Module: Evaluating & Planning for Elite Performance

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Evaluating & Planning for Elite Performance
Module Code	SPO1050 (ITS: SS507)
Faculty	Health & Human Performance	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	7.5

Description

In this module students will deepen their understanding of the literature and theories of the motivation, cognitive and behavioural processes underpinning performance in their sport domain. Students will examine how various theoretical approaches can be used to drive elite performance, and support performers in complex environments. Students will explore the strengths and limitations of measurement issues in their performance domain as a means of making sense of available data and information. Students will examine and explore the advantages of interdisciplinary research in understanding and optimising sport performance.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify, critically evaluate and synthesise current developments in elite sport performance
2. Critically examine the ways in which performance is evaluated, both theoretically and empirically, in their domain
3. Critique and evaluate measurement issues in their performance domain
4. Consider and critique specific motivational, behavioural and cognitive influences on sport performance
5. Investigate and consider the potential for interdisciplinary research on innovation within their sports performance domain
6. Integrate knowledge on broad themes and communicate same in a clear, concise and scholarly manner by means of oral and written communications, following the accepted conventions of the discipline.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Online activity	25	Students will engage with online material via Loop including but not limited to webinars, online tasks, quizzes, and tutorials
Online activity	100	Independent pursuit of relevant issues and ideas raised during the module. Participants will be expected to engage in reading and critical review of literature relevant to the module
Directed learning	25	Stimulus presentations and discussion, delivered online using blended learning formats, will be used to tease out possible contributing topics and test the student’s current levels of knowledge and experience with them. As their reading progresses, students may be directed towards relevant recent investigations in their own and parallel domains.
Assignment Completion	37.5	Students will individually complete assignments
Total Workload: 187.5

Section Breakdown
CRN	11607	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Stephen Behan	Module Teacher	Áine MacNamara

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Presentation	Oral presentation (e.g. describing, using exemplars, the strengths and weaknesses of evaluation methods in their professional context)	30%	n/a
Assignment	Assignment focused on the planning and evaluation of a specified intervention in their professional context including a critical consideration of motivational, behavioral and cognitive influences on performance.	70%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Capturing elite performance
Students will focus on this issue and

discuss the advantages of interdisciplinary research for understanding sport performance. Students will focus on the issue of interdisciplinarity and illustrate how the ecological approaches can be used to drive elite performers and support performers in complex environments. Students will explore the strengths and limitations of measurement issues in their performance domain as a means of supporting the efficacy of any potential innovation.

Planning for Performance
Students will focus on the behaviours and cognitive processes required to achieve high level performance in sport. Students will examine the motivational, cognitive and behavioural processes underpinning performance and how these apply to change and innovation in their domain.

The concept of planning to achieve elite performance will explore periodised planning

Data collection and measurement
Students will explore appropriate methods of evaluation and measurement of performance specific to their professional context and the quality of information and data that supports or limits informed decisions in their professional context.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Dave Collins,Andrew Cruickshank,Geir Jordet: 2019, Routledge Handbook of Elite Sport Performance, Routledge International Handbooks, 402, 9781138290303
Renshaw, I., & Gorman, A. D.: 2015, Challenges to capturing expertise in field settings. In J. Baker & D. Farrow (Eds.), Routledge international handbooks. Routledge handbook of sport expertise, Routledge, 282,

Articles:

Buekers, M et al: 2016, Interdisciplinary Research: A Promising Approach to Investigate Elite Performance in Sports, Quest, 69, 65, 41660
2018: Is sports science answering the call for interdisciplinary research? A systematic review, European Journal of Sport Science, 3, 267, 41661, 1
Towards a grand unified theory of sports performance: Human Movement Science, 56, 139, 41662, 1, Huijgen, B., Elferink-Gemser, M., Lemmink, K., & Visscher, C.
European Journal of Sport Science: 14, 2, 41663, 1, Ibáñez-Gijón, J., Buekers, M., Morice, A., Rao, G., Mascret, N., Laurin, J., & Montagne, G., 2017
35: 1, 41664, 1, Williams, A., & Ward, P., 2017, Searching for the Holy Grail: Can there ever be such a thing as a ‘grand unified theory of sports performance’?
181: 41665, 1, Tom L. G. Bergkamp, A. Susan M. Niessen, Ruud. J. R. den Hartigh, Wouter G. P. Frencken & Rob R. Meijer, 0, Methodological Issues in Soccer Talent Identification Research, Sports Medicine
41666: 1, Soares et al., 2020, Performance, motivation, and enjoyment in young female basketball players: An interdisciplinary approach, Journal of Sports Sciences, 8, 873,
1: Piggott, B., Muller, S., Chivers, P., Papaluca, C., & Hoyne, G.,, 2020, Interdisciplinary Sport Research Can Better Predict Competition Performance, Identify Individual Differences, and Quantify Task Representation, Frontiers in Sport and Active Living, https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2020.00014
Gleeson, E., Kelly, S: 2020, Putting the player first: A method to analyse and develop expert players performance in professional soccer, Journal of Sports Sciences, 41669
2020: ‘Knowing as we go’: a Hunter-Gatherer Behavioural Model to Guide Innovation in Sport Science, Sports Medicine - Open, 52, 41670, 1
Capturing naturally occurring superior performance in the laboratory: Translational research on expert performance.: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied,, 13, 115,

Other Resources

None