Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

This unit may use the SafeAssign tool in BlackBoard. SafeAssign is a text matching tool that assists students to develop the academic skills required to correctly use and cite reference material as well as to check citations and determine possible instances of plagiarism. You may be asked to use SafeAssign, in which case you will be expected to submit draft and final versions of one or more assignments and to answer a short online survey about the tool. If this is the case, your Unit Coordinator will provide detailed information on how the software will be used for individual assignments. The use of the tool is for educative purposes and is entirely voluntary.

Unit Rationale
Prior to entering practice as an educational and developmental psychologist and being registered as a psychologist, students need to demonstrate that they have met skill competencies identified by the Psychology Board of Australia. These competencies include a high level of knowledge of their discipline area, competence in the administration and interpretation of, and dissemination of information from assessments, knowledge of and application of intervention strategies, high level oral and written communication skills and knowledge of applicable ethical, legal and professional matters. Practicum 4 provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their competencies in these areas and to work as supported independent professionals.

Aims

The aim of Practicum 4 is to provide you with support in ensuring that you have attained the level of knowledge and skill required to meet the competencies of the Psychologists Board of Queensland.

Objectives

At the successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

1. demonstrate a high level of knowledge about a range of issues in educational and developmental psychology and of an area of interest;
2. critically evaluate and demonstrate competence in the administration of assessment instruments and integrate information from a variety of assessment types and apply the information in developing intervention strategies;
3. display high level oral and written communication skills;
4. have established a sound framework for practice and demonstrate a high level knowledge of ethical, legal and professional matters; and,
5. work independently in much of your practice - evidencing effective time management and prioritising strategies.


PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES
Successful completion of this unit will enable you to meet the Queensland Psychologists Board requirement for demonstration of competence in:

• knowledge of the discipline within an applied setting; (Objectives 1, 2 & 4)


• application of psychological assessment procedures; (Objectives 2 & 5)


• intervention strategies with a range of clients; (Objectives 1, 2 & 5)


• written and oral communication skills; (Objective 3) and,


• ethical, legal and professional matters. (Objective 4)

GRADUATE CAPABILITIES
Successful completion of this unit will contribute to your ability to:

• think analytically, critically and reflexively within a non-educational setting; (Objectives 1,2 & 5)


• apply theoretical knowledge and research findings to practical problems; (Objectives 2 & 5)


• relate data collection to assessment and intervention; (Objectives 2 & 5)


• engage in reflective enquiry and independent thinking; (Objective 4) and,


• engage in effective oral and written communications. (Objective 3)

Content

Supervised Practicum 4 is an advanced practicum consisting of 250 hours (of psychological practice based either in an educational setting, a developmental disability service or in a related setting such as child psychiatric service or a generic setting such as a community clinic. For the Board the minimum requirement of supervision hours is 25 hours (min 15 hours individual and max 10 hours group). The APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists requires one hour of supervision (of which 50% must be individual) per day of practice, which generally equates to 11 hours more than the 25 hours specified by the Board. The 250 hours should include a minimum of 120 hours of direct client contact. You must allocate sufficient time for undertaking this supervised practicum (at least two days per week).

As part of Practicums 3 & 4 students are expected to complete a project for the organisation, this can take the form of a literature search of a particular area, preparation of a tip sheet or similar task. This would be expected to take approximately 50 hours, and would be logged as indirect contact hours. A copy of this project should be included in the folio.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

While the specific content and process may be adapted to meet the needs of students, teaching and learning approaches will include presentations by the course coordinator, guests and students, group discussions and feedback, observations, seminars, research, information sessions and demonstrations.

Assessment

Assessment is due at the end of placement and will consist of formative and summative tasks.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Formative assessment is ongoing and is provided through regular contact with the supervisor at the Caroline Chisholm Centre. The following will be included:

a. log book containing hours of psychological practice, client contact and supervisor contact;
b. involvement in group learning activities; and,
c. case presentations and discussions.
d. submission of a minimum of 5 entries from the Interns' reflective journal. These should be sighted and signed by the externships co-ordinator or the assigned QUT group supervisor. The student may also choose to share reflective entries with the external supervisor. Entries should be submitted regularly over the course of the externship. These entries should demonstrate adequate self-reflection on the learning process and the development of a personal framework for practice and case presentations and discussions.

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Students will be required to submit a portfolio. The specific contents of the portfolio will be dependent on the student's placement agreement but will include the following:

• a copy of the student's Practicum Placement Agreement;


• one case study;


• examples of a psychological report, intervention pans, counselling/intervention summaries;


• copy of special project undertaken for the agency;


• a record of supervision sessions;


• a record of placement activities and hours;


• a mid and end of placement review;


• the student's self-evaluation;


• placement evaluation report and supervisor evaluation;


• 5 signed Reflective Journal entries.

All work submitted must be de-identified and the placement supervisor should sign off all work on the coversheet.

The folio must be submitted within two weeks from week 13 of the enrolled semester and will be assessed on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Assessment name: Portfolio (Folio 4)
Description: Students will be required to submit a portfolio.
Relates to objectives: 1 - 5
Weight: 100%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: TBA

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

There is no set text for this practicum unit. You are expected to read a wide array of relevant research papers and professional documents.

Risk assessment statement

When conducting case studies or assessments, you must obtain informed consent from your participants and, in the case of children, from their parents as well. It is a requirement that identifying details, such as names, are concealed in your folio or any assignments submitted for course work. You should consult with your supervisor or the course coordinator if ethical issues arise.

Blue Card Requirement - Before undertaking any practicum units involving contact with young children you will be required to hold a Blue Card issued by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian. As soon as you enter your enrolment program for the course, you must submit your Blue Card application to the QUT Student Centre immediately.

If you do not apply for a Blue Card immediately upon enrolment in the course and allow sufficient time for the police check and issuing of the Card, you will be unable to participate in the required activities and may need to be withdrawn from the unit and incur both financial and academic penalty. It may take up to 12 weeks for the Commission to issue the Card. The application form and further details is available at http://www.studentservices.qut.edu.au/enrolling/enrolling/specific_requirements/blue_card.jsp

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 31-Oct-2012