SID: 17996440

Assessment Task Sheet

Assessment Task Information
Faculty: PDHPE
Course: PDHPE
Unit: Factors Affecting Performance
Task Title: Professional Portfolio
Task marks: 26 marks
Weighting: 15% Task No: 2 of 4
Date issues: 01/03/2020 Date for submission: 01/04/2020

Assessment Task Details

Description of Activity:

You have just been hired as the new Exercise Scientist as part of a team for a professional
athlete in a sport of your choice. As part of your role, you are to research and produce a
written report that assesses a variety of factors that can benefit your athlete in the
development of a training program. This report will be presented in a consultation with
your chosen athlete and would need to be of professional standards.

Task instructions:
Your report must include the following:
Question 1
Outline the type of training best suited for your chosen sport. (Include examples where
relevant)
(6 marks)
Question 2
Explain how progressive overload can impact your athlete’s performance. (Include
examples where relevant)
(8 marks)
Question 3
Analyse one type of training that can be used by your chosen athlete and evaluate what that
type of training aims to improve. (Include references and examples where relevant)
(12 marks)

Context
Contextual statement:
Task designed for a coed class with mixed abilities and varying interests. Students all have
their own interest in different athletes and sports. Some students are interested in the theory
and physiological aspect of class and others are interested in the physical and sport aspect
of class.

Task rationale
Rationale:
This assessment task was designed for Year 12 HSC Core 2: Factors Affecting
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Performance based off the stage 6 syllabus for Personal Development, Health and Physical
Education (NESA, 2009). The task was designed so that it aligned with the syllabus
outcomes and utilizes several methods of differentiation so that the task is accessible to all
students. This task was intended for a mixed ability class with varying interests and aimed
to encourage and deepen student learning.

This task was designed with three components using Bloom’s taxonomy framework.
Bloom’s taxonomy is a powerful framework that can help teachers to “broaden the depth of
their students’ learning” (Eber & Parker, pg. 45, 2007). The framework’s hierarchical
categories is a great way for teachers to include both lower-order thinking that students are
comfortable with as well as introducing higher-order thinking that pushes students’
boundaries and encourages deeper thinking (Eber & Parker, 2007). The utilization of
Bloom’s taxonomy in assessment tasks is highly beneficial since it allows teachers to make
sure that student knowledge is constructed and built upon to achieve deeper understanding
in their education. It ensures that students are both challenged and being asked questions at
an appropriate level so that all student abilities are catered for (Bobrowski, 2007). Using
the framework, the task components utilized the cumulative categories by incorporating
escalating verbs with each component building upon the previous. Rather than having one
large activity, by splitting the task into three smaller components, the task effectively
provides students with questions of all levels. The three components also act as building
blocks to construct and build their knowledge to an extensive and deeper level (Armstrong,
2016).

Scaffolding was another component that was essential to the assessment task. Scaffolding
is a form of guided instructions that is highly beneficial to students. By providing students
with a scaffold, students are given “opportunities to engage in complex tasks that would
otherwise be beyond their current abilities” (Hmelo-Silver, Duncan & Chinn, pg. 100,
2007). Furthermore, scaffolds are highly helpful for students to organize and structure their
work by minimizing mindless progress and redirecting their focus to the important tasks
and goals on hand. Teachers that provide students with scaffolds are actively encouraging
student engagement and deep thinking (Hmelo-Silver, Duncan & Chinn, 2007). Due to
those reasons, this assessment task included a draft scaffold for students to reflect and draft
their thoughts in an organized and structured manner by giving students direction on their
learning goals.

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This task also incorporated student choice as the foundation to the three components of the
task. Research has found that giving students choices and options is essential in
encouraging motivation and learning (Beymer & Thomson, 2015). By giving students
options and the power of choice, there is an increase in student interest and engagement
with students spending “more time and effort on the learning task” (Patall & Wynn, pg.
896, 2010). Furthermore, providing students with choice is beneficial in the development
of self-regulatory skills and autonomy. It is particularly beneficial to students that show
low levels of engagement, interest and motivation (Patall & Wynn, 2010). Additionally,
giving students choice in their tasks increases intrinsic motivation which is linked with
high levels of academic achievements (Patall & Wynn, 2010). Due to the variety of
benefits associated with student choice, this task gave students the choice of athlete and
sport as the fundamental foundation of the task where students can choose a sport and
athlete of their interest to increase students’ intrinsic motivation and engagement.

This assessment task used three marking criteria components that aligns with each
question. The marking criteria aimed to provide explicit and descriptive objectives that
closely matches to each question rather than a broad marking criteria for the whole
assessment task. The reason for having such an explicit marking criteria is because
research suggests that students find it difficult to understand what teachers are looking for
when marking (O’Donovan, Price & Rust, 2004). By providing a comprehensive and
transparent marking criteria, students are more equipped to navigate the assessment task.
Furthermore, the assessment outcomes listed are closely aligned to the task so that it is
transparent to students what they are being assessed on and what the task’s objectives are.
Learning outcomes are continually provided to students throughout their learning activities
in class and by providing students with the relevant outcomes for this assessment task,
students are able to look back and mirror what’s been covered in class (Biggs, 2003).

Inquiry-based learning was the pedagogical approach that this assessment task utilized.
Research has found that inquiry-based learning is highly beneficial to students and allows
for them to develop critical thinking, interpersonal and self-directional skills (Barron &
Darling-Hammond, 2010). Furthermore, inquiry-based learning gives students
opportunities to explore real-life situations and complexities that is found to support
student engagement and motivation. By providing real-life problems, the assessment task is
brought to life and is more relevant and authentic (Barron & Darling-Hammond, 2010).
Hence, the assessment task requires students to use a variety of resources for their research,
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construct their own knowledge and apply it to real-life scenario. This pedagogical approach
aims to support students’ deep and meaningful learning.

Lastly, this assessment task utilized peer feedback in addition to teacher feedback. Peer
feedback has been found to be highly beneficial to students since it gives students
opportunities to practice important skills such as critical analysis and exposure to other
peers’ ideas (Lundstrom & Baker, 2008). Additionally, peer feedback can be an extremely
effective to improve students’ writing and communication skills. Peer feedback requires
students to critically assess a piece of written work and communicate their observations
back to the group. Students have reported that continued practice of peer feedback has
improved their own writing skills (Lundsrom & Baker, 2008). By reviewing others’
writing, students may gain insight into what needs improvement and what is good that they
may incorporate into their work in the future. Hence, peer feedback was incorporated into
this assessment task to improve students’ writing skills.

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Outcomes to be assessed
Outcome Description
Explains the relationship between physiology and movement
H7 potential
Explains how a variety of training approaches and other
H8 interventions enhance performance and safety in physical activity
Selects appropriate options and formulates strategies based on a
H17 critical analysis of the factors that affect performance and safe
participation.

Criteria for assessing learning

Question 1: Outline the type of training best suited for your chosen sport.
Outline: Sketch in general terms; indicate the main features of (NESA, n.d).

Marking criteria
Mark range Criteria
5-6  Precise outline of training in relevance to chosen sport
 Presents ideas in a coherent manner
 Provides extensive and relevant examples
3-4  Identifies type of training
 Identifies basic relationship between training and chosen sport
 Provides some relevant examples
1-2  Provides some relevant information on training
 Basic or no inclusion of examples

Question 2: Explain how the training principle progressive overload can impact your
athlete’s performance.
Explain: Relate cause and effect; make the relationships between things evident;
provide why and/or how (NESA, n,d.).

Marking criteria
Mark range Criteria
7-9  Thorough explanation of the training principle progressive overload
used to improve performance.
 Describes relationship between progressive overload and
performance in a clear and logical manner
 Provides a variety of relevant examples
 Appropriate and extensive referencing
4-6  Describes training principle progressive overload
 Provides some relevant examples
 Identifies chosen sport and performance
 Provides some referencing
1-3  Provides basic information on training principle progressive
overload
 Elementary examples of little relevance
 Elementary references or unreferenced
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Question 3: Analyse one type of training that can be used your chosen athlete and evaluate
what that type of training aims to improve.
Analyse: Identify components and the relationship between them; draw out and
relate implications (NESA, n.d.).
Marking criteria
Mark range Criteria
9-12  Identifies and provides detailed explanation of one type of training
using examples.
 Detailed discussion of training in relation to chosen sport.
 Precise outline of the aims of the type of training.
 Accurately draws connection between type of training and the effect
it has on performance.
 Extensive range and appropriate use of examples where relevant.
 Provided correct, extensive and appropriate referencing.
5-8  Identifies training type and discusses training improvements
 Discusses the type of training in relation to chosen athlete and sport
 Provides relevant examples
 Provides some relevant referencing
1-4  Provides some relevant information about type of training
 Provides some relevant information about chosen sport

Feedback
Feedback
 Students are to get into small groups to perform peer feedback. They are to assess each
other’s work anonymously and provide each other with feedback they’ve observed and
what mark they think the work achieved.
 Teacher is to mark and provide students with feedback. Teacher will reveal marks and
feedback after peer feedback is complete.

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Student Draft Worksheet
Use this as a draft to sketch out your ideas before starting assessment task.
Question 1: Outline Outline: Sketch in general terms; indicate the main features of
the type of training (NESA).
best suited for your
chosen sport.
 What type of
training?
 Who is your
athlete and their
chosen sport?
 What is the
relationship?

Question 2: Explain Explain: Relate cause and effect; make the relationships between
how the training things evident; provide why and/or how (NESA).
principle progressive
overload can impact
your athlete’s
performance.
 What is
progressive
overload?
 How does it
impact
performance?
 How will you
include it?

Question 3: Analyse Analyse: Identify components and the relationship between them;
one type of training draw out and relate implications (NESA).
that can be used
your chosen athlete
and evaluate what
that type of training
aims to improve.
 What type of
training?
 What is it
improving?
 How does this
help your
athlete?
 References?

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Reference:

Armstrong, P. (2016). Bloom’s taxonomy. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching.

Barron, B., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). Prospects and challenges for inquiry-based
approaches to learning. The nature of learning: Using research to inspire practice,
199-225.
Beymer, P. N., & Thomson, M. M. (2015). The effects of choice in the classroom: Is there
too little or too much choice?. Support for Learning, 30(2), 105-120.
Biggs, J. (2003). Aligning teaching and assessing to course objectives. Teaching and
learning in higher education: New trends and innovations, 2(April), 13-17.
Bobrowski, P. (2007). Bloom’s taxonomy: Expanding its meaning. Faculty guidebook: A
comprehensive tool for improving faculty performance, 161-164.
Eber, P. A., & Parker, T. S. (2007). Assessing Student Learning: Applying Bloom's
Taxonomy. Human Service Education, 27(1).
Hmelo-Silver, C. E., Duncan, R. G., & Chinn, C. A. (2007). Scaffolding and achievement in
problem-based and inquiry learning: a response to Kirschner, Sweller,
and. Educational psychologist, 42(2), 99-107.
Lundstrom, K., & Baker, W. (2009). To give is better than to receive: The benefits of peer
review to the reviewer's own writing. Journal of second language writing, 18(1), 30-
43.
NSW Education Standards Authority. (2009). Personal development, health and physical
education: Stages 6 syllabus. Retrieved from
https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-
areas/pdhpe/pdhpe-syllabus
NSW Education Standards Authority. (n.d.) A glossary of key words. Retrieved from
https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/hsc-student-
guide/glossary-keywords
O'Donovan, B., Price, M., & Rust, C. (2004). Know what I mean? Enhancing student
understanding of assessment standards and criteria. Teaching in Higher
education, 9(3), 325-335.
Patall, E. A., Cooper, H., & Wynn, S. R. (2010). The effectiveness and relative importance of
choice in the classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(4), 896.