To pass this unit, you must attempt all tasks, have demonstrated sufficient evidence of achievement of the unit learning outcomes obtained a minimum pass grade for the clinical placement logbook assessment as this is a hurdle assessmen and achieve a final mark of 50 or better. 

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.

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

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%

Submission of an incomplete assessment task may result in the Fail (F) grade to be awarded a numerical grade below 40%.

Hurdle Assessment

The PHTY8204 Clinical Placement logbook is a hurdle assessment task. A hurdle requirement is an activity for which a minimum level of performance or participation is a condition of passing the unit in which it occurs. A student who has obtained a SNG over 50, yet failed the hurdle assessment, fails the unit. Please see Macquarie University's assessment policy for more information about hurdle assessment tasks.

Extensions for Assessment Tasks

Applications for assessment task extensions may be considered for short-term, unexpected, serious, and unavoidable circumstances affecting assessment. Applications must be submitted via https://connect.mq.edu.au/s/. For further details please refer to the Special Considerations Policy. You can also find out more on the MQ Student Portal at the following link: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration

Should you encounter any personal issues or concerns in regard to health and wellbeing during your studies you can also gain personal support and advice on campus. Please see the following link for further information: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/personal

Late Submissions

Unless a Special Consideration or Short Extension request (where applicable) 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 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 viva's, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration.

Assumed Knowledge

This unit assumes that you have a good understanding of all content delivered in Semesters A-C. This unit draws on prior knowledge across areas of physiotherapy already taught and extends that knowledge to cover paediatric populations.

Unit Organisation

This is a ten credit point unit run over a 13 week session. Overall, it is anticipated that you will spend approximately 150 hours across the session on this unit. Within this session there will be approximately 24 hours of campus-based tutorials/workshops/seminars, 10 hours of clinical placement and 49 hours of online activities, including preparation for campus-based tutorials/workshops. You will also need to allow approximately 67 hours for assessment based work.

The clinical placement hours will involve you participating in the Community Clinical Program in paediatric settings. These will enable you to gain a deeper understanding of the paediatric health care system and of the interactions with other sectors or organisations distinct to the paediatric population, such as the education sector. The assessments in this unit involve integration of experience gained during the Community Clinical Program.

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 online resources providing content and interactive activities such as quizzes and forums, which is further built upon in campus-based tutorials and workshops, including onsite learning in the Simulation Centre and on educational sites (e.g. School). 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. The expectation is therefore that you can translate this knowledge to different scenarios eg. children with different presentations, ages and/ or family circumstances.

Recommended Readings

The following textbook is recommended but not essential. An electronic copy of this textbook is available through the Waranara Library at MQ. 

Palisano, Robert J, Margo N Orlin and Joseph Schreiber (eds), Campbell’s Physical Therapy for Children (Elsevier, Fifth edition., 2017)

Recommendations about specific readings from these and other resources (such as research papers, books, websites and videos) will be listed on iLearn.

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.

Across the semester you will engage in modules key to skills required in implementing paediatric physiotherapy assessment and management including:

• Typical development 
• Birth and the early years
• Standardised assessments
• Normal variance
• Paediatric cardiorespiratory physiotherapy
• Paediatric neurological physiotherapy
• Paediatric musculoskeletal and orthopaedic physiotherapy
• Adolescent medicine
• Rare disorders and NDIS

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

There has been a decrease in learning content with increased time allocated to research of topics and assessment tasks.

Macquarie University recognises that artificial intelligence (AI), especially generative AI, is rapidly reshaping education and the modern workplace. As AI becomes increasingly accessible, the University and your teaching staff are committed to preparing you to use these tools effectively, ethically, and with strong professional judgement. Rather than restricting technology, the emphasis is on helping you understand when and how AI can be used to enhance productivity, support learning, and reflect real-world professional practice. Across your degree, we will support you to develop the critical thinking, adaptability, and values-based decision-making skills required to navigate evolving AI tools responsibly, including acknowledging their use appropriately.  You should always appropriately acknowledge when you have used AI tools within assessment tasks, including which AI tools you have used and how you have used them.

To provide clarity, Macquarie University uses a simple, two-tiered approach to AI in assessment:

 AI Open assessments allow you to fully incorporate AI, reflecting authentic tasks where AI would normally be used in professional settings.

Observed with AI Optional assessments involve tasks where you either demonstrate essential knowledge without technology or show how you apply AI under supervision.

Across both categories, the goal is to ensure you build foundational knowledge, exercise sound judgement, and engage with AI in ways that uphold ethical, cultural, and university values.

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., community clinical placements), and team-based learning activities. 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 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.