Course Title: Practicum A

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Practicum A

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

HWSS2099

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

150H Health Sciences

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013

HWSS2099

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

360H Education

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2014,
Sem 1 2015

Course Coordinator: Dr Philip Doecke

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7864

Course Coordinator Email: philip.doecke@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 220.03.19


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

  • Professional Practices in Disability 1A
  • Professional Practices in Disability 1B
  • Professional Practices in Disability 2A (concurrent enrolment)


Course Description

There is a great need to ensure that people with developmental disabilities using services, whether they be educational, vocational or residential, are assisted by staff who are competent in a variety of aspects of direct service provision. Direct service practitioners need to be able to apply developmental and learning theories in designing structured skills teaching programs. They also need to be familiar with the operation of living and working environments of the person with a developmental disability.

Graduates should understand the role of the disability professionals in the delivery of services and to develop skills that are essential in this field, and should have the capacity to reflect on their ability to contribute to the lives of people with disabilities. In addition to recognising areas in which they need to increase their knowledge and skills, and to develop modes of client service provision that are based on the collection and analysis of evidence of client skills and needs.

This single semester course focuses on the provision of residential, educational, or vocational services to people with a developmental disability, and the capacity of that person to learn the skills necessary to function as independently as possible. Practicum placement venues will be primarily Day Services, but may also include other service providers.

This course includes a work integrated learning experience in which your knowledge and skills will be applied and assessed in a real or simulated workplace context and where feedback from industry and/ or community is integral to your experience.
 


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Students will build on introductory and foundation capabilities, to develop capabilities at an intermediate level.

  • 1.1 Ability to reflect on experience and critically evaluate the contribution of personal and professional practice to the goals and aspirations of the individuals, organizations and communities.
  • 1.2 Ability to recognize limitations in knowledge and skill and to use ongoing learning and self-development to improve personal and professional practice.
  • 2.1 Ability to employ a variety of approaches and procedures to inquiry and research that permit judgments and decisions to be clearly substantiated.
  • 3.1 Ability to apply knowledge to diagnose and solve problems in situations that range from simple and discrete to complex and ill-defined.


At the completion of this course, students with a concurrent enrolment in Professional Practices in Disability 2A, who undertake field placements and participate in case conferences should be able to:

  • Demonstrate the ability to reflect on their own professional practices, with the view to improving those practices;
  • Analyse and understand how a service is structured and delivered;
  • Assess the strengths and needs of a person with disability;
  • Plan and work towards the goal of the individual you are supporting.


Overview of Learning Activities

In addition to their enrolment in Professional Practices in Disability 2A (which includes a lecture series and tutorials), students in Practicum A undertake a minimum of 8 days of field placement at a Day Service. The field placement occurs on Thursday and Friday.

The Field Placements are supported by weekly attendance at a Case Conference and include specific assessment and teaching activities to be undertaken as party of the Field Placement. 


Overview of Learning Resources

Students are provided with assessment protocols and other materials to assist with the development and evaluation of client programmes. 


Overview of Assessment

Attendance, pre-planning and contribution to weekly Case Conference meetings. 

Formal assessments will be undertaken relating to a person being supported.