Unit Outline

This unit explores how historical, cultural and social elements, as well as previous and contemporary policy frameworks, shape the health and wellbeing of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. Cultural safety, self-determination and collaboration are central concepts within this unit. You will have the opportunity to explore your own cultural beliefs, values and attitudes, and the influence these may have on health care with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. You will also engage in activities that strengthen self-awareness and reflection, and which promote your capacity to demonstrate sensitivity, awareness and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in the context of providing culturally safe health care. This unit will equip you to become a health professional who can advocate for improved health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

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


1.	Examine the historical, social and cultural determinants of health as they relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
2.	Use analysis of the health services, workforce, policy and political issues that impact on health care to suggest culturally safe ways of improving health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
3.	Critically reflect upon your own cultural beliefs, values and attitudes, and clearly articulate the influence these may have on providing health care with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
4.	Critically investigate and propose how to be a change agent in the provision of culturally safe health care for and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at individual, interprofessional, organisational and population levels.
5.	Communicate effectively and respectfully in a professional manner and skilfully adhere to academic written requirements.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

No changes have been made in response to the feedback from previous student cohort. As always, the teaching team will greatly appreciate your feedback both informally during the delivery of the unit in 2024, and formally through the University of Tasmania’s eVALUate surveys following your completion of the unit.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Online Quizzes	Week 1	10 %	LO1, LO2, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service Report	Week 5	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO5
Assessment Task 3:	Reflective Essay	Week 13	50 %	LO3, LO4, LO5

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Online Quizzes

Task Description:

This is a series of 3 quizzes designed to promote your readiness for the peer-led, experiential activities in your on campus workshops. Questions will be drawn from online learning materials.

The three quizzes have a total weighting of 10%. Each quiz will open Wednesday 9am and close Friday 4pm during weeks 1, 4, and 8.
You will have one attempt to complete each quiz.

If an extenuating circumstance is preventing you from completing this assessment task, a request for an alternative assessment must be received by email to HGA746.Social.Sciences@utas.edu.au prior to the due date of each quiz.

Quiz 1 opens: 9am Weds 28 Feb; closes: 4pm Fri 1 March
Quiz 2 opens: 9am Weds 20 March; closes: 4pm Fri 22 March
Quiz 3 opens: 9am Weds 24 April; closes: 4pm Friday 26 April

Task Length:

3 quizzes of 10 questions (total 30 questions)

Due Date:

Week 1

Weight:

10 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Examine the historical, social, and cultural determinants of health as they relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.	LO1
2	Analyse how the health care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is impacted by health policies, health professionals and health service provision.	LO2
3	Distinguish cultural safety principles and practice.	LO4

Assessment Task 2: Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service Report

Task Description:

In this assessment task you will identify and research an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS). You will analyse why ACCHSs are proven to be culturally safe and clinically effective, reflecting understanding of:
• the historical, social and cultural determinants of health as they relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples including the ongoing impact of colonisation on health, and
• the health services, workforce, policy and political issues that impact on health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

You will draw on your analysis to propose culturally safe ways to improve health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Task Length:

1500 words

Due Date:

Week 5 (27/Mar/2024)

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Analyse the relationship between the historical, cultural and social determinants of health as they relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the clinical effectiveness of the ACCHS.	LO1
2	Propose culturally safe ways health services can improve health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.	LO2
3	Evidence of in-depth engagement with appropriate academic literature and other resources.	LO5
4	Skilfully adhere to presentation conventions: legibility, spelling, punctuation, grammar and referencing.	LO5

Assessment Task 3: Reflective Essay

Task Description:

In this assessment task you will write a reflective essay about the importance of becoming a culturally safe health professional and change agent in the provision of culturally safe health care for and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Your essay will show how the key concepts of cultural safety, self-determination and collaboration can inform health care for and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at individual, interprofessional, and population levels.

Reflective writing should demonstrate critical reading and thinking skills. The use of ‘I’ is expected in this assessment task (‘I think, I do not agree, I agree’, etc).
You are expected to undertake research beyond the unit materials, and use a range of books and journal articles.

Task Length:

2000 words

Due Date:

Week 13 (30/May/2024)

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Present an insightful evaluation of your own social position and how this may shape your health care practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.	LO3
2	Develop an argument that shows how the key concepts of cultural safety, self-determination and collaboration can inform health care for and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.	LO4
3	Propose culturally safe health care practice for and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at individual, interprofessional, and population levels.	LO4
4	Evidence of in-depth engagement with appropriate academic literature and other resources.	LO5
5	Skilfully adhere to presentation conventions: legibility, spelling, punctuation, grammar and referencing.	LO5

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, and achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.