Ed Psych Practicum 1

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

195 hours

This subject may be taken by 312AA Master of Educational Psychology and G02AA Master of Educational Psychology/Doctor of Philosophy students only.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

In this placement the supervisor, in conjunction with the Practicum Placement Co-ordinator, offers a designed set of training experiences which are undertaken with the supervisor. The experiences are determined by the opportunities that arise naturally in the field. The involvement of the student is judged by the supervisor. Generally the student visits a number of educational sites; observes and conducts assessment, interviews, consultations; attends meetings; creates individual behavioural progress charts; researches key issues; experiences the varied opportunities and challenges of the workplace; reflects on matters of professional importance; collects resource materials for future professional use. The placement provides an understanding of the breadth and depth of the role of the educational psychologist. It facilitates the development of an appreciation of complex professional issues, ethics and identity. There are up to three lectures covering issues of ethics, working with allied professionals and contemporary issues in educational practice. Enrolment in this subject requires Provisional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia, and a Working with Children Card

On completion of this subject students will be able to:

• articulate the role of the psychologist in the Practicum setting;
• observe and practise key psychological skills relevant to the setting;
• develop and demonstrate effective interpersonal skills;
• develop a resources collection relevant to the setting and the work of the psychologist;
• identify ethical issues as they relate to working within the setting including appropriate file keeping and management practices.

Students are required to successfully complete the formal requirements of the placements including attendance for the required number of hours and a satisfactory rating from the supervisor. Assessment occurs on a continuous basis throughout the placement process.

A combination of measures is applied to gain an understanding of the student's progress including:

• completion of a log book including a written description of the placement setting including its location and operations within the organizational system and the role of the educational psychologist within that setting (due at completion of placement, approximately 2500 words; 50%)

• formal assessment by the field supervisor (50%)

To pass the course, a minimum of a pass grade must be achieved in each assessment task.

None

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.