Recent developments in motion and performance analysis software in sport science provide an exciting alternative to current approaches to learning and assessment in university courses.

The PHENC project will evaluate the use of Dartfish video analysis software as an additional learning and assessment strategy in five different degrees across the University. The name of the project, PHENC, is derived from the five participating schools, Physiotherapy, Health and Physical Education, Education, Nursing and Counselling and it has received external funding from the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching.

You have enrolled into one of the units that will be trialling the software. Each of the participating students in your unit will be randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. All groups will be required to complete a questionnaire at the commencement and conclusion of the semester and, possibly, to participate in a focus group. Final marks will be scaled accordingly to ensure that no student will be advantaged or disadvantaged by being assigned to any particular group.

If you are assigned to a ‘Dartfish Software Group’, you will receive training in ways to use the software and are required to keep a log / diary of how much you used the software. We are very interested to find out if the use of the software has added to your learning experience. We will also be asking your lecturer and tutor to evaluate the project from their perspective.

You are under no obligation to participate and a choice not to participate will not affect your assessment or overall grade in this unit.

If you are willing to help us with this study, we ask you to complete the consent form enclosed. You can be assured that this information will be treated confidentially and that all data will remain anonymous. Any personal video footage taken during this project will be stored securely and be cleared at the end of the project. Any other data will be destroyed after 5 years. The project has received ethics approval from the University of Notre Dame Australia Human Research Ethics Committee.

If you have any questions regarding the day to day aspects of the research please do not hesitate to telephone the Project Director, Associate Professor Beth Hands on 9433 0206 or the Project Officer, Brad Flynn on 9433 0298 during business hours. If you have any concerns about the conduct of the research project please contact the Executive Officer, Human Research Ethics, The University of Notre Dame Australia by phone: 9433 0870 or facsimile: 9433 0855.