The Power of Ownership

Currently, our Year 12 and Year 13 classes are completing an anatomy and biomechanics unit. These topics, and subsequently the internal assessment, is one of the harder assessments to pass, because it is so black and white. The students have to analyse an ideal performance (such as an athlete) for a specific part of their game play (i.e. a basketball jump shot), and then compare the ideal to their own performance. Throughout, students will make reference to the bone, muscles, movements, and biomechanical principles that are occurring throughout that performance.

Recently, both classes have been creating revision resources for anatomy, focusing on bones, muscles, and/or movements, after a few weeks of learning about them all. Unfortunately, a substantial part of the learning for this unit is rote learning, however my co-teacher and I are trying to make the learning interactive and variable, so the students don't just learn what they need to know for the assessment and then forget everything right after. So, hopefully creating something to revise from has helped them to learn without

everything thrown out the window once they have the credits.

Several students created Kahoots
which we will complete as a class

We kept the task reasonably open, so that the students could create something that was going to help them, something they understand. The process of the creation is revision itself, as well as the final product - which we will go back to use to revise and the students work will be shared across the two classes. Both of the classes were slow to start, as there was a little bit of confusion and a little bit of hesitation. 

A group of three boys took photos of themselves to then label and
discuss as they have here using Google Slides.

Some students enjoyed simply
labelling diagrams as this is how
they learn effectively.

Upon reflection, I wonder whether the students aren't offered many opportunities to create something, knowing they will share it. I know we don't create much in PE, due to the nature of the topics, but I am trying to bring more in where/when I can. If they are out of the habit of creating and sharing their work, like many did in primary school, this could be why they were so hesitant. Eventually, though, the students came up with their ideas, planned their creations and on the whole, the creations are impressive. We had wanted to move onto biomechanics much sooner, but as they started to get on a roll and create some amazing work, we kept going with the creations. I cannot wait to see what the students create in the future, as they are so talented!