance.