Dr Keane Wheeler from UQ's School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences was recognised as the Accredited Exercise Scientist of the Year for 2020.
He was recognised for his work in co-designing independent, influential, and Indigenous-led engagement initiatives for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families, and communities. In this Move Magazine article Dr Wheeler is interviewed about his inspiring work.
Share your career to date as an Accredited Exercise Scientist?
When I was younger, I had always coached sporting teams and started this early in high school. My brother loved film making and so he always had video cameras around the house. I would take his video cameras when I was coaching and film the players to improve their technique.
I was only just a teenager at this stage; I hated school. I was always told that I was dumb and that I would go nowhere. In high school and college (ACT), I chose subjects that were a little bit different such as computer programming and science fiction.
I tried traditional subjects like chemistry, physics and even human movement and found that the teachers would just get me to copy down notes from an overhead for the whole class. This happened in human movement, perhaps the easiest subject to engage students in. I loved sport and exercise but the way that these subjects were taught in school was so boring.
So, I gravitated towards subjects where you could use your hands like woodwork and even computing. Teachers too readily relied on getting as much content into your brain as possible in the traditional subjects like chemistry, physics, and human movement. This goes against the strong evidence-base in support of Universal Design for Learning.
