General assessment Information

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 and 129).

To pass this unit, you must demonstrate sufficient evidence of achievement of the learning outcomes, meet any ungraded requirements, 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 an 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.

Grading of Assessments

You will receive a grade for each assessment within this unit. The grades awarded will reflect a holistic evaluation of the work against the criteria outlined within the corresponding assessment rubric. Numerical marks will be calculated for each assessment based on the following percentages, and rounded to the nearest full mark:

• High distinction (HD) – 95%
• Distinction (D) – 80%
• Credit (C) – 70%
• Pass (P) – 60%
• Pass minus (P-) - 50%
• Fail (F) – 40%

As a student enrolled in this unit, you will engage in a range of online and face-to-face learning activities, including readings, online modules, videos and community clinical placement activities. Details can be found on the iLearn site for this unit.

Recommended Readings

There are no specific unit materials or readings required for this unit. All required material will be provided via the iLearn site.

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.

Teaching and Learning Strategy

This unit encompasses an active learning approach where you will be expected to actively engage in enhancing your own learning experience. A blended learning and teaching strategy is implemented within this unit with weekly online learning modules that will provide content and interactive quiz and case-based learning activities to help students develop foundational knowledge for this unit. These modules will be complimented by weekly on-campus practical sessions that will help students consolidate, extend and apply what they are learning each week. The teaching approach will be based on you developing a deep understanding of the principles and the ability to independently think critically and solve problems associated with physiotherapy practice. Practical sessions will focus on the development and application of technical skills as well as the exploration of case studies designed to promote high-level clinical reasoning. Practical sessions will take place on-campus in authentic learning environments to optimally prepare students for their future clinical placements. 

Unit organisation

This is a ten credit point unit. It is anticipated that you spend approximately 150 hours across the session on this unit. This includes 35 hours allocated to community clinical placement activties.

Consultation with staff 

All staff will be available for individual consultation. See iLearn for contact details.

Detailed information pertaining to the unit schedule can be found on iLearn.

The weighting of the ethics seminar was reduced (from 40% to 30%) to allow greater weighting for the Community Clinical Placement Handover report (from 30% to 40%).

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 (and when on external/clinical placement representing Macquarie University) 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, including when on external/clinical placement activities.

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 and external/clinical educators 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 or community clinical placement. When on your community clinical placement please contribute to the healthcare/workplace team appropriately, treat all patients, other members of the healthcare/workplace team and your fellow students with the utmost respect. 

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 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.