96343 Professional Mentorship in High Performance Sport
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Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Postgraduate
Result type: Grade, no marksThere are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject provides embedded experiential learning by linking students with industry professionals who are currently working within various high performance sport environments. Students engage with expert panel sessions, including guest presenters from a range of backgrounds (e.g. Australian team sports, international leagues, Olympic sports, elite high schools etc.). Students also work closely with industry-based mentors, both individually and in small groups. These facilitated sessions enable mentors to share their knowledge across a range of career skills. These experiences help students map their own career skills and create progression plans, and utilise mentor relationships to guide them through a significant period of professional growth.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| A. | Develop and analyse relevant artefacts (skills matrix, curriculum vitae, professional standards) to establish personal and industry skills benchmarks within the high performance sport environment. |
|---|---|
| B. | Communicate effectively in a range of modes with mentors, staff and / or peers. |
| C. | Critically appraise a range of sources to extract meaning which assists in the planning of personal career development. |
| D. | Draw insight from industry leaders about how they achieve workable solutions and manage challenges that occur in high performance sport; demonstrates application of insight to career planning and choices. |
| E. | Reflect on individual circumstances and learnings, and apply these reflections to improve personal and professional capacities. |
| F. | Synthesise and use information which supports improved knowledge and understanding of sensitive practice with a diverse range of stakeholders in diverse social and cultural settings, and in particular Australian Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following graduate attributes:
- Critically appraise, assess and synthesise evidence relevant to high performance sport practice from an extensive range of sources to develop creative, innovative and effective evidence-based solutions. (2.1)
- Demonstrate expert judgement, legal responsibility and ethical accountability to practise within the ethical boundaries of high performance sport professions and in accordance with professional practice, governance and privacy obligations to uphold ethical practice and the values of sporting excellence, fairness and athlete safety and wellbeing. (3.1)
- Expertly communicate with key stakeholders and adapt to challenging, complex and diverse industry contexts to create positive and professional relationships in a high performance sport environment. (5.2)
- Practise sensitively and to communicate effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders in diverse social and cultural settings, and in particular Australian Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing. (6.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject incorporates a range of teaching and learning strategies that are designed to engage students with a broad range of work-related concepts found within the high performance field. Four online modules will form the foundation of the subject, with the addition of student centred learning activities that focus on building the student/mentor relationship. Students will communicate regularly with subject staff, current professionals and industry mentors by viewing and participating in professional panels, mentoring sessions and regular mentor and group discussions. Weekly online sessions in Canvas and Zoom will involve professional panels discussing topics relevant to working in the sporting industry. Modules are designed to facilitate individual and group reflective learning, as well as professional development. Assessments and regular meetings with mentors will guide students to conduct and analyse a skills matrix for themselves and others, plan for career progression, and establish an understanding of what is needed to improve their employment opportunities.
Teaching and learning strategies will assist students to develop reflective practice, as well as support them to apply their insight into the creation of a contemporary career progression plan. They will broaden their professional networks through exposure to a large number of industry professionals, and explore how these relationships can be leveraged for professional growth and opportunity.
Content (topics)
Module 1: Building on strong foundations
- All about you – subject coordinator interviews for student lead learning experiences
- Zooming in then zooming out – the power of a skills matrix
- Connecting your CV to your career
Module 2: Peeling back the layers – a behind the scenes look at the high performance sport industry and what it takes to succeed within it
- Hearing from the experts: 4 x professional panels
- Using the skills matrix as an effective lens to compare industry settings and professional standards
Module 3: Charting a way forward – developing personal and professional capacities
- Meet the mentor, building your team
- How do you present? Dissecting and improving your professional identity
- The value of goal setting
- Professional development, accreditation and networking
Module 4: Peeling back the layers – you can’t talk about that!
- Creating Employability
- Career Sustainability
- Skills Diversity
- Inevitable Sackability – Building long-term resilience
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Developing a professional skills matrix
| Intent: | The intent of this assessment is for students to define their current skill set and compare this to skills required in potential future career pathways. To support this process, a skills matrix and curriculum vitae (CV) will also be developed, so that students can continue to refine to suit their evolving career needs. |
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| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): A, B, C and E This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 2.1 and 5.2 |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 25% |
| Length: | 1 x CV, 1 x Skills Matrix, 20 minute Zoom |
Assessment task 2: Collaborative Reflections of Learning Opportunities
| Intent: | To help students make connections between new ideas and prior knowledge, and to share these thoughts with students from a different mentor group. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): B, C, E and F This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 3.1, 5.2 and 6.1 |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 25% |
| Length: | 20 min peer meeting, 1-page summary of reflections |
Assessment task 3: Career progression plan
| Intent: | This task is designed for students to work closely with their mentor to develop a personalised career progression plan. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s): B, C and D This assessment task contributes to the development of graduate attribute(s): 2.1, 3.1, 5.2 and 6.1 |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 50% |
| Length: | 1 x updated CV, 1-page summary of career goals, 2-page reflection on career planning discussion, 1 x cover letter. |
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