SPHY606 - Speech Pathology Research Project B

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

SPHY605 Speech Pathology Research Project a

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

Speech Pathologists looking to engage in leadership and or supervisory roles are required to facilitate research projects focusing on evaluating services and outcomes, improving clinical practice and innovating services provided. An approved ACU supervisor appointed within the School of Allied Health will systematically guide students as they complete, evaluate, report outcomes from the capstone project implemented in SPHY605 Speech Pathology Research Project A. The unit provides student's with the opportunity to enhance critical thinking, analysis, as well as professional and academic communication skills developed throughout the Master of Rehabilitation program. This unit aims to extend the body of knowledge for Speech Pathologists and provide students with the foundation for future self-directed learning and research.

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 - Interpret the outcome of statistical analyses to inform the presentation of results and their discussion in a paper (GA,4,6,7) 

LO2 - Develop and document the implications of the clinical research findings on relevant stakeholders that may include patients, practitioners, families, carers and healthcare organisations and/or the community (GA2,4,6,7) 

LO3 - Draw robust conclusions about what and/or how the findings / data contribute to the advancement of discipline specific or inter-professional health care practice, identifying limitations of the research and potential directions for future research (GA8,9,10) 

LO4 - Report the outcomes of the clinical research project in both oral and written modes, critically interpreting the implications for clinical practice (GA6,7,8,9)  

Graduate attributes

GA2 - recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

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: 

• Application of statistical packages for data analyses   
• Methods of presenting results for written and oral presentations  
• Formative feedback on draft manuscripts 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit is offered in multi-mode and online delivery for specific on and offshore cohorts with the aim of facilitating enquiry based learning. In this unit, students will work both independently and in collaboration with their supervisor(s). Students will be mentored and supported in their learning by their supervisor(s) who will provide regular guidance and maintain contact with the student.  

Mentorship and supervision is facilitated through face-to-face on-campus meetings, or by telephone or electronic communication between student and ACU staff mentor. A range of student-centred learning and teaching strategies will be adopted such as: 

• regular meetings between mentor and student 
• guidance regarding conduct of project, analyses oral presentation and drafting of manuscript 

Assessment strategy and rationale

SPHY606 assessments have been developed to guide the students in their finalisation of a capstone project aimed at reflecting the advanced level of professional knowledge and skills, enhanced critical analysis and professional writing style as developed in the Master’s program. Assessments for the unit incorporate a constructivist approach providing for a broad range of tasks aligned to andragogic principles of adult learning facilitating choice and self-direction for the post graduate student. In addition, assessments have been purposefully developed to reflect the real world of allied health research and provide the students with the necessary skills required to draft an academic manuscript for publication and present at a national or international conference. The seminar presentation provides students with the opportunity to prepare and present their research in a conference presentation mode of delivery. Students will prepare a scholarly academic work in the form of a manuscript according to selected author guidelines ready for submission to a peer reviewed journal to communicate the outcomes of their research project. The supervisors provide a critique of the level of student independence and professional collaborative and collegial practice pertaining to the conduct of the research project. Scheduling of assessments will be equitable for both modes of delivery. Assessment tasks may be delivered and assessed locally with moderated according to University Policies and Procedures. All assessments will be submitted electronically. 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Barton, B & Peat, J (2014). Medical Statistics A Guide to SPSS, Data Analysis and Critical Appraisal. 3rd Edition. Hoboken: Wiley.  

Bowling, A, & Ebrahim, S (2005).  Handbook of health research methods: Investigation, measurement and analysis. Maidenhead, U.K.:  Open University Press  

Creswell, JW, & Piano Clark, VL (2018) Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. 3rd. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications 001.42 CRE 

Creswell, J (2018). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks California: SAGE Publications, Inc. 300.72 CRE 

Denzin, N & Lincoln, Y (Eds.) (2018). Handbook of qualitative research (5th ed.). California: Sage Publications. 001.4 SAG 

Glasziou, P, Irwig, L., Bain, C., & Colditz, G (2001) Systematic reviews in health care: A practical guide.  Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.  

Herbert, R, Jamtvedt, G, Hagen, K.B & Mead, J (2011) Practical Evidence based Physiotherapy. 2nd ed. Edinburgh, Churchill Livingstone 615.82 HER 

Higgins, JPT & Green, S Eds. (2008) Cochrane handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Chichester, UK. Wiley-Blackwell.  

Hoffmann, T, Bennett, S, & Del Mar, C (2010) Evidence based practice across the health professions. Chatswood, NSW: Churchill Livingstone  

Liamputtong, P (ed). (2017). Research methods in health: Foundations for evidence based practice (3rd edition) South Melbourne, Vic. Oxford University Press  

NHMRC (2000). How to review the evidence: systematic identification and review of the scientific literature. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra