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Unit of study_

OCCP1096: Understanding Occupation-People-Context

Semester 1, 2021 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Understanding people's occupations in context and the importance of occupation to their health and well-being is fundamental to all areas of occupational therapy practice. In this unit, students will develop the skills and knowledge needed to collect and organise information about individuals' engagement in occupations within their various contexts from their perspectives. They will use a client-centred perspective to explore participation in day-to-day activities, investigate various theoretical perspectives of human occupations, develop the therapeutic communication skills to discover where, when, how and why people engage in occupations, and examine the contextual and personal factors that affect occupational choices and participation in occupations.

Unit details and rules

Unit code OCCP1096
Academic unit Participation Sciences
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Justin Scanlan, justin.scanlan@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Participation hurdle task Tutorial attendance
See "Attendance and Class Requirements" in the unit of study outline
0% Multiple weeks Weeks 1 to 12
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO2
Assignment Hand-in tasks
Six (6) hand in tasks over multiple weeks.
40% Multiple weeks 6 x 1 page (max 500 words)
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Written case analysis report
two (2) x written analysis (each with 1000 word limit) of case study
40% Week 11
Due date: 23 May 2021 at 23:59
2 x 1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO2
Skills-based evaluation hurdle task Oral examination
Oral examination
20% Week 13 10 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO1
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

1. Hand-in task portfolio (40%) – six (6) x hand-in tasks due over multiple weeks. Each task has a 1-page limit (maximum 500 words). All six tasks must be submitted but only two are randomly selected for grading.

2. Written case analysis report (40%) – two (2) x written analysis (each with 1000 word limit) of case study.

3. Oral exam (20%) – 10-minute demonstration of professional interviewing skills and clinical rationale.

4. Tutorial attendance – participation in 90% of tutorials is compulsory. See "Attendance and Class Requirements" in the unit of study outline


Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Induction program: welcome to course (online) Lecture (2 hr) LO1
Why OT? Getting to know you Tutorial (1 hr) LO2
Week 02 Live Zoom lecture: Occupation, wellbeing and meaning Lecture (2 hr) LO1
Meaning, occupation and the interview process Tutorial (1 hr) LO1
Week 03 Introduction to OT models What is theory, where does it fit? Lecture (2 hr) LO3
Ctitical thinking - research and practice Tutorial (1 hr) LO3
Week 04 OPM(A) a. Philosophy and constructs b. Using the OPMA to structure thinking Lecture (2 hr) LO2 LO3
Interviewing skills – structuring and questioning Tutorial (1 hr) LO3
Week 05 Occupation - tasks and routines Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Interviewing skills – attending Tutorial (1 hr) LO3
Week 06 Person - Core elements Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Interviewing skills - responding to feelings and interpreting behaviours Tutorial (1 hr) LO2 LO3
Week 07 Person – Capacities Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
OT Assessment Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 08 Environment – Context Lecture (2 hr) LO2
Communicating with families and carers Tutorial (1 hr) LO2 LO3
Week 09 Culture and cultural competency Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Considering personal & contextual factors 1: Culture Tutorial (1 hr) LO2
Week 10 Lecture A: Knowing, doing and being as an OT, Lecture B Guest speaker Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Considering personal & contextual factors 2: Health conditions Tutorial (1 hr) LO2
Week 11 Lecture A: Knowing, doing and being as an OT, Lecture B: Guest speaker Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Considering personal and contextual factors 3: life stage Tutorial (1 hr) LO2
Week 12 Bringing it all together, Unit of Study Survey (USS) Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Oral exam preparation Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Attendance at all lectures is expected and attendance at tutorials is compulsory. Failure to attend 90% of tutorials will automatically result in a Fail grade unless extenuating circumstances are demonstrated.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Recommended texts:

Schell, B. A. B. and G. Gillen, Eds. (2019). Willard & Spackman's Occupational Therapy. Philadelphia, Wolters Kluwer.

Turpin, M., & Iwama, M. K. (2011). Using occupational therapy models in practice: A field guide. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingston Elsevier.

Egan, G. (2014). The skilled helper : a problem-management and opportunity-development approach to helping (10th ed.). Belmont, Calif: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning. 

O’Toole, G. (2016). Communication : core interpersonal skills for health professionals  (3rd edition.). Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier.

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas​

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Explain the importance of occupation to health and well-being as a core knowledge base of occupational therapy
  • LO2. Explain how environmental and personal factors (including illness and disability) can affect occupational choices and participation and performance in occupations
  • LO3. Demonstrate the ability to explore people’s occupations in context by applying client-centred perspective, interviewing skills, information gathering skills, and theoretical models of occupation people context and function.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9
Australian occupational therapy competency standards 2018 -
Competency code Taught, Practiced or Assessed Competency standard
1.10 A Practises within limits of her/his own level of competence and expertise
1.2 A Adheres to legislation relevant to practice
1.3 A Maintains professional boundaries in all client and professional relationships
1.4 A Recognises and manages conflicts of interest in all client and professional relationships
1.5 A Practises in a culturally responsive and culturally safe manner, with particular respect to culturally diverse client groups
1.9 A Identifies and manages the influence of her/his values and culture on practice
2.1 A Applies current and evidence-informed knowledge of occupational therapy and other appropriate and relevant theory in practice
2.2 A Applies theory and frameworks of occupation to professional practice and decision-making
2.3 A Identifies and applies best available evidence in professional practice and decision-making
2.5 A Maintains current knowledge for cultural responsiveness to all groups in the practice setting
3.1 A Addresses occupational performance and participation of clients, identifying the enablers and barriers to engagement
3.2 A Performs appropriate information gathering and assessment when identifying a client’s status and functioning, strengths, occupational performance and goals
3.7 A Reflects on practice to inform and communicate professional reasoning and decision-making
3.8 A Identifies and uses practice guidelines and protocols suitable to the practice setting or work environment
4.1 A Communicates openly, respectfully and effectively
4.2 A Adapts written, verbal and non-verbal communication appropriate to the client and practice context
4.4 A Uses culturally responsive, safe and relevant communication tools and strategies
4.7 A Obtains informed consent for practice and information-sharing from the client or legal guardian
4.9 A Uses effective communication skills to initiate and end relationships with clients and relevant others

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

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