SP8000 - Applied Practice in Sport and Exercise Psychology: Action Learning Sets

On this module students will engage in a type of learning known as action learning. Action learning is a guidance tool to support systematic learning. It is a type of learning that is particularly useful for practitioners working in real-life contexts where challenges are often complex and multilayered. To facilitate action learning, the module runs as an Action Learning Set. An Action Learning Set (ALS) is a group of people that meet with the specific intention of solving identified problems. The main aim of an ALS is to come away with a set of realistic actions that will help to understand the issues at hand and guide practice.
Action learning sets will follow a ‘flipped classroom’ approach. Prior to each session, students will be provided with pre-session learning materials (e.g. lecture recordings, directed readings with question prompts, podcasts, scenarios, suggestions for wider reading). These materials will provide a core ‘knowledge push,’ to support learning.
During sessions, students will engage in critical discussion and critical reflection on the learning materials with peers, academic staff, and where possible, stakeholders. Within the action learning sets students will be exposed to different theoretical and philosophical approaches, methods and techniques and to different ethical and professional dilemmas. They will be supported and developed to utilise their knowledge of the current empirical evidence-base (sport and exercise psychology empirical and practice-based research publications) to make informed judgements on complex issues and to discuss and reflect on their professional decision-making and how it informs ethical practice.
After each session students will be provided with post session recordings and readings and will be given directed tasks (formative assessment) to complete (e.g. Critical reflection on learning). Students will be required to submit completed post session formative tasks to their Co-ordinating Supervisors for formative feedback and further discussion during supervisory meetings. These formative submissions will be used to monitor progress in relation to core competencies and to support students’ development towards summative submissions on their doctoral programme.

BPS Chartered and HCPC registered staff will be on the module team to ensure that students are supported effectively to develop towards BPS and HCPC practical competency requirements and standards. All module staff will engage in relevant CPD to ensure that their knowledge and skills are up to date. The module tutor will liaise with professional bodies to keep up to date with any changes to professional standards/policy.
Action learning sets will enable students to develop their perceptual and analytical decision-making skills for practice and to increase their applied practice skills and knowledge by workshopping a range of different practice-based scenarios and dilemmas in a safe space. Students will gain feedback on their professional decisions and practice from experienced sport psychologists, from their peers, and potentially from stakeholders who will be able to provide different perspectives and approaches and support them to model a range of different options and how those options might play out. Students can also put their own practice-based questions/dilemmas on the session agenda to discuss and workshop with the group.
Outside of scheduled teaching the module tutor and staff teaching team will have office hours available for one to one and/or small group appointments each week. There will also be a discussion board on the module’s blackboard site which students can use to ask questions of tutors and peers.
During the semester when the module is taught students will have regular meetings with their principal supervisor to further develop their applied practice.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the concept of evidence-based practice as it pertains to applied sport and exercise psychology service design and delivery.
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of a range of different psychological modalities and approaches and how these different perspectives shape applied sport and exercise psychology service delivery.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• Apply an evidence-based approach to the practice of sport and exercise psychology.
• Apply a range of different psychological modalities and approaches in sport and exercise psychology practice.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• Critically reflect upon own personal and professional standards and ethical practice in sport and exercise.
• Apply appropriate ethical and professional practice frameworks in the design and delivery of sport and exercise psychology services.

This is a non-credit bearing module designed to support students’ learning in relation to professional practice competencies. Competencies will be assessed at annual progressions and in the final summative assessment of the programme (Portfolio and viva).

sp7029

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The aim of this module is to support students to develop the knowledge and practical competencies required for effective autonomous practice as a sport and exercise psychologist as recognised by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The module is designed to run alongside your one-to-one professional practice supervision. The module focuses upon developing your professional judgement and decision-making to enhance your ability to design and deliver effective sport and exercise psychology practice across a variety of different contexts, clients and settings. A highlight of the module is the opportunity to engage in action learning sets with your tutors, your peers and potentially with relevant stakeholders. A feature of the action learning sets is the opportunity for learners to “workshop” various practice scenarios, dilemmas and issues in a safe space. Action learning sets allow complex, multilayered problems to be analysed, dissected and discussed from a variety of different approaches and perspectives resulting in the development of concrete actions that can guide practice.