HLTH12032 - Community Assets and Needs Assessment

General Information

Unit Synopsis

At a global level, there are rising demands for health care, limited resources and increasing inequalities in health. Community health assets and needs assessments have a vital part to play, enabling practitioners, managers and policy-makers to identify those in greatest need; the physical, economic, social and cultural assets available within the community; and to ensure that health care resources are used to maximise health improvement. For health promotion practitioners, the ability to conduct a community health assessment is a core skill. You will be introduced to the different types of community assets and needs assessments that can be undertaken with local communities. You will examine the history and role of community assets and needs assessments and review a range of methods that can be used to implement and evaluate assets and needs assessments in local communities. You will have the opportunity to complete a community profile and also undertake a community assets and needs assessment.

Details

Level Undergraduate
Unit Level 2
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 2
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites There are no pre-requisites for the 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).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 2 - 2023

Term 1 - 2024 Profile
Online

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).

Assessment Overview

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.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Written Assessment 30%
2. Group Discussion 20%
3. Group Work 50%

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

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

Term 1 - 2022 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 87.50% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 50.00% response rate.

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.

Source: 'Have your say' Student experience Individual emails Verbal feedback Self-reflection
Feedback
Some students liked assessment 2 group report, others strongly disliked this assessment.
Recommendation
Redesign Assessments 2 and 2a to ensure earlier group engagement and commitment by redistributing weightings and changing the individual component tasks (Assessment 2a). Increase individual component (Assessment 2a - Peer Review and Reflection) weighting from 15% to 20%. Decrease weighting of Group Report (Assessment 2) from 35% to 30%. Change individual component (Assessment 2a) to Belbin team roles and Group task break down/Group contract, focusing on individual plan of contribution (10% of the 20%),due in week 5; and Self and Peer Review (10% of 20%), due same date as report. Ensure that group members number 5, not 3, to account for any student attrition.
Action Taken
Many of these changes were not made after consultation with the Head of Course. Group numbers were 5 to 6 and assigned by the unit coordinator. Groups of students undertook data collection and analysis for a comprehensive community health assessment of a chosen community. Individual students, using this needs assessment data, prioritised a health issue and planned an effective and culturally sensitive health promotion intervention that addresses this health issue in the community. Students submitted individual community assets and needs assessment reports (3000 words). The weightings were: Assessment 2 Part 1, individual report (35%) and Assessment 2 Part 2, Self and peer Review (15%). The groups worked well however due to the number of project management tasks involved in the assessment, there will be a change to the assessment tasks and weightings in future offerings.
Source: 'Have your say' Student experience Self-reflection
Feedback
Zoom tutorial sessions were not well attended (despite polls and evening and day time options). However, students that did attend said these sessions to help clarify assessments and concepts.
Recommendation
In lieu of weekly tutorials, hold 3 zoom drop in tutorials for each assessment. Also offer up to 3 meetings with individual groups focusing on Assessment 2 (group assessment). Stress that the discussion board (linked with Assessment 3) is the asynchronous tutorial.
Action Taken
Three Zoom assessment drop in tutorials were held and an offer made to meet with individual groups. Attendance at the Zoom sessions was low, however most students watched the recordings. There was very good interaction on the discussion board.
Source: Verbal feedback Self-reflection
Feedback
There is a lot of material in the unit and the Moodle site is not easy to navigate.
Recommendation
Redesign the unit into 'modules' rather than weekly topics to ensure better alignment of topics for the assessment and for students to self-pace their learning. Remove redundant materials.
Action Taken
Unit materials were updated and the unit was redesigned into modules. Students appreciated that the modules enabled self-pacing of learning.
Source: Verbal feedback Self-reflection 'Have your say'
Feedback
Detailed feedback on assessments 1 and 2 was appreciated.
Recommendation
Offer verbal feedback (zoom meetings) for all assessments and continue to give detailed feedback for assessment 1.
Action Taken
Detailed feedback was given for assessment 1 that enabled students to improve their report writing for assessment 2. Global feedback was given in a Zoom session and on the discussion board.
Source: Verbal feedback Self-reflection Student results
Feedback
Assessment 3 Group Discussion is appreciated by high achieving students. However some students did not engage in this task.
Recommendation
Continue this assessment; based on weekly posts. Remind students that the discussion board is also the asynchronous tutorial.
Action Taken
This assessment was changed so that Module 1 and Module 2 discussion postings were in due Week 5 and Modules 3, 4, 5 and 6 discussion postings were due in Week 12. Students only had to post once per module. This ensured this assessment was less of a burden to mark but still encouraged interaction on the discussion board. One student commented that this unit provided her with the best discussion board experience in all her studies.
Source: Self-reflection
Feedback
Noted that in unit profile there is no minimal pass mark.
Recommendation
Ensure there is a 50% pass mark for all 3 assessments on the unit profile.
Action Taken
In consultation with the Head of Course a 50% pass mark was applied to assessment 2.
Source: Self-reflection Consultation with A/Prof Rob Stanton, Ethics Chair.
Feedback
Students wish to use survey and focus groups to collect data from the wider community.
Recommendation
Apply for unit wide ethics approval for 2022.
Action Taken
This action was undertaken. However students need to receive clearer instructions on the type of data they can collect and the types of populations that they can approach. Clearer instructions will be provided in future offerings of the unit. 
Source: Self-reflection 'Have your say' Verbal feedback
Feedback
Students found it challenging to remain within the word count for assessment 1 Community Profile Rreport (1500 words). They commented that this was due to the amount of information presented in the exemplar.
Recommendation
Increase the word count to 1750 words. Point out that in the exemplar that not all information is required and that reports should be tailored for communities.
Action Taken
The word count was increased and students gave positive verbal feedback.
Source: Peer feedback Self reflection
Feedback
Students require more knowledge about ethics and the types of populations that they can include in Assessment 2.
Recommendation
Investigate the possibility of incorporating the CQUniversity ethics micro-credential into the unit, otherwise incorporate other suitable materials. On the Moodle page and in assessment tutorials clearly outline the types of populations and data that can be included in assessment 2.
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: Student verbal feedback Self reflection Discussion with course coordinator
Feedback
Assessment 2 Group work requires planning and tasks that are part of the process of undertaking a community assets and needs assessment; but are not included in the report. There was some confusion on what tasks needed to be undertaken and some groups were not as well organised as others.
Recommendation
To decrease confusion and increase clarity have students submit a group work plan, which outlines a) the elements related to the process of the community assets and needs assessment b) those related to the final report and c) the roles and responsibilities in relation to these. This group workplan will form part of assessment 2, requiring a slight change in weightings. Change weightings for assessment 2: Assessment 2 Part 1 (Individual report) 30% (from 35%) Change Assessment 2 Part II 25% (from 20%) Group Project Plan/Group contract, (15% of the 25%),due in week 7; and Self and Peer Review (10% of 25%), due the same day as the Report.
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: Student verbal feedback Self reflection Discussion with course coordinator
Feedback
Students do not have previous knowledge or skills of survey development or data analysis (from other units) and many struggle with data collection and analysis.
Recommendation
Incorporate more skills on survey design, data analysis and ethics. Change Module 1 to Defining and Understanding Communities and community engagement and collaboration (weeks 1 and 2). Module 2: Developing community profiles and using existing data (weeks 2 and 3), Module 3: Quantitative Data collection and analysis (focusing on ethics, survey design and analysis) (weeks 4 and 5). Module 4: Qualitative Data collection and analysis (weeks 6, 7 and 8) (including ethics).
Action Taken
Nil.
Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Argue the importance of community assets and needs assessment as the foundation of effective health promotion.
  2. Analyse how determinants of health are incorporated into community assets and needs assessments.
  3. Determine how various health promotion theories and frameworks influence different sources of information in community assets and needs assessments.
  4. Apply culturally appropriate methods and models to assess the assets and needs of a community and facilitate knowledge transfer and advocacy
  5. Discuss facilitation and collaboration processes used to analyse and prioritise the information gathered from community assets and needs assessments.
  6. Explain how ethical considerations are applied in a community assets and needs assessment context

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 - Written Assessment • •
2 - Group Discussion • • • • •
3 - Group Work • • • • •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5 6
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 • • •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 - Written Assessment • • •
2 - Group Discussion • • • • •
3 - Group Work • • • • •