ESD004 Contemporary Concepts in Esports
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | ESD004 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $2,174 |
| Pre-2021 CSP student contribution | $1,020 The pre-2021 commonwealth supported place (CSP) contribution amount only applies to students enrolled in a course prior to 2021. To learn more, visit our Understanding your fees page. |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,456 |
| International unit fee | $4,932 |
Unit Outline: College 1 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | ESD004 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Coordinator: | Simon O'Brien | s61.obrien@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit provides a holistic approach to digital competitive play. It focuses on issues related to balancing ethical reasoning for engagement within digital competitive play and health practices. It also provides opportunities to investigate the role of support networks and coaching practices within esports. The unit forms part of the esports core which along with your chosen discipline pathway provides you with the foundation for further study in Business, Information Technology or Creative Industries.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Understand health and wellbeing issues for esports players and stakeholders.
- Develop and apply teamwork, coaching and team leadership skills to improve esports performance.
- Evaluate gaming, digital engagement and life balance considering social and ethical implications.
- Analyse training and coaching practices and how they empower inclusivity.
- Understand skill acquisition and technical 'mechanics' in esports.
Content
Module 1: Esports health and wellbeing
- The relationship between physical and psychological health and wellbeing
- Health risks associated with esports
- Health professionals and health management in esports
- Stress, sleep and esports performance
- Obsessive vs harmonious passion/internet gaming disorder
- Growth mindset and developing positive play to create change
Module 2: Esports support networks
- Social support in esports
- Team building and leadership
- Developing an inclusive organisation
- Impacts of the esports industry on the modern competitor
- Regulation and management of competitive play
Module 3: Understanding esports coaching
- An introduction to behavioural components of coaching (technical and tactical skills)
- An introduction to ecological psychology and dynamics systems theory
- Player metrics analysis
- Introduction to digital team dynamics
- Training scheduling and balance
Learning Approaches
This unit takes a blended approach to learning and teaching. You will be provided with both eContent and timetabled activities such as workshops and tutorials. eContent will be clearly identified on your Canvas site for you to engage with on a weekly basis before your classes. eContent could include videos, readings, self-reflection and/or peer activities designed to enhance your learning experience. During the timetabled activities, the unit coordinator and/or your tutor will further explain content and you will be provided with opportunities to explore this content in a collaborative learning environment. After your weekly classes, you should continue to engage with unit resources to ensure you consolidate your understanding of unit content. Teaching team members will also be available for one-on-one consultations to assist you with your learning journey.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:
- Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, individual consultation
- Formal: in writing, such as checklists, rubrics, written commentary
- Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
- Indirect: to the whole class
Assessment
Overview
In this unit you will complete 3 summative assessments. The assessment tasks are designed to incrementally build your knowledge and understanding regarding health and wellbeing issues within the Esports context.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Wellbeing Analysis
This assessment task requires you to undertake an analysis of a player's overall wellbeing trends and propose recommendations for optimising performance.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Case Study
Based on your findings from the data analysis completed in Assessment 1, this task requires you to investigate support networks that could assist in fostering growth, success and overall wellbeing. Your investigation should be presented as a case study in which you examine and justify recommended approaches.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Gameplay Analysis
Working with a small group of your peers, you are required to analyse the gameplay of an Esports player/team in a specific gaming environment and specialised game. Supported by visual artefacts, you will present, in class, a range of evidence-based methods to enhance gameplay for individual gameplayers, or team, providing practical recommendations based on the analysis findings.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Weekly resources will be made available on the unit Canvas site.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the ordinary risks associated with this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.ES21 Diploma in Esports
- Demonstrate foundational interdisciplinary knowledge relating to esports.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4, ULO5, Wellbeing Analysis, Gameplay Analysis - Apply critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Wellbeing Analysis, Case Study, Gameplay Analysis - Communicate effectively in an academic and professional manner through written and oral genres integrating digital tools.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4 - Apply teamwork knowledge and skills for effective collaboration.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO5, Gameplay Analysis - Apply knowledge of ethical and social practices in analysing and addressing real world problems and issues.
Relates to: ULO3, Case Study
Unit Outline: College 2 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | ESD004 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
Overview
This unit provides a holistic approach to digital competitive play. It focuses on issues related to balancing ethical reasoning for engagement within digital competitive play and health practices. It also provides opportunities to investigate the role of support networks and coaching practices within esports. The unit forms part of the esports core which along with your chosen discipline pathway provides you with the foundation for further study in Business, Information Technology or Creative Industries.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Understand health and wellbeing issues for esports players and stakeholders.
- Develop and apply teamwork, coaching and team leadership skills to improve esports performance.
- Evaluate gaming, digital engagement and life balance considering social and ethical implications.
- Analyse training and coaching practices and how they empower inclusivity.
- Understand skill acquisition and technical 'mechanics' in esports.
Content
Module 1: Esports health and wellbeing
- The relationship between physical and psychological health and wellbeing
- Health risks associated with esports
- Health professionals and health management in esports
- Stress, sleep and esports performance
- Obsessive vs harmonious passion/internet gaming disorder
- Growth mindset and developing positive play to create change
Module 2: Esports support networks
- Social support in esports
- Team building and leadership
- Developing an inclusive organisation
- Impacts of the esports industry on the modern competitor
- Regulation and management of competitive play
Module 3: Understanding esports coaching
- An introduction to behavioural components of coaching (technical and tactical skills)
- An introduction to ecological psychology and dynamics systems theory
- Player metrics analysis
- Introduction to digital team dynamics
- Training scheduling and balance
Learning Approaches
This unit takes a blended approach to learning and teaching. You will be provided with both eContent and timetabled activities such as workshops and tutorials. eContent will be clearly identified on your Canvas site for you to engage with on a weekly basis before your classes. eContent could include videos, readings, self-reflection and/or peer activities designed to enhance your learning experience. During the timetabled activities, the unit coordinator and/or your tutor will further explain content and you will be provided with opportunities to explore this content in a collaborative learning environment. After your weekly classes, you should continue to engage with unit resources to ensure you consolidate your understanding of unit content. Teaching team members will also be available for one-on-one consultations to assist you with your learning journey.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:
- Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, individual consultation
- Formal: in writing, such as checklists, rubrics, written commentary
- Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
- Indirect: to the whole class
Assessment
Overview
In this unit you will complete 3 summative assessments. The assessment tasks are designed to incrementally build your knowledge and understanding regarding health and wellbeing issues within the Esports context.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Wellbeing Analysis
This assessment task requires you to undertake an analysis of a player's overall wellbeing trends and propose recommendations for optimising performance.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Case Study
Based on your findings from the data analysis completed in Assessment 1, this task requires you to investigate support networks that could assist in fostering growth, success and overall wellbeing. Your investigation should be presented as a case study in which you examine and justify recommended approaches.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Gameplay Analysis
Working with a small group of your peers, you are required to analyse the gameplay of an Esports player/team in a specific gaming environment and specialised game. Supported by visual artefacts, you will present, in class, a range of evidence-based methods to enhance gameplay for individual gameplayers, or team, providing practical recommendations based on the analysis findings.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Weekly resources will be made available on the unit Canvas site.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the ordinary risks associated with this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.ES21 Diploma in Esports
- Demonstrate foundational interdisciplinary knowledge relating to esports.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4, ULO5, Wellbeing Analysis, Gameplay Analysis - Apply critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Wellbeing Analysis, Case Study, Gameplay Analysis - Communicate effectively in an academic and professional manner through written and oral genres integrating digital tools.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4 - Apply teamwork knowledge and skills for effective collaboration.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO5, Gameplay Analysis - Apply knowledge of ethical and social practices in analysing and addressing real world problems and issues.
Relates to: ULO3, Case Study