EXERSCI 203 : Biomechanics 1
Science
2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Quantitatively describe 1- and 2-dimensional linear and rotational movement of bodies and limbs. (Capability 3, 6 and 7)
- Apply concepts of forces and momentum to explain the movements of single and multi-segment objects. (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 7)
- Formulate and solve numerical calculations from a description of a movement scenario. (Capability 4, 5 and 7)
- Measure and analyse biomechanical variables from human participants during movement using contemporary tools. (Capability 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Numerical problems | 20% | Group & Individual Coursework |
| Lab activities | 40% | Group & Individual Coursework |
| Pre-class quizzes | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Final Exam | 30% | Individual Examination |
| 4 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||||||
| Numerical problems | ||||||||||
| Lab activities | ||||||||||
| Pre-class quizzes | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
Key Topics
- describing the movement of points across space and time
- displacement, velocity, and acceleration
- kinematic equations and projectile motion
- describing the rotational movement of segments
- angular distance, displacement, and velocity
- three rotational accelerations - angular, tangential, and radial
- general motion and kinematic chains
- forces and Newton's Laws
- friction and drag, centripetal force
- momentum and collisions
- work, energy and power
- moments and levers
- moment of inertia
- centre of mass
- angular momentum
- material properties
- bending, shear, and torsion
- injury
Special Requirements
The lab component of the course is critical for meeting the learning objectives of the course and is compulsory to pass. The lab component of the course involves taking measurements of humans performing movements. Since this is a Science course, involvement in the labs is compulsory but students have the choice, in each lab, to act as either the participant or researcher. All students are encouraged to act as participants at some point during the course.
Tuākana
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, each week you can expect 3 hours of class time, 3 hours of lab time, 2 hours of reading and thinking about the content, and 2 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is required at labs, and encouraged at tutorials, to complete components of the course.
Appropriate segments of classes will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings. The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
- https://www.khanacademy.org/math/pre-algebra
- https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra - Down to (and including) Linear equations and functions word problems
- https://www.khanacademy.org/math/precalculus/vectors-precalc - Don't worry about the 'Magnitude and Direction' sections
- https://www.khanacademy.org/math/basic-geo - just Angles, Coordinate plane, and the Pythagorean theorem
- https://www.khanacademy.org/math/trigonometry
- https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics
Health & Safety
Many of our labs involve physical activities such as running, jumping, and performing brief sporting activities: students should come or bring clothing so they can be appropriately dressed for these activities. There are bathrooms, showers, and changing facilities in the teaching lab space.
Student Feedback
During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.
At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.
Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.
For 2024: Based on feedback from 2023, the frequency and quantity of assessments will be lowered, and learning activities will be targeted towards key skills in quantitative, logical, and critical thinking.
For 2025: Course timetabling will be adjusted to create one mandatory in-person session per week, plus an optional tutorial. Assessment of lab skills will be formalized. Numeric problem assignments will be shifted to in-class and group activities.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Copyright
The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.
You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
More information on support services available from the University can be found at https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/on-campus/student-support.html.
Any student who has difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or who lacks a safe and stable place to live, and believes this may affect their performance in the course, is urged to contact the AUSA Welfare team (welfare@ausa.org.nz) for support. Furthermore, if you are comfortable doing so, please notify the course director, who will provide assistance where possible.
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
- Usually, reasonable requests made before the work is due (NOT retrospectively) will be granted.
- Proof may be required of the reason for the request (e.g. a medical certificate). This can be done through Student Health and Counselling Services [1]
- Extensions can only be granted by the course coordinator.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.