Course Title: Work effectively with culturally diverse clients and co-workers

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2015

Course Code: EMPL5965C

Course Title: Work effectively with culturally diverse clients and co-workers

School: 360T Education

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4349 - Certificate IV in Education Support

Course Contact: Soosan Kian Robyn Blaikie

Course Contact Phone: 03 9925 9183 03 9925 4383

Course Contact Email: soosan.kian@rmit.edu.au robyn.blaikie@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Fiona Dean fiona.dean@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 20

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

No specific pre-requisite and co-requisite.

Course Description

This unit deals with the cultural awareness required for effective communication and cooperation with persons of diverse cultures.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

HLTHIR403C Work effectively with culturally diverse clients and co-workers

Element:

1. Reflect cultural awareness in work practice

Element:

2. Accept cultural diversity as a basis for effective work place and professional relationships

Element:

3. Communicate effectively with culturally diverse persons

Element:

4. Resolve cross-cultural misunderstandings


Learning Outcomes


This unit develops the cultural awareness required for effective communication and cooperation with persons of diverse cultures. On successful completion of this unit, you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate your competency in the above elements.


Details of Learning Activities

The student learning experience will be facilitated through participation in a range of activities:
Work placement
Group discussion
Research assignments
Guest speakers
Oral and/or written questions on "What if?" scenarios
Action learning projects in work placement
Realistic simulations and role play
Practical demonstrations and direct observation of actual work and simulated work practice
Oral Presentations
Individual and group projects - Completing the projects will include negotiated independent, directed study time and practical work relevant to the unit of competency
Workplacement
Your program consists of a combination of learning activities through a range of delivery methods including: face to face teaching, online activities and independent Directed Study and you are expected to participate in workplacement.
Your experiences through relevant work and work placement during the program are a very important part of your learning and assessment. Your RMIT teacher will organise Professional conversations with you during the program where you have the opportunity to expand on your workplacement experiences as part of evidence for relevant assessment. You will also receive feedback from your mentor/supervisor and third party evidence. You are expected to attend workplacement regularly and the attendance schedule can be negotiated between you, your RMIT teacher and workplacement supervisor/mentor.


Teaching Schedule

Please note: While your teacher will cover all the material in this schedule, the weekly order is subject to change depending on class needs and availability of speakers and resources
Semester 1

Week 1
Diversity - Own cultural conceptions and pre-conceptions and perspective of diverse cultures
E1 E2

Week 2
Cultural diversity in Australian society (diversity in workplace)
E1 E2

Week 3
Cultural influences and changing cultural practices in Australia and its impact on diverse communities; culture as a dynamic social phenomenon
E1 E2 E3

Week 4
The principles of equal employment opportunity, sex, race, disability, anti-discrimination and similar legislation and the implications for work and social practices
Resources and assistance in relation to cultural diversity issues
E1 E2 E3

Week 5
Identifying and implementing culturally safe work practices
Applying culturally respectful practices in the workplace
E3 E4

Week 6
Responding respectfully and sensitively to cultural beliefs and practices that may cause harm
E2 E3 E4

Week 7
Impact of cultural practices and experiences on personal behaviour, interpersonal relationships, perception and social expectations of others
E1 E2 E3 E4

Week 8
Integrating principles of diversity in the workplace
E3 E4

Week 9
Effective strategies to address and eliminate discrimination and bias in the workplace
Recognition that the word ’normal’ is a value-laden
E1 E2 E3 E4

Week 10
Forming effective workplace relationships with co-workers and colleagues of diverse backgrounds and cultures
E1 E2 E3 E4

Week 11
The role and use of language and cultural interpreters
E1 E2 E3 E4

Week 12
Effective strategies to address and eliminate discrimination and bias in the workplace
E1 E2 E3 E4

Week 13
Integrating principles of diversity in the workplace
E1 E2 E3 E4

Week 14
Basic conflict resolution and negotiation skills
Applying negotiation skills
E2 E3 E4

Week 15
Reflecting and reviewing experiences of working effectively with culturally diverse clients and co-workers
E1 E2 E3 E4


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through handouts, our online systems and access to facilities and relevant software. You will also have access to the library resources. It is recommended that you bring:
• Display folder with plastic sleeves
• Highlighter pens
• Notebook or loose leaf paper
• Headphones to be used with ipads etc
• USB (Memory stick)
 


Overview of Assessment

This unit is part of an integrated program. You must demonstrate evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as essential skills required to demonstrate competence in this unit. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks. You may be assessed by:
• Oral or written questioning
• oral presentations
• Assignments and projects
• Direct observation of actual work practice
• Presentation of a portfolio of evidence which may comprise documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files
• Work-based activities
• Third-party feedback from a work supervisor/employer
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions, through individual and group feedback on practical exercises and by individual consultation.

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program manager or the Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.

The Student Charter www.rmit.edu.au/about/our-education/supporting-learning-and-teaching/student-charter/ summarises your responsibilities as an RMIT University student as well as the responsibilities of the university.

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies and procedures which can be found on the RMIT University website at: http://www1.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=qwxbqbg739rl1


Assessment Tasks

Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks. You may be assessed by:
• Direct observation of actual and simulated work practice 

• Oral or written questioning 

• Assignments and projects 

• Presentation of a portfolio of evidence which may comprise of documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files 

• Review of work produced through work-based or course activities 

• Third-party feedback from a work supervisor/employer 

Assessment task 1. Portfolio evidence Part A (Previewof Portfolio/Interview) Week 5
Part B (Preview/ of Portfolio/Interview) Week 10
Part C (Final presentation of Portfolio/Interview) Week 15
Assessment task 2. Q&A assignment - written and/or oral presentation - Work effectively with culturally diverse clients and co-workers - Week 11
Assessment task 3: Work placement observation/demonstration
Part A Workplacement visits During weeks 3-15
Part B: Professional conversations. Week 3-15
Part C: Third party evidence/Feedback from supervisor/mentor at work placement - ongoing Week 3-15


Assessment Matrix

The assessment mapping demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant Unit of Competency and with the critical aspects of assessment for each unit.

Other Information

You must complete a submission cover sheet for every piece of submitted work, including online submissions. This signed sheet acknowledges that you are aware of the plagiarism implications.
Attendance - The major learning experience involves participating in face to face classes. It is strongly advised that you attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to gain the competency.www.rmit.edu.au/policies/academicprogress
Feedback - Monitoring academic progress is an important enabling and proactive strategy to assist you to achieve your learning potential. Students will be asked to attend mid semester interviews with relevant teachers and Program Coordinator.
Special Consideration - All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level. If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension. Please see the RMIT website for further information..rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism - RMIT University has a strict policy on plagarism and and academic integrity. Please refer to the website for more information on this policy.www.rmit.edu.au/students/academic-integrity

Course Overview: Access Course Overview