Broadening: Active Body, Active Mind

Rationale and Purpose of the Module: This module is part of the Broadening the Curriculum Agenda here in UL for creating interdisciplinary modules as part of the UL Strategic plan and specifically is designed to enable students to evaluate the importance of health for optimal learning, educational achievement and personal development and appreciate the relationship between an active body and active mind. Through engaging in diverse learning strategies that include practical learning as well as the more traditional lecture and tutorial format, students will experience first-hand the interplay of physical, mental, social and emotional dimensions of learning for health. It will encourage students to integrate the important concepts of an active lifestyle for physical and mental health, well-being and academic achievement. In addition, the module aims to take students beyond traditional understandings of health and learning and to apply their new knowledge to create sustained cognitive, emotional and behavioural change for improved learning and health gains.

Syllabus: Students will be provided with content and opportunities that allow them to engage in physical activity and learning in a fun, creative, challenging and social context. Through the introduction of different physical activities using the UL campus environment (e.g., team challenges, orienteering, walking, aquatics, sports, dance) students will become aware of the common currency of physical activity not only from a group perspective but also with respect to the level of autonomy individuals have in determining their own active lifestyles. The module provides students with an opportunity learn from an interdisciplinary and intradisciplinary perspectives how to make decisions from a collective group perspective as regards the determinants of being physically active and also accomodate space for students to identify their own motives/ motivational climate in considering and maintaining an active lifestyle. Behavioural change models (e.g., the transtheoretical model/ stages of change model) provide the framework for students to conceptualise and measure active lifestyles of the student population as well as their own. Additionally, this framework can facilitate promotion strategies for individuals and groups. Attention will also be given to the environment in which activity occurs focusing on aspects of contextual intelligence. In addition to enhancing their physical health, the module will also challenge students to become critically aware of their learning styles, their personal study habits and the link between physical activity and improved motivation and learning success.