IB Sports, Exercise and Health Science SL

The IB DP course in sports, exercise and health science standard level (SL) involves the study of the science that underpins physical performance.  The course incorporates the traditional disciplines of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, psychology and nutrition.  Students cover a range of topics and carry out practical (experimental) investigations in both laboratory and field settings.  This course is a lab science course. 

The course incorporates the traditional disciplines of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, psychology and nutrition, which are studied in the context of sport, exercise and health. Students will cover a range of core and option topics and carry out practical (experimental) investigations in both laboratory and field settings. This will provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and understanding necessary to apply scientific principles and critically analyze human performance. Where relevant, the course will address issues of international dimension and ethics by considering sport, exercise and health relative to the individual and in a global context. Course Outline

Topic 1: Anatomy 1.1 The skeletal system 1.2 The muscular system Topic 2: Exercise physiology 2.1 Structure and function of the respiratory system 2.2 Structure and function of the cardiovascular system Topic 3: Energy systems 3.1 Nutrition 3.2 Carbohydrate and fat metabolism 3.3 Nutrition and energy systems Topic 4: Movement analysis 4.1 Neuromuscular function 4.2 Joint and movement type 4.3 Fundamentals of biomechanics Topic 5: Skill in sport 5.1 The characteristic and classification of skill 5.2 Information processing 5.3 Principles of skill learning Topic 6: Measurement and evaluation of human performance 6.1 Statistical analysis 6.2 Study design 6.3 Components of fitness 6.4 Principles of training program design

Options There are four options. Students are required to study any two options. Option A: Optimizing physiological performance A.1 Training A.2 Environmental factors and physical performance A.3 Non-nutritional ergogenic aids Option B: Psychology of sport B.1 Individual differences B.2 Motivation B.3 Mental preparation for sport B.4 Psychological skills training Option C: Physical activity and health C.1 Hypokinetic disease C.2 Cardiovascular disease C.3 Physical activity and obesity C.4 Physical activity and type 2 diabetes C.5 Physical activity and bone health C.6 Prescription of exercise for health C.7 Exercise and psychological well-being Option D: Nutrition for sport, exercise and health D.1 Digestion and absorption D.2 Water and electrolyte balance D.3 Energy balance and body composition D.4 Nutritional strategies Sports, Exercise and Health Science

Practical workAn essential aspect of the course is hands-on work in the laboratory and/or out in the field. The syllabus notonly directly requires the use of field techniques, but many components can only be covered effectivelythrough this approach. Practical work in this subject is an opportunity to gain and develop skills andtechniques beyond the requirements of the assessment model and should be fully integrated with theteaching of the course.

The internal assessment requirements are the same for biology, chemistry, physics and SEHS. The internalassessment, worth 20% of the final assessment, consists of one scientific investigation. The individualinvestigation should cover a topic that is commensurate with the level of the course of study.Student work is internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IB. The performance ininternal assessment at both SL and HL is marked against common assessment criteria, with a total mark outof 24.Note: Any investigation that is to be used to assess students should be specifically designed tomatch the relevant assessment criteria.The internal assessment task will be one scientific investigation taking about 10 hours and the writeup should be about 6–12 pages long. Investigations exceeding this length will be penalized in thecommunication criterion as lacking in conciseness.The practical investigation, with generic criteria, will allow a wide range of practical activities satisfying thevarying needs of biology, chemistry, physics and SEHS. The investigation addresses many of the learnerprofile attributes well. See the “Approaches to teaching and learning” section for further links.The task produced should be complex and commensurate with the level of the course. It should require apurposeful research question and the scientific rationale for it. The marked exemplar material in the teachersupport materials will demonstrate that the assessment will be rigorous and of the same standard as theassessment in the previous courses.Some of the possible tasks include:• a hands-on laboratory investigation• manipulated or observational fieldwork• using a spreadsheet for analysis and modelling• extracting data from a database and analysing it graphically• producing a hybrid of spreadsheet/database work with a traditional hands-on investigation• using a simulation, provided it is interactive and open-ended.Some tasks may consist of relevant and appropriate qualitative work combined with quantitative work.Internal assessment116 Sports, exercise and health science guideThe tasks include the traditional hands-on practical investigations as in the previous course. The depthof treatment required for hands-on practical investigations is unchanged from the previous internalassessment and will be shown in detail in the teacher support material. In addition, detailed assessment ofspecific aspects of hands-on practical work will be assessed in the written papers as detailed in the relevanttopic(s) in the “Syllabus content” section of the guide.

While addressing aims 7, 8 and 10, the project must be based on science or its applications. The project mayhave a hands-on practical action phase or one involving purely theoretical aspects. It could be undertakenin a wide range of ways, such as:• designing and carrying out a laboratory investigation or fieldwork• carrying out a comparative study (experimental or otherwise) in collaboration with another school• collating, manipulating and analysing data from other sources, such as scientific journals,environmental organizations, science and technology industries and government reports• designing and using a model or simulation• contributing to a long-term project organized by the school.

Through studying any of the group 4 subjects, students should become aware of how scientists work andcommunicate with each other. While the “scientific method” may take on a wide variety of forms, it is theemphasis on a practical approach through experimental work that distinguishes the group 4 subjects fromother disciplines and characterizes each of the subjects within group 4.It is in this context that the Diploma Programme sports, exercise and health science course should aim to:1. appreciate scientific study and creativity within a global context through stimulating and challengingopportunities2. acquire a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterize science and technology3. apply and use a body of knowledge, methods and techniques that characterize science and technology4. develop an ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesize scientific information5. develop a critical awareness of the need for, and the value of, effective collaboration andcommunication during scientific activities6. develop experimental and investigative scientific skills including the use of current technologies7. develop and apply 21st-century communication skills in the study of science8. become critically aware, as global citizens, of the ethical implications of using science and technology9. develop an appreciation of the possibilities and limitations of science and technology10. develop an understanding of the relationships between scientific disciplines and their influence onother areas of knowledge.

Each investigation is an individual piece of work based on different data collected or measurementsgenerated. Ideally, students should work on their own when collecting data. In some cases, data collectedor measurements made can be from a group experiment, provided each student collected his or her owndata or made his or her own measurements. In SEHS, in some cases, group data or measurements may becombined to provide enough for individual analysis. Even in this case, each student should have collectedand recorded their own data and they should clearly indicate which data are theirs.It should be made clear to students that all work connected with the investigation should be their own. It istherefore helpful if teachers try to encourage in students a sense of responsibility for their own learning sothat they accept a degree of ownership and take pride in their own work.

Teachers are free to formulate their own practical schemes of work by choosing practical activities accordingto the requirements outlined. Their choices should be based on:• subjects, levels and options taught• the needs of their students• available resources• teaching styles.Each scheme must include some complex experiments that make greater conceptual demands on students.A scheme made up entirely of simple experiments, such as ticking boxes or exercises involving filling intables, will not provide an adequate range of experience for students.Teachers are encouraged to use the IB site to share ideas about possible practical activities by joining in thediscussion forums and adding resources in the subject home pages.

Assessment modelIt is the intention of this course that students are able to fulfill thefollowing assessment objectives:1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:• facts, concepts, and terminology• methodologies and techniques• communicating scientific information.2. Apply:• facts, concepts, and terminology• methodologies and techniques• methods of communicating scientific information.3. Formulate, analyse and evaluate:• hypotheses, research questions and predictions• methodologies and techniques• primary and secondary data• scientific explanations.4. Demonstrate the appropriate research, experimental, andpersonal skills necessary to carry out insightful and ethicalinvestigations.