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Unit outline_

OCCP3061: Professional Practice IIIA

Intensive March, 2020 [Professional practice] - Cumberland, Sydney

To become a competent occupational therapy practitioner, students need to be able to integrate theory and practice in context and become skilled in applying the occupational therapy process for an agreed caseload. Continuing to build on OCCP1100 Professional Practice I and OCCP2086 Professional Practice II, all of which focus on professional development in context, students will participate in a seven-week, supervised full time experience within a professional service setting.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Participation Sciences
Credit points 12
Prerequisites
? 
OCCP1096 and OCCP1097 and OCCP1098 and OCCP1099 and OCCP1100 and OCCP2084 and OCCP2085 and OCCP2086 and OCCP2087 and OCCP2088 and BIOS1168
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Kate Thomson, kate.thomson@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Melanie Aley, melanie.aley@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Presentation hurdle task Peer learning presentation or Poster
Oral presentation
0% - 5 minutes or 1 x A3 sheet
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO2
Participation hurdle task Participation in the community of learning
Attendance
0% Multiple weeks n/a
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Placement hurdle task Student practice evaluation form Revised (SPEF-R)
Placement assessment
0% Multiple weeks Form
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment hurdle task Continuing professional development (CPD) plan and report
Assignment
0% Multiple weeks Form
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

  • Continuing professional development plan: The first part of this assessment is to formulate an individual CPD plan for the placement, in collaboration with the placement educator. The second part of this assessment is to report on implementation of the plan. The plan should include at least two goals and associated outcomes.
  • Student practice evaluation form (revised): Using the SPEF-R, students and educators will each evaluate students’ demonstration of professional skills, knowledge, and attributes during their placement.
  • Peer learning presentation: In this assessment task students will convey (to an audience of their peers) an aspect of their placement specific learning. Individually or in pairs, and in discussion with their peers and academic mentor, students will nominate a topic and negotiate to present in an oral or visual format. 
  • Participation in the community of learning: Students will complete all required learning activities and actively participate in all learning activities. Students will consistently make active and constructive contributions to the community of learning, whether online in Canvas discussions or in person.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes

Attendance and class requirements

  • Pre-placement and post-placement classes: These are interactive seminar and tutorial classes and attendance is mandatory.
  • Placement attendance of 36-40 hours/week for 7 weeks: Students must attend placement every working day, five days per week, from the start date to the finish date of the placement notified in Sonia.
  • Self-directed learning: It is expected that students will complete at least 4 hours self-directed learning in specific preparation for the placement they have been allocated, which may or may not be directed by the site. Additionally, students should complete self-directed learning to add to placement attendance to a minimum of 40 hours per week, for which completion of unit of study related tasks online and for assessments can be counted.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 12 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 240-300 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

There are no specific required textbooks for this unit. Please refer to the WIL Canvas site Occupational Therapy page for useful resources including codes of conduct and ethics with which you are expected to be familiar and comply. Additional resources will be highlighted in classes.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

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

  • LO1. demonstrate professional behaviours appropriate to the expectations of the University and fieldwork settings
  • LO2. apply self-management skills to plan and utilise opportunities for learning
  • LO3. apply professional reasoning to guide decisions and recommendations
  • LO4. demonstrate understanding of the occupational therapy role in a practice setting
  • LO5. implement all aspects of the occupational therapy process, with appropriate supervision.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Students feedback from UoS Survey has been reviewed and considered.
  • Letter of introduction: Students are required to make contact with their placement site with a letter of introduction using the template provided, and a covering email. Before sending the letter of introduction to the site, students are required to have a peer from their learning team audit the letter using the checklist provided.
  • Placement site contact form: Students are required to have an exchange of information with their educator, usually by phone (i.e., information must flow both ways). Students are required to report certain information from this exchange on the student to placement site contact form.
  • Timesheet: Students must maintain a timesheet in Sonia that accurately reflects all fieldwork attendance activities as per attendance requirements and timesheet guidelines. Entries must comply with the guidelines provided, and be submitted ASAP and no later than one week following the respective activity. Attendance records may be taken, and audits and verifications of hours entered in timesheets will be conducted. Falsely declaring information on attendance records or timesheets is unprofessional behaviour and may represent serious misconduct.

More information can be found on Canvas.

Work, health and safety

Consistent with New South Wales WHS legislation, students are required to complete a WHS induction within the first few days of placement, and if relevant, at any time they attend to work in another setting. This is an essential legal requirement to ensure that all risks are minimised for students and others for whom student are responsible. The university has a duty of care to you to ensure students have been inducted appropriately and similarly students are responsible for demonstrating that they are aware of and know how to manage risk appropriately.

Students must complete the WHS Checklist form in Sonia no later than the end of the first week of placement. Completing this task within the time limits provided is consistent with the professional behaviour expectations of learning outcome 1 of this unit of study and assessed as part of the practice education evaluation. Falsifying documents is unprofessional behaviour and may represent serious misconduct.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.