by Brian Sather, created Dec 31 2008 - 8:42pm, updated Jun 18 2010 - 10:26pm

Below is a list of several ways to apply knowledge of the content. This will improve learning and demonstrate understanding as well as provide valuable scholarly contributions for others. The Application Rubric contains the criteria for evaluating this and other work. See also the guide for presenting work. Work presented outside of UniCommons.com must be referenced (e.g. web link, embed) and explained on the group page so that all work is documented under the user's account.

==ESSENTIAL APPLICATIONS==

Proposal (Required)

Develop a proposal related to physical education, recreation, or athletics. A proposal is a detailed request for something that would be presented to a decision making body, either hypothetically or in reality. The topic should be something the presenter feels strongly about. Examples include adding a sport to a school athletic program, renovating part of a facility, organizing a weekend tournament, and starting a community youth sport program. It is important to select a proposal topic that is realistic. A proposal to build a new gymnasium would require far too much gathering and presentation of information to be thorough and earn a good grade. On the other hand, a proposal to buy an elliptical machine for the fitness center would be too simplistic. Building a rock climbing wall would be a more appropriate choice.

The proposal includes 2 elements: the written proposal and the presentation. The basis for the proposal will be a written paper that includes detailed information and reference material to support the argument. Use the "Create Paper" link from the group page to start the paper and write it. The default save status is unpublished, so you may work on the paper as a draft for several weeks before presenting it. Feedback may be elicited during the development of the proposal. When the proposal is complete, move it to the complete state and publish the paper so everyone can see it. The written proposal must follow APA format and include good spelling and grammar. Special graphical presentations or tables that are to be included with the proposal may be included as attachments and referred to in the body of the paper. 

This paper will be accompanied by a short presentation that introduces and summarizes the proposal in a convincing way. the presentation must reference where to find the written proposal (usually just a web link is sufficient). The presentation will be followed by questions from the instructor and other students that must be answered by the presenter. The following are examples of ways the proposal can be presented:

  • Powerpoint
  • Video
  • Podcast, vodcast, or screencast
  • Flash animation
  • Webpage or website

For a proposal to be accepted, the presenter must be convincing. To build a convincing argument, the presenter should provide good background information, financial projections, fundraising projects, research on similar projects at other schools, advice from experts (books or interviews), a workable plan for implementing the project, and maintain a level of confidence and enthusiasm about the project. Proposals are graded according to the Paper Grading Rubric.

Once proposals are submitted, each student should review other students' presentations and then submit questions or concerns for the presenter to respond to. In turn, the presenter should address these concerns.

Service Learning

Volunteer at a local sporting event for 4+ hours of work in some administrative-related duties. Submit a description that includes the nature of the service and what you learned.
To verify the experience, the supervisor must submit an Activity Verification Form. Give them the following link for completing the form

http://www.unicommons.com/forms/activity-verification-form

Collaboration

Provide significant contributions to a collaborative project.  

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==RECOMMENDED APPLICATIONS==
These or similar projects should be completed. . .or make up some other applicable projects.

Mission Statement & Goals

To be an effective leader, you must have a clear purpose and direction in your own life. Your assignment is to develop a personal mission statement and goals. A mission statement is a concise statement about your purpose in life. The statement should be easy to remember and no more than 2 or 3 sentences. For example, "Become strong mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually." Another approach you can use for a mission statement is a short them like, "Do your best." The following website includes some sample mission statements you may be interested in seeing: http://www.quintcareers.com/mission_statement_samples.html

Goals are much more specific but should support the mission statement. Goals should also be measurable. For example, "I will graduate by Summer 2003." Another goal may be, "I will attain a job in the fitness field within the next month." Your goals should be organized into at least four short-term goals (under 1 year) and at least four long-term goals (1-5 years). Each goal should include an anticipated completion time. Following the SMART system of goal planning is a good idea. Also, having your goals in writing and sharing them with others helps make them more concrete increases your adherence.

Your mission and goals are constantly evolving so they should be updated often. As you review your mission and goals, you will be able to measure your past success and develop a sense of direction for the future and security in the present.

Interviews

One of the best ways to learn how to manage is to talk to managers with experience. Choose one or more administrators or managers in any line of work. Some examples may include athletic director, academic department chair, store manager, intramural director, facility manager, or fitness center manager. Design a logical line of questioning to accomplish what you would like to learn from the interviewee. Keep the interview short by only planning on 5-6 questions. Keep in mind that you may need to use “probe” questions if you fail to get a satisfactory response from the interviewee. If the respondent gives a brief answer, you may need to probe with a “why” question or anything that will prompt the person to give a more detailed answer. The following is a list of recommended questions to chose from, but remember to only choose a few of these:

  • What is you job description and duties?
  • Describe the hiring process you went through for this job.
  • What qualifications do you think were important for you to get the position?
  • Why did you want the position?
  • What are the major satisfactions and rewards of your job?
  • How do you define and measure success for your job?
  • What are the major problems and difficulties in your job?
  • What were your first few years like compared to now?
  • What hiring process you follow when selecting employees?
  • What is your administrative style?
  • What 2 top qualities do you look for when doing the hiring?
  • How do you deal with discipline?
  • What do you see as your greatest accomplishment?
  • What process do you follow in budgeting?
  • What approach do you take in dealing with the parents?
  • What does your secretary do?
  • What about Title IX concerns?

Make sure that you make an appointment with someone in advance. Explain the reason for the interview and how long you expect the interview to take (20-30 minutes). On the day of the interview, make sure you show up 5-10 minutes early. At the beginning of the interview, indicate that the information will remain confidential and will only be presented to the course instructor. During the interview take notes but also maintain eye contact with the interviewee. At the conclusion of the interview, give a brief summary of the interview and offer to send a copy of the typed interview. Ask them if they would like to remain anonymous when you present the interview. Conclude with a thank you for their help.

To complete the assignment, provide an accurate typed script of the interview including the questions and answers. If they would like to remain anonymous, omit any identifying information from the interview.

Intramural Project

You have an intramural sign-up that includes 6 teams. Design a double round robin season that is followed by a play-off. Provide a schedule of games indicating what teams play each day followed by a play-off bracket for all 6 teams. The playoff bracket should be arranged to show which seeds play each other (i.e. where is the 3rd place team on the bracket?).
Most word processors allow you to add various lines and boxes that you can use in designing your tournament brackets. You may also want use a graphic program like PageMaker, Adobe Photoshop, or Microsoft paint. If you are unfamiliar with these programs, you may want to allow yourself extra time to complete the project. If you are persistent and patient, usually you can come up with a good tournament bracket that you will be able to use in the future. The tournament should be presented as a media presentation, either as an attachment in PDF or a webpage embed (like Google Docs).

Discipline Project

Each student will design a personal discipline statement that they can have on file, give to an administrator, or give to parents who request it. The procedure can be targeted for the classroom, PE department, or athletic department. First, provide a general discussion about your discipline philosophy. Then, clearly outline preventative measures that will be taken to proactively diminish discipline problems. Finally, list steps that will be taken to discipline unacceptable behavior. Make sure to follow recommendations set forth by the textbook, class notes, expert theory, or research studies on discipline. Reference your sources where applicable.

Performance Evaluation Project

Design an employee performance evaluation plan for a coach, teacher, athletic trainer, or fitness center employee. First list the evaluation procedure that you will use. This will include information about who will perform the evaluations, when and how often it is performed, what will be done with the results, and what evaluation instruments will be used.
After listing the evaluation procedure, design the evaluation instrument you will use. Look at some of the examples provided to help you with the instrument. Make sure the instrument covers important aspects of the job and will give a fair evaluation for the employee. You may need to talk to successful employees or supervisors for the job you selected to find out what is important in evaluating competency.

Web 2.0 Project

"Web 2.0" is a term used to describe how the paradigm of the Word Wide Web has changed into a collaborative medium. And what better way to explain this than through 2 projects that embody the Web 2.0 concept:

WikiPedia Entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0
YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE
(please let me know if any of these links break)

Your assignment is two-fold and purposefully vague about "how" to do it:

Start your own blog: There are many services available, many are "free" but are cluttered with ads. Create your blog, include at least one entry, and submit your blog web address for completing this part of the assignment. If you are a public employee or plan to be one, realize that you have freedom of speech, but your employer (e.g. school district) is also free to fire you for what you say in a public forum like the Internet. Refer to some guidelines here: http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/employpunishment...
Contribute to a wiki: Choose a subject in which you have some expertise or interest, and contribute to the Wiki with an edit, correction, addition, etc. The flagship wiki is  http://www.WikiPedia.org and this is the site recommended for completing this assignment. After doing this, submit the specific web address for the wiki you edited along with the username you used and the time/date of the edit. Also provide with a rationale for your change.

Website
Create your own website.

Risk Management Project

Choose an area of a fitness facility, gymnasium, or other athletic-related facility to identify possible hazards. Keep the information from the textbook and class notes in mind as you walk through the facility looking for risks that may lead to injury or lawsuit. Write down a list of 20 of the hazards along with a recommendation for fixing the problem. Do not present the name of the facility publicly. Just provide a general description of what type of facility you examined.

Inventory Project

Students will choose an area of a fitness facility, gymnasium, or other athletic-related facility to inventory. Ask for permission from the facility manager or supervisor to do a mock inventory. Fill out an inventory sheet that includes necessary details for several items. For example, if the item has a serial number or model number, make sure to note that information. The inventory should be presented as a media presentation, either as an attachment in PDF or a webpage embed (like Google Docs).