Overview
In this unit you will learn how the fundamental principles and theories of positive psychology can be applied to the design, development and measurement of evidence-based interventions for enhancing the wellbeing and resilience of individuals and groups across a range of settings such as education, health, and organisations. The exploration of practical applications will include designing and implementing a positive psychology intervention, examining determinants of change, and developing ways to measure and monitor efficacy and change processes.
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 - 2022
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 Postgraduate 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 Student feedback (evaluations).
Students indicated that the applied content and assessment pieces allowed them to learn practical application of positive psychology skills.
Maintain the applied and practical focus of unit content and assessment pieces.
Feedback from Student feedback (evaluations).
Students indicated that completing the group intervention assessment (Assessment 2) over a series of weeks allowed more deeper and integrated learning to occur.
Maintain the formative nature of Assessment 2 where completion is achieved over several weeks during the term.
Feedback from Student feedback (evaluations).
While most students valued the group work experience of Assessment 2, some were concerned about unequal work between members and difficulties in choosing an intervention to work on together.
Provide more guidance to students on working in groups and addressing differences of opinion on assessment tasks.
- Apply effective decision making and problem solving to the application of positive psychology tools in real-world situations
- Design a protocol for appropriately administering and measuring an applied Positive Psychology intervention
- Apply and evaluate behaviour change processes for self-administered positive psychology interventions
- Develop and apply reflective-practice skills, to reflect on your ongoing development of knowledge and practitioner skills in the positive psychology/wellbeing domain, and also reflect on your personal development during the Unit.
N/A - no external accreditation.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 40% | ||||
| 3 - Reflective Practice Assignment - 20% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - 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 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||
| 2 - Practical Assessment - 40% | ||||||||
| 3 - Reflective Practice Assignment - 20% | ||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
Additional Textbook Information
There are no prescribed textbooks for this unit. Readings will be supplied as part of the coursework.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.gerace@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Applied Positive Psychology
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Tutorial: Week 1 Monday (11 July 2022) 6:30-8:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Measuring processes of change and outcomes of positive psychology interventions
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Designing and implementing positive psychology interventions
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Tutorial: Week 3 Monday (25 July 2022) 6:30-8:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Types of positive psychology interventions
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Multicultural and Indigenous perspectives in intervention
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Tutorial: Week 5 Monday (8 Aug 2022) 6:30-8:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
No module/topics this week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1
Assessment of positive psychology interventions Due: Vacation Week Monday (15 Aug 2022) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Positive psychology interventions for friends, couples, and families
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Tutorial: Week 7 Monday (29 Aug 2022) 6:30-8:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Positive interventions across the lifespan: Part 1
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Group interventions - Schools
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Positive interventions across the lifespan: Part 2
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Working with assistance animals
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 2
Positive Psychology intervention implementation and group presentation Due: Week 11 Monday (26 Sept 2022) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Bringing it all together and developing a positive psychology intervention 'toolkit'
Chapter
Please see selected readings and activities on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
There are no examinations for this unit
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 3
Reflective journal Due: Review/Exam Week Monday (10 Oct 2022) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
There are no examinations for this unit
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
In Assessment 1, you will choose an applied real-world setting – for example, a workplace, older persons’ residential care, a school – and detail in an essay the implementation of a positive psychology intervention, for example, gratitude practice, increasing self-compassion, in that setting.
You will examine in your essay contextual factors involved in implementing the intervention and ways to measure and document change in participants and the setting in which the intervention is applied.
You will consider:
- Why is this intervention a good fit for your target audience and setting? That is, how does the intervention address an identified issue in the chosen setting?
- What would you be aiming for in terms of outcomes by introducing the intervention? Consider what the literature tells us about the outcomes of this intervention.
- What is the evidence to support the efficacy of the chosen intervention? Is the evidence strong for the use of this intervention in your chosen setting, or does the use of the intervention make good sense based on the identified issue(s) and expected outcomes of the intervention?
- How would you administer the intervention? Use literature to consider factors such as length of intervention, types of exercises implemented, and types of participants included.
- Are there any practical issues you need to consider when implementing the intervention in your chosen setting? For example, might an existing intervention need to be modified for your setting?
- What might be some considerations when implementing the intervention with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples or people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds? For example, community consultation and partnership, cultural appropriateness of the intervention, any delivery modifications needed, and how results might be evaluated.
- What type of research design might you use to evaluate change? Consider what quantitative (e.g., specific measurement scales) or qualitative (e.g., semi-structured interviews, focus groups) approaches you could implement to determine whether positive changes have occurred and justify their use (e.g., validity, reliability).
Maximum word count: 2500 words (+/- 10%). This word limit includes in-text citations but excludes any reference section. Meeting the word count is included as a part of the marking criteria in your marking rubric on Moodle. See the Psychology Word Count Information document on Moodle for a rationale for using this type of word limit restriction.
Further task details will be available on the unit Moodle site.
Vacation Week Monday (15 Aug 2022) 5:00 pm AEST
Week 7 Monday (29 Aug 2022)
Feedback and grade for this assessment will be provided within 2 weeks of submission.
You will be assessed on:
- The rationale for, and relevance of, the chosen intervention
- Formulation of how the positive psychology intervention would be implemented in the chosen applied setting
- Discussion of considerations for how the positive psychology intervention might be implemented with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples or people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
- Rationale for your choice of evaluation approach, including specific quantitative and/or qualitative approaches to examine positive change
- Quality of your written communication, including correct APA referencing and adherence to word count.
Detailed information regarding assessment requirements and criteria for assessment can be found in the Unit and Assessment Guide on Moodle.
- Apply effective decision making and problem solving to the application of positive psychology tools in real-world situations
- Design a protocol for appropriately administering and measuring an applied Positive Psychology intervention
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
2 Practical Assessment
For Assessment 2, you will complete group and individual tasks that involve choosing and implementing a self-administered positive psychology intervention.
You will:
- Join a group of 4-5 students on Moodle
- Establish a group work contract that includes roles of group members, communication frequency and methods, schedule of milestones, and an issues resolution plan. This plan will be submitted through Moodle prior to your group commencing work
- Choose a self-administered applied positive psychology intervention that all group members want to implement. The unit coordinator will provide advice on the intervention chosen
- Work with your fellow group members to choose specific measurement scales (quantitative approach) to examine the effectiveness of the intervention. You will complete these measurement scales prior to implementing the intervention (post-intervention) and after you have finished implementing the intervention (post-intervention).
- Individually implement the chosen intervention in your own life over a period of 4-5 weeks
- Document your progress, changes, experiences, and challenges in implementing the intervention (this will help you to develop your group presentation).
It is recommended you start your intervention by Week 6 so that you have sufficient time to implement it for a 4-5 week period.
You will then prepare and deliver a 20-25 minute group presentation with your group members, where the group discusses:
- Why did the group choose the specific intervention? That is, what issue or area might the intervention address?
- Why did the group choose the specific approach to measure change? Consider the reliability, validity, and suitability of the measures to document change.
- Were there any changes reflected in the specific scales or assessment approaches chosen to examine the intervention’s effectiveness?
- Were there differences between group members in changes experienced during the intervention?
- What worked for group members and what were the challenges faced during implementation?
- What needs to be considered for use of this positive psychology intervention with individuals or groups in the future?
For each part of the presentation, with the exception of discussing personal changes and challenges faced during the intervention, 1-2 group members will present the section. For example, 1-2 group members will discuss why the specific intervention was chosen. For discussion of personal changes and challenges faced, all group members should provide some discussion of personally experienced changes and challenges.
The time limit of a 20-25 minute presentation equates to roughly 5 minutes speaking per presenter. Meeting the time limit is included as a marking criteria in your marking rubric on Moodle. See the Psychology Word Count Information document for a rationale for using this type of time limit restriction.
The presentation will be recorded and uploaded to Moodle (details will be provided on how to record and upload the presentation).
You will also submit:
- a document outlining your contributions to the intervention - this may be in the form of a document (no more than 1 A4 page) with a series of bullet points outlining your contribution and/or inclusion of the presentation slides to indicate what parts of the presentation you worked on.
- an individual reflection (maximum of 200 words +/- 10% for the reflection) of how you felt the group work and presentation went.
Further task details will be available on the unit Moodle site.
Week 11 Monday (26 Sept 2022) 5:00 pm AEST
Exam Week Monday (17 Oct 2022)
Feedback and grade for this assessment will be provided within 2 weeks of submission.
You will be assessed on:
- Discussion of the rationale for the chosen intervention (group mark)
- Discussion of the rationale for choice of approach to measure change (group mark)
- Discussion of changes that occurred as a result of the intervention (group mark)
- Reflection on changes that occurred as a result of the intervention - cognitive, emotions, behaviour, or wellbeing (individual mark)
- Reflection on the implementation process, including benefits and any challenges faced in implementation (individual mark)
- Discussion of how the interventions could be applied to individuals and groups (group mark)
- Quality of presentation, including presentation coherence, content, style, and adherence to time limit (group mark)
- Individual contribution to the design/implementation of the intervention and the presentation and reflection on group work (individual mark)
- Completion of the group work contract (group mark).
Your final mark will be based on the work of the group, your individual contribution to the design and implementation of the intervention and presentation, and your individual reflection on the group work. Detailed information regarding assessment requirements and criteria for assessment can be found in the Unit and Assessment Guide on Moodle.
- Apply effective decision making and problem solving to the application of positive psychology tools in real-world situations
- Design a protocol for appropriately administering and measuring an applied Positive Psychology intervention
- Apply and evaluate behaviour change processes for self-administered positive psychology interventions
- Develop and apply reflective-practice skills, to reflect on your ongoing development of knowledge and practitioner skills in the positive psychology/wellbeing domain, and also reflect on your personal development during the Unit.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
3 Reflective Practice Assignment
In Assessment 3, you will write a reflective journal to chronicle your reflections, insights, and ongoing development of knowledge and skills regarding the implementation of the self-administered positive psychology intervention for Assessment 2.
You will produce two reflective practice journal entries (600 words each, +/- 10%) documenting:
- your growing understanding of how to design, implement, and evaluate positive psychology interventions in an applied setting. This will include personal reflection on why the specific positive psychology intervention was expected to be useful to your own personal or work circumstances.
- evaluation of changes in your perceptions, beliefs, and behaviour during the self-administered positive psychology intervention. What have you noticed about yourself, your emotions, relationships, or other aspects of your wellbeing since undertaking the intervention?
- reflections on your progress and challenges in implementing and completing a self-administered positive psychology intervention. What specific challenges did you face or how did you ensure that you continued to implement the specific aspects of the intervention? How might understanding of challenges faced inform your use of the intervention (e.g., with oneself, with others) in the future?
These two reflective journal entries should discuss your personal experiences of the intervention, rather than reflections on the group work experience. It is expected that you will relate your experiences (e.g., challenges, progress, outcomes) to what the positive psychology literature tells us about the particular intervention and, more generally, processes of change.
While you will submit both journal entries at the same time, it is recommended that the first be written within the first 2 weeks of beginning your intervention and the second be written at the end of the intervention/shortly after completion of the intervention.
Maximum word count: 600 words (+/- 10%) per entry. This word limit includes in-text citations but excludes any reference section. Meeting the word count is included as a part of the marking criteria in your marking rubric on Moodle. See the Psychology Word Count Information document on Moodle for a rationale for using this type of word limit restriction.
Further task details will be available on the unit Moodle site.
Review/Exam Week Monday (10 Oct 2022) 5:00 pm AEST
Exam Week Friday (21 Oct 2022)
Feedback and grade for this assessment will be provided within 2 weeks of submission.
You will be assessed on:
- Understanding of design, implementation, and evaluation of applied interventions
- Evaluation of changes in perceptions, beliefs, and behaviour during the self-administered intervention
- Reflection on progress and challenges in implementing the self-administered intervention
- Quality of your written communication, including correct APA referencing and adherence to word count.
Detailed information regarding assessment requirements and criteria for assessment can be found in the Unit and Assessment Guide on Moodle.
- Apply and evaluate behaviour change processes for self-administered positive psychology interventions
- Develop and apply reflective-practice skills, to reflect on your ongoing development of knowledge and practitioner skills in the positive psychology/wellbeing domain, and also reflect on your personal development during the Unit.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Self-management
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?
