The role of movement in childhood development and health

Learn about key concepts and the importance of physical activity, fundamental movement skills, sedentary behaviour and sleep in childhood and adolescence.
Target audience
This course is for a range of practitioners who would like to improve their understanding of movement behaviour in children and adolescents. Practitioners may include (but not limited to) doctors, other health practitioners, allied health practitioners, primary and secondary school educators, and early childhood development practitioners.This course assumes that participants have had some form of tertiary education and/or training related to their profession.
Key target groups
- Medical practitioners, e.g. general practitioners, paediatricians
- Other health practitioners, e.g. biokineticists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists
- Allied health practitioners, e.g. chiropractors
- Primary and secondary school educators
- Early childhood development practitioners
- Parents
Course content
Asset | File | Duration |
---|---|---|
Physical activity | Animated PowerPoint MP4 Video | 17 min |
Physical activity and children interview/s: Introduce parents; ways of encouraging their kids to be active | MP4 Video | 3 min |
Module 1 - Assessment | Moodle Quiz | - |
Asset | File | Duration |
---|---|---|
Fundamental movement skills | Animated PowerPoint MP4 Video | 18 min |
Locomotor skills | MP4 Video | 4 min |
Object control skills | MP4 Video | 4 min |
Stability skills | MP4 Video | 2 min |
Youth Physical Development Model for boys | PDF document | - |
Youth Physical Development Model for girls | PDF document | - |
Long term athlete development model | PDF document | - |
Module 2 - Assessment | Moodle Quiz | - |
Asset | File | Duration |
---|---|---|
Getting practical | Animated PowerPoint MP4 Video | 18 min |
Activities to develop locomotor skills | MP4 Video | 5 min |
Activities to develop object control skills | MP4 Video | 2 min |
Activities to develop stability skills | MP4 Video | 2 min |
Activities to develop coordination and strength | MP4 Video | 4 min |
Fitness assessments for different age groups | MP4 Video | 2 min |
Other fitness tests | MP4 Video | 3 min |
FMS assessment | MP4 Video | 3 min |
FMS assessment criteria | MP4 Video | 3 min |
Example of group PA session plan | Word doc | - |
PA diary | Word doc | - |
Fitness assessments for different age groups | Word doc | - |
Adapted FMS assessment | Word doc | - |
FMS assessments | Word doc | - |
Module 3 - Assessment | Moodle Quiz | - |
Asset | File | Duration |
---|---|---|
Sedentary behaviour | Animated PowerPoint MP4 Video | 26 min |
Parent interview/s: What works with reducing Screen time in the home | MP4 Video | 3 min |
Screen time diary | Word doc | - |
Screen-time infographic | PDF document | - |
Module 4 - Assessment | Moodle Quiz | - |
Asset | File | Duration |
---|---|---|
Sleep | Animated PowerPoint MP4 Video | 14 min |
Interview with a sleep therapist | MP4 Video | 15 min |
Parent interview/s: Keeping a good bedtime routine | MP4 Video | 3 min |
Food and sleep diary | Word doc | - |
Module 5 - Assessment | Moodle Quiz | - |
Asset | File | Duration |
---|---|---|
Food and sleep diary - Part 1 | Animated PowerPoint MP4 Video | 12 min |
Food and sleep diary - Part 2 | Animated PowerPoint MP4 Video | 18 min |
Interview with Kinderkineticist | MP4 Video | 4 min |
Interview with Physiotherapist | MP4 Video | 3 min |
Interview with Occupational therapist | MP4 Video | 11 min |
Interview with Dietitian | MP4 Video | 4 min |
Active, smart and healthy children Infographic | PDF document | - |
Striking a balance | PDF document | - |
Module 5 - Assessment | Moodle Quiz | - |
What will I learn
- Define key movement behaviours in childhood and adolescence: physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep.
- Advise on recommendations for these movement behaviours in childhood and adolescence.
- Identify movement skills that help to facilitate physical activity in childhood.
- Explain the role of these movement behaviours and skills in promoting the health and well-being of children and adolescents.
- Conduct basic assessments of movement behaviours and skills with children and adolescents.
- Provide practical advice on promoting these movement behaviours and skills for children and adolescents.
- Refer effectively to relevant health professionals to assist with promoting these behaviours and skills amongst children and adolescents.
Assessments
Each module will have four multiple choice questions. Students will have unlimited attempts to answer these questions. A certificate of completion will be issued once all of the assessments have been completed.
Course description
Are you a health professional or an educator who is seeing more and more inactive kids, kids who can't seem to stay away from their screens, or kids who are not getting enough sleep? Maybe you see how this is affecting their physical and emotional health, or how unhealthy behaviours are affecting their ability to learn and cope at school. If you would like to be armed with more knowledge, insight and skills to turn things around for these kids, or to make sure kids don't go down this route, then this course is for you. This course provides current scientific evidence on movement behaviours, specifically physical activity, sedentary behaviour (including screen time), and sleep. Fundamental movement skills, and their relationship to physical activity in children, are also covered this course. Furthermore, one of the modules of the course specifically addresses referrals to health professionals who can assist with promoting healthy movement behaviours in children and adolescent, and who can provide the right intervention where it is needed. After completing this course, you will be able to recommend and promote these health behaviours for children and adolescents in a more effective and evidence-based way, which can ultimately be a huge benefit to the children and adolescents you work with.
Requirements
This course assumes that participants have had some form of tertiary education and/or training related to their profession, at NQF Level 4 or higher.
About the instructor
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Dr Catherine Draper is a Senior Researcher in the MRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand. Dr Draper is also an honorary Senior Lecturer in the Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town, and is based at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa. Catherine has a background in Psychology, and obtained her PhD in Public Health in 2005. Dr Draper has been on the Scientific Advisory for the Healthy Active Kids South Africa Report Card since 2010, and is involved in numerous international societies and projects. Read more |
Last modified: Wednesday, 30 January 2019, 9:21 AM