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Bulletin 65 Pdf

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| Current Issues | No.65 October 2013 |

The eLF - eLearning Fitness Project
Paolo A. Adami , Mimi Rodriguez & Gabriella Pappadà

ELF project (n. 511669-2010-LLP-KA3-KA3MP) has been funded with support from the European Commission, co-financed by the EU by the EACEA.

This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Paolo A. Adami, FIAF Italian Federation of Aerobic and Fitness, Casella Postale 6284 00195 Roma. E-mail: p.adami@fiaf.it

Abstract

ThIS article presents the main results and methodology of eLF e-learning courses. The eLF system will contribute to create the strong “critical mass” necessary to facilitate the growth and expansion of the Health Enhancing sport and physical activity sector in Europe and worldwide.

Introduction

The Sports Club for Health Guidelines foreword states that sports clubs have an inherent place in physical culture and they play a multiform role in society (Finnish Sport for All Association, 2011). These guidelines evolved from the idea that it is sensible for sports clubs to join in health promotion because the core business of sports clubs, i.e., moving people, promotes health.

The Sports Club for Health (SCforH) program was promoted by The Association for International Sports for All (TAFISA) and financed by the European Union (EU) Sport Unit (DG EAC) in 2009 as one of the preliminary actions in physical activity and sport. One of the work packages is about “instructor education” and Appendix 4 of the Guidelines for health-oriented sports activities in a club setting, states that by 2012, the education level of the instructors shall meet that required by the European Qualification Framework (EQF) and the education level (of the sports instructors) should be indicated on all certificates.

In 2010, the EAEAC, EU DG Education and Culture, financed the eLearningFitness Project (eLF), which is based on the EQF-Fitness standards, developed by EHFA. These standards indicate the Knowledge, Competences and Skills of fitness instructors at EQF Levels 3 and 4.

Today, the eLF Network is composed of 19 Principal Partners and over 90 Associate Partners in 27 countries as shown on the enclosed map.

Facts

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which does not have a specific role in fitness activities, has commented positively on the eLF Project and welcomes the development of standards and education for the promotion of physical activity for health in the sport sector, considering that physical activity is at the core of all sports disciplines. Together with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the IOC Medical and Scientific Department is developing a strategy for the promotion of physical activity and is considering a possible association with the eLF Project.

The eLF Network is confident that there is a need to expand and improve the knowledge and education of instructors and technical staff, considering that “fitness” is an essential part of Sports for All activities and strongly related to public health. TAFISA’s support of the promotion of physical activity for health is very valuable and fits perfectly with the WHO policy to promote HEPA, Health Enhancing Physical Activity, as the primary prescription for healthy lifestyles and the prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

While most sport disciplines are monothematic and have their own specificity that cannot be used or applied in any other sport discipline (let’s say that they are vertical and there is no overlapping or interconnection among them), fitness is very horizontal and constitutes the basis for the practice of any sport activity. Fitness is the base on which all sport disciplines are built. Unless the person is “FIT”, he cannot participate in any sport activity safely and successfully, even at the amateur level.

It is easy to understand that this is a very s ensitive issue, considering that it correlates sports activities with people’s health. Therefore, it is necessary to guarantee transparency regarding the instructor’s qualifications to ensure safety, to protect the practitioners and to acquire the trust of the health professionals. This endorsement is necessary to encourage these professionals to prescribe sports activities without any doubts or fears, for the enhancement of the health of their ‘patients’.

Through the eLF e-learning training platform, the Sports for All organisations and the SCforH facilities / operators / instructors, will be able to adopt and use a modern, easy and economic system to educate, test, verify and evaluate the professional knowledge, skills and competences of the future “sport for health” trainers. This system, which is necessary for their professional enhancement and for the satisfaction and safeguard of the practitioners, will be available at a very low cost.

Method

### Objectives

###

The eLF project has two main goals:

1. To create a European e-learning training system in fitness (physical activity for health) to cover the minimum standards for both the theory (knowledge) and the instructor’s practical skills and competencies of the instructors based on the EQF Levels 3 and 4;

2. To create a network of National Registers of Exercise Professionals, which will connect with other international registers as the EREPs (European Register of Exercise Professionals) and be affiliated to the ICREPs (International Confederation of Registers for Exercise Professionals).

More information on the project and all the Principal Partners can be found on the project’s website www.elearningfitness.eu.

elF Partners:

The eLF Training Courses and Professional Certifications

All four eLF distance training courses, which will be available in 14 languages, have one common module, named Core Knowledge, which covers all of the basic scientific information necessary to provide students with the Knowledge, Competence and Skills to operate as a HEPA instructor. Through the eLF courses, it will be possible to obtain professional certification as:

- Group Exercise instructor (Aerobics and Muscle Conditioning), EQF level 3

- AquaFitness instructor, EQF level 3

- Fitness instructor (weight room and cardio machines), EQF level 3

- Personal trainer, EQF level 4 (acceded after having successfully completed the fitness instructor course).

The eLF Core Knowledge module, a preliminary part of each specific course, is particularly indicated for the basic training of SCforH instructors and operators, using it as a common basis of education and knowledge, before starting, or completing, the training in the specific practical programmes pertaining to the various sport disciplines and activities.

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#### The European System of the eLF National Registers

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Currently, surveys in most countries show that there is a great inadequacy between the supply and demand for professional skills in Sport for Health activities, facilitating the recruitment of incompetent staff with great risk for the health and safety of the practitioners. The eLF processes will further consolidate the activities of the sports sector, stimulating the creation of new ones and promoting entrepreneurial development, for the benefit of the organisations, the operators, the technical staff and, most importantly, the safety and satisfaction of the customers.

The main function of the eLF registers will be to guarantee transparency regarding the instructor’s professional qualifications and facilitate the search for skilled professionals by sport operators in the labour market.

All students that successfully pass the final exams of each course (theoretical and practical) will automatically enter their country’s National Register.

#### Benefits for Participants

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Recognition as a professional instructor, certified on the basis of the EHFA standards and in the EQF level system, have the advantage of:

- Better qualifications for current job

- Customer care and attention

- Motivation and Networking opportunities

- Development of presentation / public speaking skills

- Learning from other countries (knowledge transfer).

Discussion

The use of the eLF system by the Sports Club for Health Program and the Sports for All activities/providers will contribute to the creation of the strong “critical mass” necessary to facilitate growth and expansion of the Health Enhancing sport and physical activity sector in Europe and worldwide. The eLF Project will guarantee the efficacy of the training programmes and the transparency of a system that will give the fitness community credibility and legitimacy through:

- the consistency and sustainability of an e-learning platform based on the EQF (European Qualification Framework);

- the functionality and transparency of the following processes and procedures:

assessment, validation and certification of the knowledge, competence and skills of the students after the conclusion of the e-learning training courses;

- activation and operation of an European network of pilot National Registers for Exercise Professionals.

The system that the eLF Partners, including the Associates, wish to create through this project will give the European and International sport organisations, operators, employers and instructors, a useful and efficient skills monitoring tool.

Contact

Paolo A. Adami & Mimi Rodriguez
FIAF - Italian Federation of Aerobic and Fitness
Italy

Email p.adami@fiaf.it

http://www.icsspe.org/