Physical Education
Unit 1-4
Curious about how your body creates movement? Want to boost your sports performance? Ever wondered how the food you eat fuels your body? Or how to prevent fatigue during exercise? And how do top athletes and coaches get that competitive edge? VCE Physical Education has all these answers and more!
VCE Physical Education looks at how different biophysical (anatomical, biomechanical, physiological and skill acquisition) and psychosocial (psychological and sociocultural) principles work together to create and improve movement.
This study equips you with the appropriate knowledge and skills to plan, develop and maintain your involvement in physical activity, sport and exercise across your lifetime.
AIMS
This study empowers you to:
Apply key knowledge in real-world scenarios.
Get hands-on experience to discover how body systems work together to create and enhance movement.
Examine trends in physical activity, sport and exercise from a psychosocial perspective
Analyse movement skills from a biophysical perspective and use effective training principles and methods to boost performance at individual, club and elite levels.
Gain insights into the varying influences on physical activity participation and performance, which helps you to understand reasons behind how and why we move and how to enhance participation and physical performance.
Whilst mostly theoretical, practical opportunities are used for guided investigation to discover a theoretical concept, to introduce a theoretical concept and to reinforce a previously taught concept. Practical activities may include laboratory work, data collection, physical activity, sport and exercise.
Unit 1:The Human Body in Motion
On completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Investigate the role, structure, function and interplay of the musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory systems, and learn how these systems work together to produce movement.
- Explore potential causes of musculoskeletal and cardiorespiratory illnesses and injuries. In addition, examine strategies and tools for their prevention and management.
- Analyse the ethical implications and sociocultural considerations of using both permitted and prohibited performance enhancing substances and methods, assessing their perceived benefits and potential risks.
Unit 2: Physical Activity, Sport and Society
Upon completing this unit, you will be able to:
- Explore how physical activity (PA) evolves throughout different life stages. Also discover ways to make PA accessible for everyone, ensuring that all individuals can engage in exercise and sport.
- Investigate the various influences on PA and sport participation, including social, cultural, environmental and historical factors that shape our involvement in physical activities
- Experience a diverse range of physical activities, exercise and sports.
- Uncover the health benefits of staying active and explore the effects of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior on overall health and wellbeing.
- Evaluate PA and sedentary-behaviour guidelines across life stages, understanding how these recommendations apply at various ages.
- Conduct a Functional Movement Assessment (FMA), then design and implement a personalised, sustainable plan that aligns with physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines.
- Undertake a major investigation into a contemporary issue impacting access to, inclusion in, and performance in physical activity/sports at local, national and global levels.
Unit 3: Movement Skills and Energy for Physical Activity
Upon finishing this unit, you will be able to:
- Analyse human movement from a biophysical perspective, using a variety of coaching techniques.
- Apply biomechanical and skill-acquisition principles to improve and refine movement in physical activity, sport and exercise.
- Dive into the fascinating world of energy systems and discover how they power your body
- Consider the cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular systems and the roles of each in supplying oxygen to, and creating energy at, the working (exercising) muscles
- Explore what causes fatigue and unlock various strategies to delay fatigue and boost recovery.
Unit 4:Training to Improve Performance
Upon completing this unit, you will be able to:
- Understand the foundations of an effective training program, including:
- Explore how fitness can be enhanced using effective training principles and methods
- Analyse movement skills and fitness requirements and apply relevant training principles and methods to improve performance at various levels (individual, club and elite).
- Engage in diverse training sessions aimed at improving or maintaining fitness, and assess the effectiveness of various training approaches
- Evaluate the effectiveness of training programs
- Explain the long-term adaptations of the cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular systems resulting from specific training
The study prepares you for employment and/or further study in fields such as health sciences, exercise and sport science, education, recreation, sport development and coaching, health promotion and related careers. It also provides valuable knowledge and skills for participating in your own sporting and physical activity pursuits, helping you develop as a critical practitioner and lifelong learner.
Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 3 School-assessed Coursework: 20 %
Unit 4 School-assessed Coursework: 30 %
End-of-year examination: 50 %
Accreditation Period : Units 1 – 4 (2025 – 2029)
