Grade descriptors and other information concerning grading are contained in the Macquarie University Assessment Policy.

All final grades are determined by a grading committee, in accordance with the Macquarie University Assessment Policy, and are not the sole responsibility of the Unit Convenor.

Students will be awarded a final grade and a mark which must correspond to the grade descriptors specified in the Assessment Procedure (clause 128).

To pass this unit, you must attempt each assessment task, demonstrate sufficient evidence of achievement of the learning outcomes, and achieve a final mark of 50 or better.

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

Late Submissions

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (OF THE TOTAL POSSIBLE MARK) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern.

For example:

For any late submissions of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration.

Unit Organisation

This is a ten credit point unit run over the 13 week session. Each week there are online modules and forum activities to complete and every second week there is an in-person 2 hour tutorial. Further information is available via the PHTY2000 iLearn site http://ilearn.mq.edu.au.

Teaching and Learning Strategy

The online modules provide foundational concepts, theories and approaches to promoting behaviour change in individuals and the wider population.  Each online module includes videos, activities and formative knowledge checks to ensure an engaging learning experience.  Forum activities draw from the content in the online modules and are applied tasks that will prepare you for your assessments.  In-person tutorials will include group activities, case studies and problem solving scenarios.  Motivational interviewing conversational skills will be developed via role-plays with peers in the tutorials. 

Attendance

Online modules and forum activities will be delivered asynchronously and need to be completed prior to the corresponding tutorial.  In-person tutorials are scheduled in your individual timetable. The timetable for classes can be found on the University website at: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/. You may make a request to your tutor to attend a different tutorial on a one-off basis for extenuating circumstances. Please note that tutorials dates are subject to change and any changes will be communicated through iLearn.  It is the responsibility of the student to contact their tutor by email to let them know they are going to be absent.

Textbooks & Readings

Essential

This unit does not have any textbooks that are essential for you to purchase.

Recommended

The following texts will be useful resources and are available online in the library. Recommendations about specific readings from these and other resources (such as research papers and books) will be listed on iLearn.

• Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2012). Motivational interviewing: Helping people change. 3rd Edition. Guilford Press: New York, USA
• Hagger, M., Cameron, L., Hamilton, K., Hankonen, N., & Lintunen, T. (Eds.). (2020). The Handbook of Behavior Change (Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108677318

Online modules and forums

Online modules and applied forum activities will be made available every week.  

In-Person Tutorials

Tutorials take place fortnightly, on Weeks: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12.  This schedule is subject to change. Any changes will be communicated via iLearn.

Topics

Across the session you will engage in the following topics:

• Why behaviour change matters
• Influences, stages, and processes of change 
• Goal setting and behaviour change
• Habits and behaviour change
• Self-control and behaviour change
• Motivation and behaviour change 
• Beliefs and behaviour change 
• Culture and behaviour change
• Synthesis of behaviour change frameworks
• Motivational Interviewing

Refinement of online modules and forum activities has been undertaken following the last iteration.  New topics have been added, including: goal setting and behaviour change, cultural safety in helathcare, and vaccine hesitancy.  

Social inclusion at Macquarie University is about giving everyone who has the potential to benefit from higher education the opportunity to study at university, participate in campus life and flourish in their chosen field. The University has made significant moves to promote an equitable, diverse and exciting campus community for the benefit of staff and students. It is your responsibility to contribute towards the development of an inclusive culture and practice in the areas of learning and teaching, research, and service orientation and delivery. As a member of the Macquarie University community, you must not discriminate against or harass others based on their sex, gender, race, marital status, carers' responsibilities, disability, sexual orientation, age, political conviction or religious belief. All staff and students are expected to display appropriate behaviour that is conducive to a healthy learning environment for everyone. 

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 clinical, practical, laboratory, work-integrated learning (e.g., PACE placements), and team-based learning activities. Some learning activities are recorded (e.g., face-to-face lectures), however you are encouraged to avoid relying upon such material as they do not recreate the whole learning experience and technical issues can and do occur. As an adult learner, we respect your decision to choose how you engage with your learning, but we would remind you that the learning opportunities we create for you have been done so to enable your success, and that by not engaging you may impact your ability to successfully complete this unit. We equally expect that you show respect for the academic staff who have worked hard to develop meaningful activities and prioritise your learning by communicating with them in advance if you are unable to attend a small group interactive session.

Another dimension of professionalism is having respect for your peers. It is the right of every student to learn in an environment that is free of disruption and distraction. Please arrive to all learning activities on time, and if you are unavoidably detained, please join the activity as quietly as possible to minimise disruption. Phones and other electronic devices that produce noise and other distractions must be turned off prior to entering class. Where your own device (e.g., laptop) is being used for class-related activities, you are asked to close down all other applications to avoid distraction to you and others. Please treat your fellow students with the utmost respect. If you are uncomfortable participating in any specific activity, please let the relevant academic know.