Unit Outline
ESP340
Health Promotion and Behaviour Change: Perspectives and Practice
Semester 2, 2026
Louise Padgett
Faculty of Education
Arts and Society (Portfolio)
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B
Unit Coordinator
Louise Padgett
Email: Louise.Padgett@utas.edu.au
 
What is the Unit About?
Unit Description
This unit provides you with an understanding of health information, knowledge of the nature of health and a positive attitude towards being healthy. This unit is essential for teacher education graduates who will be promoting health, both directly in health education or indirectly by incidental teaching and example. This unit also considers the application of research, theories, and concepts of behavioural science into lifestyle coaching within a variety of contexts, such as fitness, rehabilitation, and education. Aspects covered include the challenges of behaviour change, strategies that work, coaching techniques and relapse prevention, and the application of frameworks in community programs.
Intended Learning Outcomes
As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1
Identify and justify relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for aspects of your teaching practice that you would like to improve.
2
Develop and justify a whole-school health promotion strategy using the Health Promoting Schools Framework.
3
Explain the challenges of health behaviour change.
Requisites
REQUISITE TYPE
REQUISITES
Pre-requisite
ESP368
Alterations as a result of student feedback
 
 
 
Teaching arrangements
ATTENDANCE MODE
TEACHING TYPE
LEARNING ACTIVITY
CONTACT HOURS
FREQUENCY
On Campus
Lecture (On Campus)
Face to face classes Weeks 1-2, 5,6,7,8, Mondays from 9-11am, Riversedge, Inveresk. 
As well as online content to cover
2
Weekly
Attendance / engagement expectations
If your unit is offered On campus, it is expected that you will attend all on-campus and onsite learning activities. This is to support your own learning and the development of a learning community within the unit. If you are unable to attend regularly, please discuss the situation with your course coordinator and/or our UConnect support team.

If your unit is offered Online or includes online activities, it is expected you will engage in all those activities as indicated in the Unit Outline or MyLO, including any self-directed learning.

If you miss a learning activity for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, carer responsibilities) teaching staff will attempt to provide alternative activities (e.g., make up readings) where it is possible.
 
 
 
 
How will I be Assessed?
 
For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.
Assessment schedule
ASSESSMENT TASK #
ASSESSMENT TASK NAME
DATE DUE
WEIGHT
LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:
School Promotion Presentation
Week 4
50 %
LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 2:
Professional Development Plan
Week 8
50 %
LO1
 
Assessment details
Assessment Task 1: School Promotion Presentation
Task Description:
You have been asked by your school principal to be the school’s new health promotion co-ordinator, and your first task in this role is to create a presentation that:
• Identifies a health issue relevant to the school community, and justify the relevance of this issue
• Develops and justifies a plan for addressing this issue using the Health Promoting Schools approach. Your plan must include all aspects of the HPS approach:
o Curriculum, teaching and learning
o Ethos and environment
o Partnerships and services (including parents/carers and the community)
You need to create a 15-minute pre-recorded presentation (video) that responds to the principal’s request.
To complete this task, you should focus on a school context that you are familiar with (for example, a school that you attended as a student or visited on a professional experience placement/classroom observation).
More details of this assessment task and examples will be provided in Week 1 of the semester.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 2.1, 3.7
Task Length:
15 minute (max) video presentation (equivalent to 2000 words)
Due Date:
Week 4
Weight:
50 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Identification and justification of a relevant health issue
LO2, LO3
2
Understanding and integration of a school health promotion strategy using the Health Promoting Schools Framework
LO2, LO3
3
Use of relevant literature and examples to support ideas.
LO2, LO3
4
Identify, engage with, and communicate ideas with coherence and clarity
LO2, LO3
 
Assessment Task 2: Professional Development Plan
Task Description:
“The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other. Without collaboration our growth is limited to our own perspectives” - Robert John Meehan

Part A: Individual Professional Development Plan (1000 words)

For this task you need to:
1. Identify an aspect (or aspects) of your teaching practice that you would like to improve through professional learning. Explain why (including a rationale for continued professional learning).
2. Identify relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning to suit your needs (as described in point 1 above). Explain how the professional learning (that you have identified) is relevant and appropriate.
3. Outline how you might evaluate the impact of the professional learning that you have chosen to undertake (including the implications of this for improved student learning)

Use examples and links to relevant literature where appropriate.

Part B: Professional Learning Abstract (500 words)

Students write an academic style professional development abstract (or conference professional development proposal) for a teacher professional learning session they propose to deliver, based on knowledge and skills developed across their degree.
The emphasis is on:
• Translating theory to practice
• Evidence informed teaching
• Professional communication
• Leadership and advocacy within Health & Physical Education

More details of this assessment task and examples will be provided in Week 1 of the semester.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 6.2, 6.4
Task Length:
Part A :1000 words Part B: 500 words
Due Date:
Week 8
Weight:
50 %
 
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Identify and justify a focus for professional learning in Health and Physical Education.
LO1
2
Use relevant theory, research, and/or curriculum/policy to inform professional learning and practice.
LO1
3
Select and justify appropriate professional learning sources.
LO1
4
Translate evidence informed ideas into practical professional practice.
LO1
5
Evaluate the impact of professional learning on teaching practice and student learning.
LO1
6
Communicate ideas clearly and professionally
LO1
 
 
 
How your final result is determined
To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.
Academic progress review
The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.
Submission of assignments
Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.
Academic integrity
Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see
Important Guidelines & Support.
Requests for extensions
If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.
 
A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.
 
The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.
Late penalties
Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.
 
Review of results and appeals
You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.
 
 
 
Required Resources
Required reading materials
No required readings
 
Recommended reading materials
Bartholomew, L.K., Parcel, G.S., Kok, G., Gottlieb, N.H., & Fernandez, M.E. (2011). Planning health promotion programs: An intervention mapping approach. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass USA.  
Nutbeam, D., Harris, E., & Wise, M. (2010). Theory in a nutshell: a practical guide to health promotion theories. North Ryde, NSW: McGraw –Hill, Australia  
Reading Lists provide direct access to all material on unit reading lists in one place.  
This includes eReadings and items in Reserve. You can access the Reading List for this unit from the link in MyLO, or by going to the Reading Lists page on the University Library website.  
 
Other required resources