Overview
This unit will provide students with the opportunity to build upon their learning in Human Factors (HF) through the application of contemporary HF investigation tools and techniques to an accident case study. Students will also have the opportunity to develop their ability to interpret organisational factors and examine the nature of safety culture factors evident in the causation of major disasters.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2018
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Self reflection and student feedback
Students requested additional assessment task details
Review assessment requirements guidance and grading rubric to increase clarity for students. Provide Zoom sessions on assessment requirements with more lead time before the assessment due date.
Feedback from Student feedback
The inclusion of an Assessment and Moodle walk-through in Week 1 aided students introduction to the Unit
Continue including a Moodle and Assessment walk-through in the Week 1 Introduction.
- Analyse accident case study through the application of contemporary human factors investigation tools and techniques.
- Derive and interpret organisational factors evident in the causation of major disasters by employing organisational factor analysis.
- Examine the nature and contribution of safety culture to accident causation.
- Employ effective communication strategies appropriate to human factors investigations.
- Demonstrate reflective skills appropriate to the development of the graduating practitioner.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Group Discussion - 0% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Group Discussion - 0% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
p.marshall@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to HFI, Moodle and Assessments:
- we begin our journey into critical analysis of accidents to determine the human factors lines of inquiry that are often overlooked.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 1: Human Factors and Accident Causation
- Keys to successful design
- Introduction to the WorkSafeBC model of HFI
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 1: Human Factors and Accident Causation
- Applying the WorkSafeBC model in a critical analysis of the ....Teneriffe? accident
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 1: Human Factors and Accident Causation:
- Applying the WorkSafeBC model in a critical analysis of the ....Chernobyl? accident
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 1: Human Factors and Accident Causation:bring your own accident
- Applying the WorkSafeBC model in a critical analysis of one or two accidents found by students
- Identifying HF lines of inquiry
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2: Human Factors Investigation Methods:
- Lets get started on some investigative tools that will inform part 2 of Assessment 2.
Chapter
Moodle reading : A guide to task analysis (Kirwin & Ainsworth 1992)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2: Human Factors Investigation Methods:
- More investigative tools that will answer part 2 of Assessment 2.
Chapter
Online readings supplied through Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2: Human Factors Investigation Methods:
- More investigative tools that will answer part 2 of Assessment 2.
Chapter
Online readings supplied through Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2: Human Factors Investigation Methods:
- Introduction to HFACS from a HFI viewpoint.
- This week will inform your work in Assessment 3.
Chapter
Online readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 2: Human Factors Investigation Methods:
- HFACS nanocodes from DOD and other sources.
- This week will inform your work in Assessment 3.
Chapter
Online readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Module 3: Bringing it altogether to successfully investigate human factors post accident
- Organisational safety and culture of safety
Chapter
Online readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Review and reflection
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Group Discussion
Engagement as a responsible member of the learning community is important to your future careers as accident investigation professionals. This skill will assist in future teamwork and collaboration with other agencies.
You will need to complete a minimum of eight posts to Moodle as follows:1.Two posts to Moodle of your own draft work, being one post each for Assessment 2 and Assessment 3 in order to prompt class discussion and receive peer feedback
2. Four posts to Moodle containing constructive and effective feedback support for a minimum of two other students in each of Assessment 2 and Assessment 3
3. Two other reflective and relevant Moodle posts evidencing your meaningful contribution to the HFI community of practice.Due progressively throughout the term
Comment through Moodle only
Engagement is a pass/fail criteria. To pass this assessment, you will need to complete a minimum of eight posts to Moodle as follows:
1.Two posts to Moodle of your own draft work, being one post each for Assessment 2 and Assessment 3 in order to prompt class discussion and receive peer feedback2. Four posts to Moodle containing constructive and effective feedback support for a minimum of two other students in each of Assessment 2 and Assessment 3
3. Two other reflective and relevant Moodle posts evidencing your meaningful contribution to the HFI community of practice.- Employ effective communication strategies appropriate to human factors investigations.
- Demonstrate reflective skills appropriate to the development of the graduating practitioner.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
For this task you will be required to review the literature and complete a preamble (context), an annotated mindmap and bibliography based around a specific case study of your choice, other than the ones covered in the unit, and agreed by your unit coordinator.
Your submissions should evidence:
- What happened (preamble)
- Timeline of events (preamble)
- Why it happened (preamble)
- Design failures and system life cycle as related to human factors issues (annotated mind map)
- Issues and findings related to physical, cognitive and organisational factors (annotated mind map)
- Human factors investigation tools recommended (other than HFACS) to investigate the human factors issues / lines of inquiry (annotated mind map)
- Critical annotations of the strengths and weaknesses of each recommended human factors investigative tool (annotated bibliography)
- A reflection as to how this assessment may inform your future professional investigative practice (especially Crash Lab Project II).
The ‘whys’ above should draw on evidence in the report AND in the literature (i.e. bibliographies). It should include formal ‘in text’ referencing in the mind map and include a separate reference list.
You are encouraged to use mind mapping software e.g.‘FreeMind’ (http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page) or a similar tool but you shall upload your submission as a pdf.
This task will have a self and peer review component.
Further details about this task will be provided through Moodle.
Week 9 Monday (10 Sept 2018) 11:00 am AEST
Week 11 Monday (24 Sept 2018)
To be successful in this Assessment, you will need to demonstrate your competence in the following aspects of HF investigation:
- physical, cognitive and organisational domains;
- systems design perspective;
- the role that human factors have in accident causation;
- the evidence base for HF accident investigation practice; and
- appropriate HF tools and methods for HF lines of inquiry.
Further details will be provided in the Rubric in Moodle during the term.
- Analyse accident case study through the application of contemporary human factors investigation tools and techniques.
- Employ effective communication strategies appropriate to human factors investigations.
- Demonstrate reflective skills appropriate to the development of the graduating practitioner.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Written Assessment
This problem solving activity will extend the work done in Assessment 2. While it is recommended that you continue the same case study, you may choose a different one with agreement of your unit coordinator.
The submission will be a written formal style report. (Reports of 1,500 to 3,000 words are more likely to be successful).
Complete both Part A and Part B:
PART A (80%)
You are required to:
1. Fully describe the event (this can be taken from assessment 2);
2. Identify significant components of the system/s relevant to the event (this can be taken from assessment 2);
3. Analyse and research the potential human factors issues related to the event (this can be taken from assessment 2); and
4. Using the HFACS nanocodes, create an HFI analysis for your event (your analysis must include a minimum of 30 nanocodes).
a. Critique HFACS, in terms of its:
- usability;
- value in investigating human factors issues; and
- usefulness with regard to learning from the event to prevent any future event.
b. Discuss any recommendations you would make to the authors of HFACS to address any limitations with the current tool.
PART B (20%)
… and in the end … some of the most important reflections of all:
1. Reflect on and describe the contribution that organisational factors and safety culture had on the causation of your case study accident;
2. Reflect on and describe these HF issues and any shifts of understanding that you may have had through a. study of systems and b. HF design in this unit; and
3. Reflect on and describe your professional human factors investigative practice into the future (and any 'ah ha' moments in this unit) and share any planned changes to your professional practice resulting from study of human factors investigation.
Week 12 Tuesday (2 Oct 2018) 11:00 am AEST
Exam Week Tuesday (16 Oct 2018)
To be successful in this Assessment, you will need to demonstrate your understanding in the following aspects of HF investigation and their effect on failure:
- context and its relationship to failure;
- actors, their lens and how that might have influenced an event outcome;
- the relationship between people, machines and systems in society as a socio-technical system;
- HF physical, cognitive and organisational design issues;
- latent issues and preconditions;
- system life cycle;
- loss of system control; and
- organisational factors and safety culture.
You will also be required to demonstrate critical reflective practice.
- Derive and interpret organisational factors evident in the causation of major disasters by employing organisational factor analysis.
- Examine the nature and contribution of safety culture to accident causation.
- Employ effective communication strategies appropriate to human factors investigations.
- Demonstrate reflective skills appropriate to the development of the graduating practitioner.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
