For this assessment task, you will be required to prepare and deliver a recorded oral presentation that explains how legal, policy, and organisational requirements impacted positively (i.e., were enablers) or negatively (i.e., were barriers) on your clinical decision-making process or on the outcome achieved by a client you saw as part of your SPCH13001 work-integrated learning experiences. Your presentation must include the following:

1. Background Information: Provide background information about your placement context and client, as is relevant to the topic of your presentation. Remember that your presentation must adhere to confidentiality requirements. 

2. Legal Impacts: Select one legal requirement from the list provided in Moodle. Describe how this law impacted the decision-making process or outcome for your client, either positively and/or negatively.

3. SPA Policy Impacts: Select one SPA policy from the list provided in Moodle. Describe how this policy impacted the decision-making process or outcome for your client, either positively and/or negatively.

4. Organisational Impacts: Select one organisational policy or circumstance present at your placement site. Examples are discussed in this unit; however, specific policies (e.g., discharge criteria, service delivery model) and circumstances (e.g., length of waitlist, staff diversity) will vary considerably across organisations. Describe how the organisational policy/circumstance impacted the decision-making process or outcome for your client, either positively and/or negatively.

5. References: Your presentation slides must include in-text citations and a reference list at the end.

You presentation must be no longer than 8 minutes in length. Presentations will only be marked until the 8-minute mark; content after this point will not be viewed. You will use the Video Record function in PowerPoint to create your presentation. You will upload your PowerPoint recording to the assessment folder in Moodle but also to the designated Moodle Discussion Forum for all students to watch. Each student will be assigned to post a question about one other presentation, and the lecturer will also post a question about each presentation. Questions should require the presenter to provide additional information to support effective learning and application of the content. Questions and answers must be posted by the specified deadlines.

Level of GenAI use allowed:

Level 3: You may use Al to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining, and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any Al-generated content you use. 

As this assessment involves a presentation and addressing questions from peers, the 72-hour grace period does not apply.

The full task description, including marking rubric, will be provided in Moodle. 

There are 3 marking criteria that will be used to assess Assessment 1 for SPCH13001:

1. The first criterion focuses on how clearly and comprehensively your presentation addresses the specific legal, policy, and organisational requirements that impacted the decision-making process or outcome for your client (either as enablers or barriers). This criterion is worth 70% of this assessment grade.

2. The second criterion focuses on your presentation and referencing skills. This criterion is worth 20% of this assessment grade.

3. The third criterion focuses on how clearly and specifically you respond to the questions from your peer and lecturer. This criterion is worth 10% of this assessment grade.

Part A: Development of a Reflective Writing Template

In SPCH12007 and again during the Intensive in SPCH13001, you learned about a range of reflective writing models. For Part A of this assessment, you will create a personalised reflective writing template that is based on the models discussed. The template must have 3-4 headings that clearly depict a flow of analysis that will support you in identifying important learning moments and converting them into meaningful growth in your clinical skills. Each heading must have 3-4 dot points that will guide you as to the nature of content/analysis that must be included in each section. Speech Pathology Australia’s Professional Standards 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3 are represented in Part A of this assessment. Criterion 1 in the Marking Rubric explains specific expectations for Part A of this assessment. The template must not exceed one page in length.

Part B: Application of Reflective Practice

Part B is comprised of four individual reflection tasks, as outlined below. The first two tasks give you a choice of topic about which to reflect. Each reflection is associated with academic content covered in the recorded lectures, online activities, and/or during in-person tutorials throughout the term. Each reflection requires applying your academic knowledge to your current and/or prior work-integrated learning experiences. You must select specific events that resulted in new learning. You will use the reflective writing template you created in Part A for all four reflections. Speech Pathology Australia’s (SPA) Professional Standards 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.3, and 3.5 are represented in Part B of this assessment. Criteria 2-4 in the Marking Rubric explain the specific expectations for Part B of this assessment. The maximum word count across the four reflections is 2,000 words and you may distribute the word count across the four tasks as you wish.

Reflection Task 1

Choose ONE of the two topic options below, which you specifically experienced on your SPCH12007 and SPCH13001 work-integrated learning experiences:

Option A: Time Management (content taught during the pre-term Intensive). Time can be both an enabler and a barrier to good clinical practice, which is why time management is such an important component of professional practice.

Option B: Speech Pathology Role and Scope in Counselling (content taught during Week 2). Regardless of our work setting, speech pathologists may appropriately engage in counselling to enable our clients’ communication or swallowing success. However, we must recognise when demands exceed our scope of practice and ensure we refer on so that we don’t become a barrier to our clients’ progress.

Using the template you developed in Part A, write a reflection that describes:
a)    The specific event/occurrence (not a generic overview) that took place during your SPCH13001 placement relating to your chosen topic, along with the ethical questions raised by the event/occurrence. Ensure you reference one or more elements from the Ethical Values and/or Ethical Principles described in the SPA Code of Ethics.
b)    Your analysis of how you changed your approach to this type of event/occurrence between the SPCH12007 placement and the SPCH13001 placement. Ensure you support your analysis with reference to academic content, including the SPA Code of Ethics.
c)    Your recommendations for further changes in approach when you encounter this type of event/occurrence during your next placement. Ensure you support your recommendations with reference to academic content, including the SPA Code of Ethics.

Reflection Task 2

Choose ONE of the two topic options below, which you specifically experienced on your SPCH12007 and SPCH13001 work-integrated learning experiences:

Option A: Difficult Conversations (content taught during Week 3). Every speech pathologist encounters difficult conversations, whether with clients or colleagues. The approach to managing a difficult conversation can either enable or become a barrier to client progress and/or successful team relationships.

Option B: Identity-Based Bias (content taught during Week 6). Every speech pathologist brings their own identity, culture, and experiences to clinical interactions. When working with a client with a similar background, this can enable a successful clinical relationship. However, when working with a client from a different background, this can introduce a risk of bias that could become a barrier to their progress and wellbeing.

Using the template you developed in Part A, write a reflection that describes:
a)    The specific event/occurrence (not a generic overview) that took place during your SPCH13001 placement relating to your chosen topic.
b)    Your analysis of how you changed your approach to this type of event/occurrence between the SPCH12007 placement and the SPCH13001 placement. Ensure you support your analysis with reference to academic content and additional high-quality peer-reviewed research evidence.
c)    Your recommendations for further changes in approach when you encounter this type of event/occurrence during your next placement. Ensure you support your recommendations with reference to academic content and additional high-quality peer-reviewed research evidence.

Reflection Task 3

Topic: Knowledge Transfer (content taught during the pre-term Intensive). Knowledge transfer is essential for practising effectively and efficiently as a speech pathologist. Speech pathologists must learn which knowledge and skills may transfer to other clinical populations to be prepared to serve clients with characteristics and needs we may have never seen before. We must therefore understand why some knowledge/skills may transfer and then have a plan for how to transfer knowledge/skills. 

Using the template you developed in Part A, write a reflection that describes:
a)    The specific opportunity (not a generic overview) to transfer knowledge from a client you developed some familiarity with during your SPCH12007 placement to an unfamiliar client you met during your SPCH13001 placement.
b)    Your analysis of how you approached determining what existing knowledge could be transferred to the new client, what did and didn’t work well in your approach, and why. Ensure you support your analysis with reference to academic content and additional high-quality literature.
c)    Your recommendations for how you will change your knowledge transfer approach for your next placement. Ensure you support your recommendations with reference to academic content and additional high-quality literature.

Reflection Task 4

Topic: Interprofessional Practice (content taught during Weeks 6-9). Regardless of your practice setting, there is a high likelihood that you will be collaborating with health and education professionals from a range of disciplines. It is known that interprofessional collaboration is important to effectively and efficiently meet the needs of the individuals we serve and to prevent adverse outcomes. The Health Connect 1: Interprofessional Education (IPE) modules are designed to expose you to collaborating in a team environment to ensure clients receive holistic, person-centred assessment and intervention plans.

Using the template you developed in Part A, write a reflection that describes:

a)    The specific event/occurrence (not a generic overview) that took place during one or both of your team meetings. Ensure you reference how one or more of the six domains in the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative Competency Framework were or were not demonstrated in the event/occurrence you are describing.

b)    Your analysis of how you and other team members approached the team interactions, what did and didn’t work well, and what the impact was on preparing holistic, person-centred assessment and intervention plans for your client. Ensure you support your analysis with reference to academic content in the Health Connect 1: IPE modules and additional high-quality literature.

c)     Your recommendations for how you will change your approach for the Term 2 IPE experience. Ensure you support your recommendations with reference to academic content in the Health Connect 1: IPE modules and additional high-quality literature.

You must attach the Team Agenda and Assessment Plan and Team Agenda and Intervention Plan you completed with your IPE team as an Appendix to Part B of this assessment, but the content is not included in the word limit. All sections in both plans must be completed in sufficient detail to allow accurate interpretation by another team member who did not attend the meetings. Ensure all acronyms are explained.

Level of GenAI use allowed across Part A and Part B:

Level 3: You may use Al to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining, and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any Al-generated content you use. 

The full task description, including marking rubric, will be provided in Moodle. 

There are 4 marking criteria that will be used to assess Assessment 2 for SPCH13001:

1. The first criterion focuses on the clarity of your reflective writing template in Part A, as well as how effectively key elements of existing reflective writing frameworks have been integrated to allow a structured approach to growth of specific clinical knowledge or skills. This criterion is worth 15% of this assessment grade.

2. The second criterion focuses on the specificity of the reflections in Part B, the logical flow of analyses and recommendations, and the application of academic content and/or quality literature to support your analysis and recommendations. This criterion is worth 65% of this assessment grade.

3. The third criterion focuses on the clarity of the Team Agenda and Assessment Plan and the Team Agenda and Intervention Plan included in Part B. This criterion is worth 10% of this assessment grade.

4. The fourth criterion focuses on the accuracy and quality of your referencing, writing, and formatting across Part B. This criterion is worth 10% of this assessment grade.

For this placement, you will be required to attend one full day per week of clinic at your assigned placement site for 12 weeks (or equivalent). Your PE will assess your competence across the seven CBOS units and each of the four generic professional competencies at both the mid and final points of the placement through the use of the COMPASS Online assessment tool. In addition, you will be required to complete a self-assessment at each of these placement points through COMPASS Online.

At the commencement of your placement you will need to complete a learning contract, which is to be reviewed by you and your Practice Educator (PE) as part of the mid-placement and final-placement assessments. By the end of your placement, you are expected to demonstrate Novice-Intermediate level competence across each of the CBOS Units 1-4 and Intermediate level competence in each generic professional competency unit. Your placement this term will involve either a paediatric or an adult caseload. You do not need to submit any documentation to Moodle for your COMPASS-assessed placement. Further information regarding the expectations when participating in clinical placements such as dress code, attendance requirements, and mandatory checks (pre-clinical requirements) can be found in the Speech Pathology Practice Education Handbook, which can be found in the Practice Education / Work-Integrated Learning tile in the CB87 Speech Pathology Course Moodle site. Note that all pre-clinical requirements mentioned in the Speech Pathology Practice Education Handbook (and also stipulated on the online SONIA database) must be completed prior to commencing a placement and must remain current for the duration of the placement. Any student who fails to comply will not be permitted to commence their placement, which will affect their ability to complete this assessment task. Further information and instructions regarding all mandatory checks (pre-clinical requirements) can be found on the SONIA database or obtained by contacting the Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) team via email: wil-hmas@cqu.edu.au.

You will be assessed on the following four generic professional competencies through the use of COMPASS Online:

• Professional Competency Unit 1: Reasoning
• Professional Competency Unit 2: Communication
• Professional Competency Unit 3: Learning
• Professional Competency Unit 4: Professionalism

You will also be assessed on the following four CBOS Units:

• CBOS Unit 1: Assessment
• CBOS Unit 2: Analysis and Interpretation
• CBOS Unit 3: Planning Evidence-Based Speech Pathology Practice
• CBOS Unit 4: Implementation of Speech Pathology Practice

Further information regarding each of these units can be found in the COMPASS Assessment Resource Manual, available through COMPASS online: https://compass.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/compass/portal/portal.jsp

In order to complete all requirements and pass this assessment task, you must:

• Complete a learning contract in the first three weeks of the placement and have this reviewed by you and your PE as part of the mid-placement and final-placement assessments.
• Complete a self-assessment through COMPASS online a minimum of two days prior to meeting with your PE at both the mid-placement and final-placement assessment points.
• Be assessed by your PE across CBOS units 1-4 and each of the four generic professional competency (GPC) units at the mid-placement and final-placement points.
• By the end of your placement, demonstrate Novice-Intermediate level competence across each of the CBOS units 1-4, according to COMPASS Online results that are determined by your PE.
• By the end of your placement, demonstrate Intermediate-level competence across each of the four generic professional competency (GPC) units, according to COMPASS Online results that are determined by your PE.

Both the pass and failure criteria that apply to clinical placements are described in detail in the Speech Pathology Practice Education Handbook. Students should familiarise themselves with these criteria. As stated in the Practice Education Handbook, the Practice Education Coordinator will make the final decision regarding a student's results based on all available evidence relating to the student's performance whilst completing the placement.

You must complete a Work-Integrated Learning Log showing the clinical experiences/hours you accumulated at your sessional placement. At the completion of the placement, this form must be signed by both you and your PE(s). You must then submit both the signed form and the full spreadsheet via Moodle within one week of the completion of your sessional placement. The spreadsheet form that is to be used and the instructions for completion are available in the Practice Education / Work-Integrated Learning tile in the CB87 Speech Pathology Course Moodle.

It should be noted that Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) does not specify the number of clinical hours that students must complete during the course of any Australian university’s Speech Pathology program. SPA instead places the focus on the minimum level of competence, skills, and knowledge required for entry into the workforce as a qualified and competent speech pathologist. CQUniversity’s approach is consistent with SPA’s philosophy and therefore does not have a specific requirement regarding the minimum number of clinical hours each student must complete by the end of the Speech Pathology course. Submission of the record form for this unit is therefore a pass/fail assessment requirement. You should be aware that you are also expected to track this data and keep copies for your own records, as evidence of clinical hours may be required if you are requested to provide evidence of clinical experience when applying for work as a speech pathologist overseas.

No Assessment Criteria