SE237-5-SP-CO:
Digital Skills in Sport

The details
2025/26
Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences (School of)
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Monday 12 January 2026
Friday 20 March 2026
15
24 January 2025

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

(none)

Module description

In this dynamic module, students will delve into the critical role of digital literacy in the sports industry, acknowledging the escalating importance of technology in shaping the future of sport, exercise, and health. The curriculum is designed to equip students with the necessary digital competencies to thrive in a technologically advanced sports environment.

Module aims

The aims of this module are:



  • To explore the evolving professional learning needs of practitioners, emphasizing the vital role of digital literacy in their development. The module will highlight how being digitally savvy enhances a practitioner's ability to adapt and innovate in a technology-dominated sports landscape.

  • To carry out an in-depth examination of the ethical challenges and considerations presented by digital technologies in sport. This includes issues of data privacy, fair play, and the balance between technology and human element in sports.

  • To take a comprehensive look at how digital technologies are revolutionizing sport, exercise, and health contexts. This includes wearable tech, data analytics, virtual and augmented reality, and telehealth applications. Students will gain hands-on experience with these technologies, understanding their impact on performance, and health monitoring.

  • To investigate the tangible outcomes associated with the integration of digital technologies in sport and health. This covers areas such as improved athletic performance, and new frontiers in health and fitness management.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:



  1. Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of digital literacies, as well as the confidence and ability to use a broad range of digital technologies. 

  2. The ability to apply the underlying concepts covered in the module and to demonstrate this competence through coursework, seminar discussions, and the creation of a digital portfolio.

  3. Identify and explain the impacts of digital technologies on the sport, exercise, and health contexts.

  4. Apply basic data analysis techniques to identify solutions to the problems.

  5. Demonstrate effective communication skills to convey information in written and oral format to key stakeholders within the sporting sector.


Skills for your Professional Life (Transferable Skills)


By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to demonstrate the following transferable skills:



  1. Technical proficiency.

  2. Data literacy.

  3. Communication skills.

Module information

Syllabus information



  • Introduction to Digital Skills

  • Digital Technology in Sport

  • Digital Technology and Bio-Signals

  • Digital Skills in Sport Science

  • Digital Skills in Sports Coaching

  • Digital Skills in Health

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be taught via a blend of lectures, seminars, practicals, and IT labs. All resources will be made available to students prior to session delivery. A variety of learning resources including e-books, podcasts etc. will be available to students to cater to differing learning material needs. Listen again will be available for all lectures and seminars.

This module will be delivered via:

  • One 1-hour seminar
  • Six 1-hour lecture per week
  • Three 1-hour practicals per term
  • Six 2-hour practical IT Labs per term
  • Two drop-in sessions IT Lab Assessment support sessions

 

Students are expected to undertake directed reading before lectures and be prepared to engage in discussion.

Students are expected to prepare and deliver one ten-minute presentation at the end of the module.

Bibliography*

  • Palumbo, A. et al. (2021) ‘Biopotential Signal Monitoring Systems in Rehabilitation: A Review’, Sensors, 21(21). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/s21217172.
  • Swapna, M. et al. (2022) ‘Bio-Signals in Medical Applications and Challenges Using Artificial Intelligence’, Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks, 11(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/jsan11010017.
  • Liu, L. and Zhang, X. (2022) ‘A Focused Review on the Flexible Wearable Sensors for Sports: From Kinematics to Physiologies’, Micromachines, 13(8). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13081356.
  • Swim, N., Presley, R. and Thompson, E. (2024) ‘Digital Development and Technology in Sport: A Course to Improve Digital Literacy in the Sport Management Curriculum’, Sport Management Education Journal, 18(1), pp. 87–93. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1123/smej.2022-0021.
  • Hicks, M.T., Humphries, J. and Slater, J. (2024) ‘ChatGPT is bullshit’, Ethics and Information Technology, 26(2). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10676-024-09775-5.
  • McCosker, C. et al. (2022) ‘Principles for technology use in athlete support across the skill level continuum’, International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 17(2), pp. 437–444. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541211033471.
  • Jastrow, F. et al. (2022) ‘Digital technology in physical education: a systematic review of research from 2009 to 2020’, German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research, 52(4), pp. 504–528. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-022-00848-5.
  • Perrey, S. (2022) ‘Evaluating brain functioning with NIRS in sports: Cerebral oxygenation and cortical activation are two sides of the same coin’, Frontiers in Neuroergonomics, 3. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnrgo.2022.1022924.
  • Herold, F. et al. (2018) ‘Applications of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Neuroimaging in Exercise–Cognition Science: A Systematic, Methodology-Focused Review’, Journal of Clinical Medicine, 7(12). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7120466.
  • Neary, J.P. et al. (2019) ‘An Evidence-Based Objective Study Protocol for Evaluating Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Indices Following Concussion: The Neary Protocol’, Methods and Protocols, 2(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/mps2010023.
  • Altai, Z. et al. (2024) ‘Lower limb joint loading during high-impact activities: implication for bone health’, JBMR Plus [Preprint]. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/jbmrpl/ziae119.
  • Comfort, P. et al. (2015) ‘Joint Kinetics and Kinematics During Common Lower Limb Rehabilitation Exercises’, Journal of Athletic Training, 50(10), pp. 1011–1018. Available at: https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-50.9.05.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Benjamin Jones, email: bjonesa@essex.ac.uk.
SRES Office, email: sres (Non essex users should add @essex.ac.uk to create the full email address)

 

Availability
Yes
No
No

External examiner

Dr Charlie Corsby
Cardiff Metropolitan University
Senior Lecturer in Sport Coaching
Resources
Available via Moodle
Of 4 hours, 3 (75%) hours available to students:
1 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

 

Further information
Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences (School of)

* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.

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