Unit rationale, description and aim
Effective professional communication is an essential component of contemporary human services practice. So much of the research and policy base for human services is available on the internet and skills in accessing these electronic resources are basic to practice competence. Workers need a range of skills in accessing and analysing information in the research literature, in writing reports, and in oral presentations. The purpose of the unit is to develop competency in all aspects of professional communication. The unit aims to develop professional communication skills, reflective, critical and evaluative thinking, together with a range of specific academic skills such as information literacy, and in communicating clearly, both orally and in written form.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.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.
Find evaluate and synthesize information in the hu...
Learning Outcome 01
Demonstrate critical, logical and reflective think...
Learning Outcome 02
Complete a piece of academic writing that demonstr...
Learning Outcome 03
Write and speak in clear, correct language appropr...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Professional communication (oral and written) – skills and processes
- Issues and procedures (FOI, confidentiality)
- Academic and professional writing conventions and referencing.
- Accessing data bases – finding, evaluating and synthesizing information
- Critical writing – developing an academic argument
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment strategy is based on testing students’ capacity to locate, evaluate and synthesize information, and to demonstrate their competence in oral and written communication. The development of an annotated bibliography on a practice topic of the student’s choosing is a starting task that can be developed for the oral presentation, and the written report. The emphasis is on developing and demonstrating skills in professional communication, rather than knowledge in a specific area of content.
Intensive and multi-mode assessment of this unit will be transparently equitable with on campus mode offerings as endorsed by the relevant Course Implementation Committee.
Overview of assessments
Annotated bibliography: Students are required to ...
Annotated bibliography: Students are required to search the data bases to locate information on a specific topic. Enables students to evaluate and synthesize information and demonstrate critical, logical and reflective thinking and an understanding of formal academic requirements such as referencing and academic integrity (GA4, GA7).
30%
Oral Presentation: Students are required to deliv...
Oral Presentation: Students are required to deliver a 15 minute presentation to the class on a specific topic. Enables students to demonstrate their ability to speak in clear, correct language appropriate to the discipline and context for human services practice
30%
Written report: Students demonstrate their abilit...
Written report: Students demonstrate their ability to translate information from theory to practice. Students apply information derived from the research literature in order to shape service approaches to practice.
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit involves 150 hours of learning. Teaching and learning strategies for this unit include 36 hours of face-to-face, recorded lectures and face-to-face tutorials and skill development workshops. Tutorials incorporate small group discussion involving collaborative learning focused on developing critical, logical and reflective thinking skills. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively in class discussions.
This unit may also be offered on or off campus in intensive mode or multi-mode for sponsored / special cohorts, with the learning and teaching strategies being equitable with on campus mode offerings as endorsed by the School Curriculum Implementation Committee.