Students

MEDI1400 – Foundations of Learning, Communication and Teamwork

2021 – Session 1, Weekday attendance, North Ryde

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to BClinSc
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit is the first of a series of key units within the Bachelor of Clinical Science that focus on the core knowledge and skills underpinning a career in health care as a researcher, manager, or practitioner. Starting with core concepts in professional conduct and university learning, you will explore professionalism through a variety of topics, including: reflection, evidence, communication, and teamwork. Learning activities will include interactive tutorials, online activities, and expert lectures allowing you to develop your understanding of professional practice and build your capacity to become a reflective learner in the health context.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

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

  • ULO1: Apply the fundamental skills required for personal reflection and life-long learning.
  • ULO2: Identify core concepts of communication.
  • ULO3: Define the key attributes of effective teams.
  • ULO4: Analyse the role of leadership and followership in teamwork.
  • ULO5: Select and integrate evidence from reliable academic sources
  • ULO6: Recognise the importance of core skills in healthcare and research

General Assessment Information

Grade descriptors and other information concerning grading are contained in Schedule 1 of the Macquarie University Assessment Policy, available at https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment.

Further details for each assessment task will be available on iLearn.

All final grades in the Bachelor of Clinical Science are determined by a grading committee and are not the Unit Convenor's sole responsibility.

Students will be awarded a final grade plus a Standardised Numerical Grade (SNG). The SNG is not necessarily a summation of the individual assessment components. The final grade and SNG that are awarded reflect the corresponding grade descriptor in the Grading Policy.

To pass this unit, students must demonstrate sufficient evidence of achievement of the learning outcomes, meet any ungraded requirements including professionalism, and achieve an SNG of 50 or better.

Student Professionalism

In the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, professionalism is a key capability embedded in all our courses. As part of developing professionalism, students are expected to attend all small group interactive sessions including tutorials, as well as clinical- and laboratory-based practical sessions.

Students are required to attend a minimum of 80% of all small group interactive sessions. Students who do not meet this requirement may be deemed unable to meet expectations regarding professionalism and may be referred for disciplinary action (which may include exclusion from assessments and unit failure).

Similarly, as part of developing professionalism, students are expected to submit all work by the due date. Applications for assessment task extensions must be supported by appropriate evidence and submitted via www.ask.mq.edu.au. For further details, please refer to the Special Consideration Policy available at https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration.

Late Submission

All assignments which are officially received after the due date, and where no extension has been granted, will incur a deduction of 5% for the first day, and 5% for each subsequent day until 10 days. After that point, no late submissions will be accepted. Weekends and public holidays are included. For example:

Due date

Received

Days late

Deduction

Raw mark

Final mark

Friday 14th

Monday 17th

3

15%

75%

60%

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Discussion forum and online task participation 10% No Ongoing
Reflective writing 10% No Week 4
Written video analysis 25% No Week 9
Group Project 30% No Week 12
Portfolio assessment 25% No Week 14

Discussion forum and online task participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 13 hours
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 10%

 

Participation in this unit will attract 10% of the units’ total marks. Participation will be marked based upon completion of activities on this units iLearn page. Examples of activities are forum posts and quizzes.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Define the key attributes of effective teams.
  • Identify core concepts of communication.
  • Analyse the role of leadership and followership in teamwork.
  • Select and integrate evidence from reliable academic sources
  • Recognise the importance of core skills in healthcare and research

Reflective writing

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 4
Weighting: 10%

 

A short reflective writing task, focussed on the initial few weeks of course content.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply the fundamental skills required for personal reflection and life-long learning.
  • Define the key attributes of effective teams.
  • Analyse the role of leadership and followership in teamwork.

Written video analysis

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 9
Weighting: 25%

 

A short written analysis of a video recorded interaction.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify core concepts of communication.
  • Recognise the importance of core skills in healthcare and research

Group Project

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 12
Weighting: 30%

 

A group project comprising a video presentation and an annotated bibliography of sources used in the presentation.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply the fundamental skills required for personal reflection and life-long learning.
  • Define the key attributes of effective teams.
  • Identify core concepts of communication.
  • Analyse the role of leadership and followership in teamwork.
  • Select and integrate evidence from reliable academic sources
  • Recognise the importance of core skills in healthcare and research

Portfolio assessment

Assessment Type 1: Portfolio
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 14
Weighting: 25%

 

A reflective writing task demonstrating progress against an aspect of the capability statements in the portfolio

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply the fundamental skills required for personal reflection and life-long learning.
  • Define the key attributes of effective teams.
  • Identify core concepts of communication.
  • Analyse the role of leadership and followership in teamwork.
  • Select and integrate evidence from reliable academic sources
  • Recognise the importance of core skills in healthcare and research

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

As a student enrolled in MEDI1400 Foundation of Learning, Communication and Teamwork, you will engage in a range of online and face-to-face learning activities, including readings, online modules, videos and lectures. Details can be found on the MEDI1400 iLearn site.

Recommended Readings

There is no textbook for this unit and readings will be accessible through the library and/or Leganto.

Technology Used

Active participation in the learning activities throughout the unit will require students to have access to a tablet, laptop or similar device. Students who do not own their own laptop computer may borrow one from the university library.

Unit Schedule

Week  Topic* Weekly Learning Objectives  Unit Learning Outcome
1

Orientation to Professional Practice

Resilience mindsets

1. Identify mindsets that promote resilience.

2. Describe why professional practice is important in health care and research.

LO1 - Apply the fundamental skills required for personal reflection and life-long learning.

LO6 - Recognise the importance of core skills in healthcare and research.

 
2 Reflection and resilience

1. Determine the key characteristics of resilient people.

2. Describe how reflection can be used as an effective learning strategy.

3. Identify common reflective writing mistakes and how to avoid them.

LO1 - Apply the fundamental skills required for personal reflection and life-long learning.
3 What is evidence and how do I find it? 

1. Perform a competent literature search.

2. Describe the relevance of evidence and research in health care.

3. Understand the different levels of evidence.

 LO5 - Select and integrate evidence from reliable academic sources.
4 Academic Writing and referencing

1. Identify elements of good academic writing and reliable academic sources.

2. Describe what an annotated bibliography is.

3. Explain what referencing is and why it is important.

4. Outline the situations in which you should reference.

LO1 - Apply the fundamental skills required for personal reflection and life-long learning.

LO5 - Select and integrate evidence from reliable academic sources.
5 Academic integrity

1. Recognise the importance of academic integrity.

2. Identify scenarios that constitute a breach of academic integrity.

3. Apply the five key values of academic integrity.

 LO1 - Apply the fundamental skills required for personal reflection and life-long learning.
6 Communication as action

1. Define the core concepts of communication.

2. Identify the key skills required for effective communication.

 LO2 - Identify core concepts of communication.
7 Nonverbal communication

1. Describe the role of nonverbal communication in interaction.

2. Differentiate signs, signals and symbols.

 LO2 - Identify core concepts of communication.
8 Analysing communication

1. Explain why using analytic tools can help improve communication.

2. Describe how communication changes based on its purpose.

 LO2 - Identify core concepts of communication.
9 Team skills

1. Determine why teamwork is important.

2. List the characteristics of a good team.

3. Describe the five common elements of teamwork.

 LO3 - Define the key attributes of effective teams.
10 Effective team and managing conflict

1. Explain ways to overcome barriers to effective teamwork.

2. Apply the tool "graded assertiveness" to speak up when a problem arises.

3. Describe different types of conflict and how to manage them.

4. Compare and contrast the five different styles of conflict handling.

 LO3 - Define the key attributes of effective teams.
11 Leadership and followership

1. Discuss the characteristics of effective leaders and followers.

2. Explain the roles of followers and leaders.

3. Identify leadership and followership styles and their implications.

4. Reflect on your leadership and/or followership style and determine areas for improvement.

5. Recognise that followers are increasingly getting more power and influence, and identify this trend's implications.

LO3 - Define the key attributes of effective teams.

LO4 - Analyse the role of leadership and followership in teamwork.
12

Group presentations on previous topics

Feedback for learning

1. Recognise the importance of feedback.

2. Use feedback for learning and development.

3. Differentiate summative and formative feedback.

4. Provide constructive feedback to peers.

LO1 - Apply the fundamental skills required for personal reflection and life-long learning.

LO2 - Identify core concepts of communication.

LO3 - Define the key attributes of effective teams.

LO4 - Analyse the role of leadership and followership in teamwork.

LO5 - Select and integrate evidence from reliable academic sources.

LO6 - Recognise the importance of core skills in healthcare and research.
13

Professionalism in practice

Critical reflection

1. Recognise the importance of core skills you learn in Professional Practise units.

2. Describe the three phases of critical reflection.

3. Identify implicit and explicit assumptions.

LO1 - Apply the fundamental skills required for personal reflection and life-long learning.

LO6 - Recognise the importance of core skills in healthcare and research

*Changes to delivery order of topics may be required due to unforeseen events.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2021.02 of the Handbook