EXSC314 - Healthy Relationships for Young People

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

Professionals working with adolescents require contemporary knowledge, strategies and skills to reflect on and engage with The unit aims to provide students with opportunities to examine issues about gender, power, sexual orientation, communication, rights and responsibilities, domestic/dating violence, child abuse, pornography and other controversial and sensitive topics and how they can impact on one's wellbeing and relationships. Students will analyse and develop appropriate strategies and learning activities in raising awareness, providing accurate information, accessing services, prevention and intervention. The unit also focuses on examining processes for increasing supportive environments, community capacity and empowerment, while providing students with an appreciation of social justice, an understanding of equity and a respect for the human being.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Critically reflect and analyse the range of sexual perspectives, priorities and recommendations related to adolescent sexual health and relationships (GA1, GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9) 

LO2 - Plan and develop creative and engaging teaching and learning activities in the area of adolescent sexual health and relationships for future practice (GA5, GA8, GA9, GA10) 

LO3 - Communicate and reflect upon effective teaching and learning experiences that facilitate knowledge, positive behaviours and attitudes in the area of adolescent sexual health and relationships (GA1, GA5, GA7, GA8, GA9, GA10) 

LO4 - Analyse and evaluate adolescent sexual health and relationships teaching activities and resources that facilitate learning. (GA4, GA5, GA8) 

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity 

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

Topics will include: 

• Introduction and perspectives on sexuality 
• Sexuality and sex education (Dealing with controversial and sensitive issues, creating safe environments, developing diverse values, beliefs and attitudes, role in Catholic schools) 
• Biological perspectives (Sexual anatomy, physiology) 
• Social-cultural perspective (aspects related to gender, race, geographic location, culture, socioeconomic background, age, disability, religion, media influence, sexual preference and sexuality identity) 
• Behavioural perspectives (Sexual behaviour: variations/practices, coercive sex: harassment, abuse, discrimination, assault) 
• Healthy Sexual Choices STI’s, planning and managing sexual health (protective strategies, sexual health care) 
• Healthy relationships (Communication, consent, range, type and complexity of relationships, rights and responsibilities) 
• Gender and Power (Dimensions of power, impact of power on sexual relationships and risk taking behaviours, power in social relationships) 
• Maximising Choice, Minimising Risk (Strategies to improve and enhance sexual safety, expanding on issues such as social safety, discrimination and harassment and how these can be addressed) 
• Teaching strategies and pedagogy (websites, resources, PDHPE syllabus) 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Student centred teaching and learning strategies will be the focus in the unit based on the constructivism theory and reflective practice. These strategies encourage independent and life long learning, where students take responsibility for their learning. The learning tasks are authentic (engage in tasks that are real), reflective (deep learning) and collaborative (engaging and working with peers). Student centred strategies include reflective writing, critical thinking activities, co-operative/ collaborative learning, incorporating ICT and peer/independent learning. These strategies link directly to the assessment tasks, as the assessments are a teaching and learning strategy in itself. These strategies have been chosen to give students opportunities to actively engage with the content and to provide variety within the tutorial and assessment tasks. The knowledge and skills acquired can be applied and are relevant to what is required in real world situations and for future profession/practice/workplace. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

Employers today seek more than knowledge from students – they want them to transfer learning to real situations, problem solve and have higher order thinking skills. Authentic assessment provides students with these skills, because the tasks are real, meaningful, require judgment and innovation and are related to one’s workplace, personal and social life. Students learn in different ways, professionally we need to explore and provide opportunities so they perform to their very best, feel worthwhile, empowered and enjoy learning.  

In order to best enable students to achieve unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes, standards-based assessment is utilised, consistent with University assessment requirements. A range of assessment strategies are used including: 

Reflective Writing strategy (Assessment 1) Written reflection on healthy relationships/sexual health practice as foundation for Teaching Resource File. Learning Outcome 1 

Reflective writing is a personal response to an experience, situation and new learning. It involves students to think deeply, identify with their feelings, values and assumptions. It relates to ones prior knowledge/ideas and what they can then apply, review, reconstruct, and interpret from the experience. 

Written reflection on healthy relationships/sexual health practice as foundation for Teaching Resource File. 

Reflect on the issues around sexuality/relationships, earlier perceptions, assumptions, strategies, priorities and recommendations. 

Reflect on the relationships/sexuality education taught at school.  

What areas/topics of sexuality/relationships should be covered and are a priority today in schools to teach young people? Provide examples. Why? 

What do you hope to learn and be able to apply from this unit? 

Written examination (Assessment 3) Learning Outcome 1 

Requires students to demonstrate their understanding of course content. 

The written final examination is a traditional form of assessment (still catering for a variety of learning styles) to evaluate understanding of the content knowledge and application.  

Assessing Learning Outcome 1 

Written reflection  

Evidence of reflective thinking 

Suitability of selection of examples used to articulate ideas       

The reflection explains student’s own thinking and implications for future learning                          

Written examination  

Knowledge of content, strategies and application – priorities, perspectives, recommendations. 

Constructivism strategy (Assessment 1) Teaching Resource File Learning Outcome 2 

Students will construct new meaning (build on prior knowledge) and make sense of what they are learning, why they are learning this and how this learning is applied.   

This assessment type can be used and applied in real life situations/contexts (school, community and youth groups) and in their future practice/profession. 

To create your own teaching/learning activities related to adolescent sexual health that will become the start of a resource file for future teaching/professional practice. 

Choose a stage and specify the year group. Create teaching activities from the PDHPE syllabus dot points E.g. Stage 4 Sense of Self - Adolescence and Change - Connectedness -Recognising abuse - Sexual Health 

The activities must be relevant and appropriate for teaching in a Catholic school. For each activity write a brief rationale and include activity instructions. Include suggested answers for worksheets etc. 

Assessing Learning Outcome 2 

Teaching resource file 

Rationale for the activities  

Creativity and variety of activities to engage, provide knowledge, inform develop skills and strategies eg questioning, discussion, demonstration, student centred, individual/partner/group work, problem solving, decision making, literacy, numeracy, visuals, extension, enrichment, homework tasks, ICT, multimedia, role plays, value clarification 

Activity instructions  

Year group/stage appropriate Catholic school 

References 

Creative delivery useability of resource as they are i.e. ready to implement  

Collaborative Learning strategy (Assessment 2) Teaching Presentation  

Learning Outcome 3 

The concept of collaborative learning, students work in small groups for the purpose of achieving the learning outcome by engaging together in a task. This involves shared learning with opportunities for critical thinking, oral communication, negotiation, listening, planning, interaction and responsibility for ones own learning. 

This assessment type will prepare students and be applied in real life situations/contexts (school, community and youth groups) and in their future practice/profession. 

Presentation skills are part of todays workplace practice. They are real world skills required for students to succeed in their future careers – communication, planning, asking questions, explaining, creative thinking, organizing information, confidence etc. 

In teams select an area/topic related to sexual health/relationships of adolescents. The teaching presentation requires your group to develop and present learning experiences as a mini lesson for a chosen year group/stage. The teaching presentation is an opportunity to demonstrate creativity, teamwork and knowledge, skills and strategies related to adolescent sexual health to a given year group/stage. The activities aim to engage, create interest, promote knowledge, raise awareness, inform, prevention and intervention, positive behaviours and attitudes. 

Self and Peer Assessment strategy (Assessment 2) Teaching Presentation  

Engages students in the learning process to reflect on their own and peers work. Provides opportunities to exchange feedback, evaluate, critical thinking, responsibility for learning and encourages reflective practice. 

Reflect – self and peer contribution/role to the team planning, organisation and presenting of the teaching presentation. Students will be required to individually critically evaluate the effectiveness of the Teaching Presentation considering the success and effectiveness of the overall session and separate tasks including; what worked well, what didn’t work well, how well received were the activities by the ‘students’ you were teaching and what would you change or do differently next time. 

Assessing Learning Outcome 3 

Teaching Presentation  

Aim/purpose of the lesson - clearly and appropriately linked to the presentation developing knowledge, skills and/or values for all students. 

Informative - Content was presented accurately with appropriate detail and relevance for the stage or class, topic /concept /skill. 

Presentation – timing, organisation, management and engagement with group 

Structure of the activities  

Flow and collaboration between presenters & ideas, background knowledge and logical development of key concepts. 

Professionalism and proficiency of presenters 

Self and Peer Assessment 

Critical self reflection of one’s own learning                    

Identified strengths and weakness               

Learning opportunities from team work                            

Marks will be allocated based on students’ ability to critically self/peer evaluate their presentation including; effective and less-effective skills, perceived student outcomes/learning, potential areas for improvement and effectiveness of presentation delivery. 

Assessing Learning Outcome 4 linked to the Teaching Resource File and Team Teaching Presentation 

Throughout the unit the tutorial activities, student questions, websites and discussion will provide opportunities to engage, analyse and evaluate resources as a foundation  

This will provide direction for ideas, feedback, planning, organisation and delivery. 

Students have the tools to create and design tasks – guided to take this thinking to the next level using their ideas and creativity. 

Selected activities and resources need to demonstrate they are appropriate, will engage, provide knowledge, develop skills/strategies eg decision making, harm minimisation, prevention etc.  

Breadth and up to date references/resources will reflect research and the types of activities/ideas presented. 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Bennett, D, Towns, S, Elliott, E & Merrick, J. (2009). Challenges in adolescent health: An Australian perspective. Nova Science Publishers: New York. 

Dines, G. (2010) Pornland: How Porn has Hijacked our Sexuality. Beacon Press: Boston 

Family Planning Association (2009). Contraception Healthy Choices. UNSW Press: Sydney, Australia 

Hillier, L., Turner, A, A., & Mitchell, A (2008). Writing Themselves in Again: 6 years on. The 2nd national report on the sexuality, health & wellbeing of same sex attracted young people in Australia. [Monograph Series No 50]. Melbourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society. 

NSW Kids and Families. Youth Health Resource Kit: An Essential Guide for Workers (2014). https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/kidsfamilies/youth/Pages/youth-health-resource-kit.aspx  

Rew, L. (2005). Adolescent health: A multidisciplinary approach to theory, research and intervention. Sage Publications: London 

Russell, D, Bradford, D & Fairley, C. (2011). Sexual Health Medicene. IPCommunications. Melbourne: Australia 

Smith, A., Agius, P., Dyson, S., Mitchell, A., Pitts, M. (2008). Secondary Students & Sexual Health 2008 Melbourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society, La Trobe University 

Tankard Reist, M. & Bray, A. (EDS) (2011). Big Porn INC:Exposing the Harms of the Global Pornography Industry. Spinifex:Victoria, Australia  

Temple-Smith, M. & Gifford, S. (2005). Sexual health: an Australian perspective. Melbourne: IP Communications.