This case study details an optional module delivered at the University of Wales Institute Cardiff which aimed to strengthen links between research and teaching.
Sport and Exercise Physiology is a level 3 module in the Cardiff School of Sport that has approximately 90 students enrolled. This module is an optional module for students on Sport and Exercise Science Sport and Physical Education and Sports Coaching programmes. Each student is required to attend a one-hour lead lecture and a one-and-half-hour laboratory practical each week.
A case study approach to teaching altitude physiology was introduced as this is known to encourage active learning which enables students to learn more effectively. The case study was based on data collected from a participant of the Xtreme Everest research expedition to Everest Base Camp in 2007. It was taught by a background lecture and two tutorials and knowledge was assessed by short answer questions related to the Everest Base Camp trek and a 1 000 word literature review on altitude training. The case study was evaluated by a modified Student Assessment of Online Learning Gains (SALG) instrument to investigate students’ perceptions of their learning gains.
