Year 12 Physical Education Units 3 and 4
Overview
Unit 3 introduces the biomechanical and skill acquisition principles used to analyse human movement skills and energy production from a physiological perspective. You will also investigate the contribution and interplay of the three energy systems to performance in physical activity, sport and exercise. You will discover the causes of fatigue and consider different strategies used to postpone fatigue and promote recovery.
Unit 4 will see you will learn about and practice gathering data in order to conduct an activity analysis to determine the important physiological requirements for different sports. Then, you will put these skills into practice as you consider the needs of an individual to apply training methods and principles to design, evaluate and critique the effectiveness of training programs. After exploring training programs students will link their understanding of training to chronic adaptations. To assist your understanding of the concepts in Unit 4 you are required to participate in fitness tests and practical training sessions designed to assess, improve or maintain fitness.
Who is it for?
Physical Education is a subject ideal for those who enjoy participating in sport or physical activity. The study of VCE Physical Education is ideal for students with a wide range of aspirations, including those who wish to pursue further study at tertiary level or in vocational education and training settings. The study prepares students for such fields as the health sciences, exercise science and education, as well as providing valuable knowledge and skills for participating in their own sporting and physical activity pursuits.
What do you do?
Activities include:
- A range of physical activities, including five different training methods
- Collecting and analysing data to apply learning and enhance understanding of the concepts/outcomes
- Close liaison with the VCE PE teacher
- Attending teacher-facilitated workshops or seminars in Melbourne (highly recommended).
- Engage in weekly practical work that explore biomechanical concepts, energy systems and different training methods.
What skills do you need?
There are no prerequisites for entry to Unit 3, however you do need:
- A willingness to have a go at a range of physical activities
- Some performance ability and some theoretical knowledge is an advantage.
- Foundation on data interpretation (data sets and graphs)
- Time management
You do not need to be an Olympic athlete.
What skills do you develop?
This study enables students to:
- collect and analyse information from, and participate in, a variety of practical activities
- develop and refine movement skills from a coaching perspective
- apply biomechanical and skill acquisition principles
- analyse data from an activity analysis and fitness tests to determine and assess the fitness components and energy system requirements of the activity
- participate in a variety of training methods, and design and evaluate training programs to enhance specific fitness components.
Requirements
The following textbooks are recommended:
- Nelson Physical Education VCE Units 3 and 4 (Sixth edition). Nelson Cengage Learning, 2017
- Nelson Physical Education workbook VCE Units 3 and 4 peak performance (Third edition). Nelson Cengage Learning, 2017
Things to think about
Attending a one-day group practical laboratory workshop, which is conducted at the Virtual School Victoria and Exercise Research Australia in May, is highly recommended.
Attendance at other practical laboratory workshops and revision seminars which are conducted at the Virtual School Victoria in Terms 2, 3 and 4, are optional. You will have been notified of the details of both seminars prior to the scheduled date.
Things you can do now
The main thing you can do now is review the key knowledge and key skills related to Body Systems and Human Movement, especially if you have not completed Physical Education Units 1 and 2. This information can be accessed in any of the Physical Education Units 1 and 2 textbooks (Nelson Physical Education / Jacaranda Live It Up 1 / Macmillan VCE Physical Education 1) from your school or local library.
Go to the VCAA website for more information about this subject.
Things to have a look at
Unit 3 PE Overview
Unit 4 PE Overview
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