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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Moray House School of Education and Sport : Sport

Undergraduate Course: Sport Science 2A: Biochemistry of Exercise & Skill Acquisition (SPRT08019)

Course Outline
SchoolMoray House School of Education and Sport CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis is a 2-part course covering two key disciplines within Sport Science: Biochemistry of Exercise and Skill Acquisition. Both parts of the course have their own teaching, learning and assessment.
Course description PART 1 - BIOCHEMISTRY OF EXERCISE
Biochemistry of Exercise focusses on the molecular aspects of exercise physiology. This involves exploring the biochemical mechanisms involved in the generation of human movement and the responses and adaptations to exercise. Biochemistry of exercise knowledge helps facilitate an understanding of improving human performance through exercise and nutrition. Besides a focus on understanding biochemical processes in relation to sport, this part of the course teaches students about practical techniques used to examine the integrative nature of energy metabolism, muscle contraction and sports nutrition across a wide range of exercise types and intensities.

PART 2 - SKILL ACQUISITION
Skill Acquisition is the branch of movement science that examines how movement skills are learned (or re-learned after injury or disease) and how coaches, PE teachers and physical therapists can facilitate this process. This is an inter-disciplinary area, where psychology, physiology, anatomy and neurology come together to explain human motor function. When considering performance of a sports team, there is an added layer of complexity. Team performance is more than the sum of individual performances. Team performance analysis involves specific questions and specific methods of data collection and analysis. Students on this course will work in small groups to conduct a team performance analysis. Each group will address a specific research question through performance analysis. The aim of the analysis is to provide evidence-based advice.

This teaching and learning is research-led. Members of academic staff the Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Science (ISPEHS) who contribute to this course are all members of one or more of the following research groups hosted by ISPEHS: (1) Physical Activity for Health Research Centre (PAHRC), (2) Edinburgh Sports Research, (3) Human Performance Science (HPS), (4) Physical Education Research Forum (PERF).
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2021/22, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  0
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 22, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 22, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 152 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 60 %, Coursework 40 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) 1 x 2 hour Biochemistry of Exercise examination (60%)
1 x Skill Acquisition assignment (40%)

To pass the course an overall mark of 40% or over is required and each assessment item must be passed separately with a mark of 40% or over; there is no compensation of marks.
Feedback Informal Feedback - This takes place during teaching, seminars and practicals throughout the semester. Your tutors will comment on your understanding of the ideas covered in the course, and may give you specific advice regarding your progress. Such feedback is intended to help you understand what your strengths and development points are, and to enable you to take informed responsibility for your learning and progression.

Discussion forum - Throughout the course as a whole the students are encouraged to use a discussion forum in LEARN. Any questions posted by students about teaching, learning and assessment are be responded to by the course tutors for everyone to see.

Cohort feedforward - Detailed cohort feed-forward from previous cohorts of students is provided for all assessments on this course.

BIOCHEMISTRY OF EXERCISE
Formative feedback - For most weeks of teaching there will be an online MCQ test which gives feedback on incorrect questions. In addition, throughout the course students will get several opportunities to practice unseen exam questions from past papers during teaching and as homework. The course tutor will then review the attempts at the questions and discuss these in the class in relation to detailed cohort feedback given to previous cohorts of students.

Summative feedback - Detailed cohort feedback on the exam is made available and students have an opportunity to discuss their exam paper with the tutor.

SKILL ACQUISITION
Formative feedback - Students are provided with informal, formative feedback when they submit a research proposal. Students will also receive feedback as to data presentation and interpretation later in the course. Course tutor will comment on the understanding of the ideas covered in the course, and may give specific advice regarding progress. Such feedback is intended to help students understand what their strengths and development points are, and to enable them to take informed responsibility for your learning and progression.

Summative feedback - Detailed individual feedback and cohort feedback on the assignment is made available and students have an opportunity to discuss their assignment paper with the tutor.
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S1 (December)2:00
Resit Exam Diet (April/May Sem 1 resits only)Sport Science 2A2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate understanding of the metabolic responses and metabolic adaptations to exercise.
  2. Apply knowledge of biochemical concepts to sport performance across the spectrum of different exercise types.
  3. Demonstrate understanding of the purpose, possibilities and limitations of performance analysis in a training and competition context.
  4. Use appropriate analysis techniques to investigate factors determining successful performance in team sport.
  5. Undertake critical analysis of performance-related data and data from published scientific literature
Learning Resources
BIOCHEMISTRY OF EXERCISE
(1) Maughan, R. J., & Gleeson, M. (2010). The biochemical basis of sports performance / Ron Maughan & Michael Gleeson. Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2010.

(2) Gleeson, M. (2013) Biochemistry of Exercise, in The Encyclopaedia of Sports Medicine: An IOC Medical Commission Publication, Volume 19 (ed R. J. Maughan), John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, UK. doi: 10.1002/9781118692318.ch3

SKILL ACQUISITION
Reading will depend on the project.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills This course addresses 12 of the 21 graduate attributes developed on the BSc Applied Sport Science degree

RESEARCH AND ENQUIRY
(2) Search for, access, critically analyse, evaluate and synthesize information form literature in order to answer research questions in sport and exercise sciences.
(3) Plan and execute research projects, involving data collection and analysis, which answer research questions in sport and exercise sciences.
(4) Interpret data collected or reported in sport, physical activity and exercise studies
(6) Develop logical arguments surrounding issues within sport science, physical activity and exercise

PERSONAL AND INTELLECTUAL AUTONOMY
(7) Be independent learners who can take responsibility for their own learning
(8) Be able to respond to unfamiliar problems by extrapolating their existing knowledge and understanding

COMMUNICATION SKILLS
(9) Be able to communicate clearly using oral and written methods, including posters, presentations, essays, web pages, in order to critique, negotiate, create or communicate understanding
(10) Be able to use communication as a means for collaborating with and relating to others including staff, other students and research participants.

PERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS
(15) Be able to work effectively in a team; overcoming and discussing problems and recognising the diversity of contributions different individuals can make to collaborative work.
(16) Be able to transfer knowledge and ideas between different contexts within sport, exercise and health.

TECHNICAL/PRACTICAL SKILLS
(18) Be able to use the test, measurement and analysis tools appropriate to sport, physical activity and exercise, including for example laboratory or field tests.
(21) Be able to present data and report research findings according to standard scientific conventions.
Keywordssport science exercise biochemistry skill aquisition motor control
Contacts
Course organiserDr Martine Verheul
Tel: (0131 6)51 6554
Email: martine.verheul@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Kaiza Barbour
Tel: (0131 6)51 6571
Email: kaiza.barbour@ed.ac.uk
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