FRAMING SWIMMING AND WATER SAFETY EDUCATION
17 Jul 2015
Weather you were thrown in at the deep end or took a more gentile approach with formalised lessons, learning to swim is a great ‘Aussie’ tradition.
The industry now has increased access to formal lessons, which raises the question, is the education helping or hindering drowning prevention?
Swimming is a physical skill; for decades community and industry placed high value on swimming, using correct technique and efficiency of movement over specified distance.
It’s a valid approach; however it does little to educate or prepare students for the waterways they’ll encounter as they play, holiday and recreate beyond a swimming pool.
AUSTSWIM has developed the Learning Pillar Framework articulating elements essential for swimming and water safety education. There is now language and clear definition to learning in an aquatic environment.
Gaining physical skill for movement through water continues as an essential learning outcome, but no longer can it stand-alone; elements of knowledge and understanding are also vital if a person is to be considered safer in water.
AUSTSWIM Teachers of swimming and water safety now use the framework in planning and presenting lessons; more broadly the framework will be utilised by parents for assessing and selecting lessons for children. Government and industry can benchmark minimum standards for community education in swimming and water safety.
AUSTSWIM Learning Pillars Framework
The framework is formed from three elements:
- Pillars
- Curriculum Principles
- Activity Principles
Pillar One: Knowledge
- Aquatic Information
- Personal Competence
- Environmental Conditions
- Experience
Pillar Two: Skill
- Water Safety
- Diversity of body shape and movement
- Acquisition based on practice and ability
- Propulsion
Pillar Three:Understanding
- Thought and Inquiry
- Problem Solving
- Decision Making
- Consequence
- Empowerment
Competency = confidence, control, consistency
Curriculum and Activity PrinciplesThere is deliberate and intentional commitment in AUSTSWIM’s Curriculum and Activity Principles to set standards, encouraging venue management and teaching teams to present programs that engage and interact with students, offering activities that provide opportunity to:
- Think, problem solve and make decisions
- Experience diversity of body shape, form and movement in a variety of water conditions
- Combine water safety with stroke development
It’s a new age of learning; students are encouraged, guided and supported to Think, Develop and Do. Learning for safer aquatic participation is now an empowering process.
Explore the full version of AUSTSWIM’s Learning Pillars Framework at: www.austswim.com.au
AUSTSWIM – the Australasian Council for Teaching Swimming and Water Safety
Ph: 1300 885 529
Email: info@austswim.com.au
