Course Title: Reflect on and improve own professional practice

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2021

Course Code: EMPL7098C

Course Title: Reflect on and improve own professional practice

School: 375T Vocational Design and Social Context

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5345 - Diploma of Community Services (Case Management)

Course Contact: Melinda Brown

Course Contact Phone: 9925 4580

Course Contact Email: melinda.brown@rmit.edu.au

Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 120

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

None

Course Description

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to evaluate and enhance own practice through a process of reflection and ongoing professional development.

This unit applies to workers in all industry sectors who take pro-active responsibility for their own professional development.

 

This course is delivered and assessed in a cluster with:-

• CHCDEV002 Analyse impacts of sociological factors on clients in community work and services

National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:	CHCPRP003 Reflect on and improve own professional practice
Element:	1. Reflect on own practice
Performance Criteria:	1.1 Undertake self-evaluation in conjunction with supervisors and/or peers 1.2 Reflect on and recognise the effect of values, beliefs and behaviour in practice 1.3 Share two-way, open and evaluative feedback with co-workers or peers 1.4 Actively seek and reflect on feedback from clients, organisations or other relevant sources
Element:	2. Enhance own practice
Performance Criteria:	2.1 Determine improvements needed based on own evaluation and feedback from others 2.2 Identify potential support networks both internal and external to the organisation 2.3 Seek specialist advice or further training where need is identified 2.4 Recognise requirements for self-care and identify requirements for additional support 2.5 Devise, document and implement a self development plan that sets realistic goals and targets
Element:	3. Facilitate ongoing professional development
Performance Criteria:	3.1 Access and review information on current and emerging industry developments and use these to improve practice 3.2 Assess and confirm own practice against ethical and legal requirements and opportunities 3.3 Identify and engage with opportunities to extend and expand own expertise 3.4 Regularly participate in review processes as a commitment to upgrading skills and knowledge

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate competency in the above elements.

Details of Learning Activities

This course has a blended delivery.  Classes are delivered online with some demonstration of skill and knowledge conducted during face to face workshops (subject to Government restrictions due to Covid 19)

• practical demonstrations
• online Discussion Forums, Groupwork and Quizzes
• analysis/critique of relevant reading material
• workshops, group discussion
• group activities/projects
• peer learning
• guest lecture/presentation
• research activities
• independent project based work
• group activities/projects
• simulated workplace activities

 

Teaching Schedule

Week	Topic	Assessment due dates
Week 1	Course Overview Overview of course – Content, Assessments, Placements. Intro to Sociology What makes Sociology : Introduction to Sociology as field of study Historical context Sociological Imagination: Linking Private lives to public issues
Week 2	Sociology and social theory Space, Place and Time - the self in relation to society Socialisation and Social Structures Studying society and social behaviour Understanding the role and function of major institutions in Australian society Identifying systems and defining political and economic theory Excursion: First Peoples exhibition at Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum, Carlton (Subject to Covid 19)
Week 3	Functionalism History A Theoretical overview Functionalism Functionalism and race Conflict Theory & Marxism History A Theoretical overview of Marxism Neo-liberalism Guest Speaker TBA
Week 4	Feminist Theories History A Theoretical overview of Feminism Feminism and Community Work
Week 5	Education A Sociology of education Education and its impact on Society Deviance, Crime and Social Control Sociology and Deviance Labelling theory Sociological theories of crime Crimes against women
Week 6	Analysing the impact of social and cultural issues Understanding the ways major institutions in Australian society can impact clients Identifying the effects and consequences of inequality on clients Understanding the impacts of long-term unemployment and associated issues Identifying factors associated with age and their impact on clients Prepare for and commence Assessment Task 1 in class	Assessment task 1
Week 7	Working with consumers and colleagues Determining needs and clarifying the social and cultural factors impacting clients Recognising the effect of values, beliefs and behaviour Ensuring consumer participation and engagement Advising, referring or providing clients with access to services
Week 8	Implementing reflective practice to improve performance Key reflective practice processes Peer reflection and supervision Applying a reflective model to analyse an experience
Week 9	Assessing practice and seeking feedback Assessing practice against role requirements, industry practice and standards, and ethical and legal requirements Seeking and analysing feedback Ensuring self-care
Week 10	Conducting training needs analysis Conducting a training needs analysis Identifying your preferred learning style Preparing and implementing a personal development plan Preparing a personal development plan Implementing and monitoring the plan
Week 11	Placement workshop Review  requirements for Placement including Assessment tasks Reflecting on practice while on placement
Week 12	Unit Review	Placement due dates TBA Assessments 2, 3 & 4

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

References

Other Resources

N/A

Overview of Assessment

Assessment tasks include;

• Case study analysis
• Reflective practice report
• Workplace supervisors report 
• Professional development plan

Assessment Tasks

Assessment task 1: Case study Scenario demonstrating students knowledge knowledge of the sociological factors affecting a family.

Assessment 2: This assessment  is completed in your Work Integrated Learning Placement. The Reflective Practice report demonstrates students ability to use a structured process to reflect on and improve their own practice.

Assessment task 3: This assessment  is completed in your Work Integrated Learning Placement. The Placement Supervisors Report will provide evidence of your 100 hour placement and also reflect on your experiences.

Assessment task 4: This assessment  is completed in your Work Integrated Learning Placement. The Personal Development Plan demonstrates students ability to create a personal development plan that includes goals, timeframes and ways of measuring progress.

Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix is located in canvas at the end of each assessment task.

Other Information

Please refer to the RMIT student page for extensive information about study support, assessment, extensions, appeals and a range of other matters: rmit.edu.au/students

Course Overview: Access Course Overview