SLE390 Professional Practice in Biosciences
Introductory Information | How to find work experience | Useful information | Contact us
Introductory Information
1. Unit Chair Welcome
This unit is designed to help you learn about yourself, career pathways in biomedical and biological science and to provide you with some of the essential skills to locate and successfully land a job. What you get out of this unit is largely dependent on how you choose to engage the unit.
Proactive students will seek out the best work experience opportunities, participate in the workshops and help themselves.
Securing a work placement is your responsibility. Although we will help you as best as we can, we will not find a place for you. You need to look at the website, identify potential hosts from the host register and contact them. However, do not limit yourself to this list. Make calls to organisations that interest you and politely ask the simple question "Do you take on students for work experience?" Remember that all work experience needs to be approved by the unit chair’s representative.
Good luck and good hunting.
2. Information about SLE390
2.1 Handbook Entry
SLE390 Professional Practice in Biosciences (B)(G)
Trimester 2, 1 credit point
EFTSL value: 0.125
Unit chair: Dr Sharon La Fontaine
Prerequisite: Must be enrolled in S320, S321, S323, D311, D321, D331, D351 or D372
Contact hours: 10 x 3 hour workshops per trimester. Online study modules. Work experience must be commenced by the end of August. All students are required to participate in the Career Development and OH&S Workshops and OH&S in-class quiz. Note: Online teaching methods require internet access. Please refer to the recommended computer standards.
Content
In this unit the development of generic, employment-related professional skills in the fields of biological and biomedical science will be achieved through a combination of preparatory workshop sessions together with a minimum two-week placement or for a negotiated period to a minimum of 80 hours within a relevant, course-related organisation, arranged in consultation with the unit chair. During the placement students will be encouraged to consolidate or enhance existing professional skills. The series of professional development workshops will include: identifying and developing personal and employment-related skills, such as job and resume preparation and interview techniques; developing research skills; and developing written and oral communication and presentation skills. As well, issues of occupational health and safety will be covered from both the employer and employee’s perspective.
Work experience can be arranged in consultation with the unit chair’s representative, Ms Heather Andrews, Tel (03) 9244 6800, email heather.andrews@deakin.edu.au
Assessment
2 assignments (25%, 25%; one is a research-based assignment; one is a complete job application) 50%, employer evaluation 15% (for completion of 80 hours work placement and satisfactory employers’ evaluation report), experiential learning report 15% (the work placement report), 2 x oral presentations (10% each; includes mock interview and oral presentation of work experience) 20%
Basic Information
| Class Times: | To be announced |
| Unit Website: | Deakin Studies Online (DSO) |
| Campus of Offer: | Melbourne Burwood Campus, Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus |
| Mode: | Enhanced Online |
| Online communication: | As a Deakin student, you will rely heavily on Deakin’s online facilities and services, and are expected to participate actively in the University’s online communication networks by accessing DSO and your Deakin email account on a regular basis. |
| Email communication: | Once enrolled, each student is expected to establish a Deakin University email address. Email is the Universities primary method of communicating with students. It may be used to convey information about enrolment problems and so on, as well as important unit information. You must check your Deakin email account regularly. If you wish, you can have your email messages forwarded to another address. Note, however, that other service providers may limit the size of attachments allowed, and it is your responsibility to ensure that you do not exceed your message limits. For further information, refer to http://deakin.edu.au/its. |
| Textbook: | No textbook, learning materials will be made available online. |
SEEKING HELP
Queries relating to administrative matters (enrolment, fees, examinations, STAR, etc) should be addressed, in the first instance, to your Course Advisor (Tel: 03 925 17046), or visit the Faculty Office.
Students with a health condition or disability
Students with a disability which affects their access to learning materials or classes are strongly urged to acquaint themselves with the Disability Resource Centre on their campus. As well, such students might like to discuss their special needs with the unit chair.
There are Disability Liaison Officers on each campus. You may visit the following link:
http://deakin.edu.au/equity-diversity/disability-services.php or contact them by email: drcentre@deakin.edu.au or phone or visit.
Important information regarding your safety in the event of a threat or an emergency is available at http://www.deakin.edu.au/emergency/Students/index.php. Please take a few moments to read this information carefully.
3. Contact Details
| Unit Chair: | Dr Sharon La Fontaine |
| Office: | |
| Email: | sharon.lafontaine@deakin.edu.au |
| Phone: | (03) 925 17669 |
| How to contact me: | |
| Consultation hours: | |
| Postal address: | School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science and Technology Burwood Campus 221 Burwood Highway Burwood Victoria 3125 |
| Other staff: | Sabrina Chakman, Graduate Develop Program, Division of Student Life, (03) 925 17459 |
4. Unit Details
4.1 About this unit
This is a core unit in the Bachelor of Biological Science and Bachelor of Biomedical Science. It is designed as a capstone unit to the course to help graduates from these courses to develop employment skills.
4.2 Prerequisites and relationships to other units
Students must be enrolled in S320, S321, S323, D311, D321, D331, D351 or D372.
4.3 Aims
This unit aims to provide a professional practice and experiential learning opportunity for students enrolled in the Bachelor of Biological Science and the Bachelor of Biomedical Science wishing to pursue a career in bio-science research, biotechnology and related applications of these areas. The unit aims to provide information about regulatory affairs and the conduct of business in the scientific aspects of bio-science and to provide a flexible option for students to undertake 80 hours of work experience in a research laboratory, research institution, biotechnology company or an approved alternative.
4.4 Learning Outcomes
On completion of the unit students should be able to:
- Demonstrate a working understanding of the professional context, funding structures, and regulatory climate of bioscience research, biotechnology and applied industries.
- Demonstrate competence in reading various formats of scientific reports.
- Demonstrate a logical linkage between their work experience and the wider context of bio-science and related industries.
4.5 Graduate Attributes
Graduate attributes
As you progress through your course you will acquire, consolidate and extend a range of key skills and attributes that mark you as a graduate, but in particular, a graduate of Deakin University. Employers and professional organisations see these attributes as highly desirable in graduates and you will often see them appear as key selection criteria in job descriptions. Whilst your studies enable you to join your chosen profession, your graduate attributes mark you as a professional who is able to assume that role and its responsibilities in the Australian and international community. Each unit that you complete adds to, or builds, on the attributes developed earlier. Some units will enhance specific attributes whilst others will require a broader development of graduate attributes.
The table below indicates which graduate attributes are taught, practised and/or assessed within this unit. Attributes that have no ticks assigned to them are important but are not a key part of this unit.
| Knowledge and understanding | Taught ✔ |
Practised ✔ |
Assessed ✔ |
| Understanding of, and the ability to work with, a systematic body of knowledge, appropriate to the focus and level of the qualification based on the highest standards of scholarship and research | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Where research is undertaken: Ability to initiate and formulate viable and relevant research questions |
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| Where research is undertaken: Contribution to new knowledge, or an original interpretation and application of existing knowledge |
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| Where research is undertaken: Understanding of the social, economic and cultural impact and application of their research, and its academic relevance and value |
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| Understanding of the professional, social, economic and cultural contexts of the discipline and related fields | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Awareness of ethical issues, social responsibility and cultural diversity | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Awareness of environmental sustainability issues and the contribution of the field of study to address such issues | ✔ | ||
| Understanding and appreciation of international perspectives in a global environment | |||
| Skills | |||
| Critical analysis, problem solving, and creative thinking | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Identifying, gathering, evaluating and using information | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Communicating effectively and appropriately in a range of contexts | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Developing, planning and managing independent work | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Working effectively as part of a team | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Effectively using information and communication technologies | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Applying knowledge learned in the program to new situations | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
4.6 Unit Calendar
To be advised
4.7 Teaching Methods
Facilitated Graduate Development workshops and self guided online study modules.
5. Assessment
Assessment overview
2 assignments (25%, 25%; one is a research-based assignment; one is a complete job application) 50%, employer evaluation 15% (for completion of 80 hours work placement and satisfactory employers’ evaluation report), experiential learning report 15% (the work placement report), 2 x oral presentations (10% each; includes mock interview and oral presentation of work experience) 20%
To be eligible to obtain a pass in this unit students must complete 80 hours volunteer work with a relevant, course-related organisation.
Assessment tasks
| Assessment Task | Brief Description | %Marks | Due Date | Linked to Learning Outcome(s) |
| Assignment 1 | Completed job application & CV | 25% | ||
| Assignment 2 | Choice of oral presentation or written essay on a relevant scientific topic | 25% | ||
| Employer Evaluation | Proforma completed by supervisor of work experience | 15% | ||
| Experiential Learning Report | 1-2 page summary of work experience duties and self evaluation of performance | 15% | ||
| Oral Presentation 1 | Participation in mock interview workshop | 10% | ||
| Oral Presentation 2 | Oral presentation of experiential work report | 10% |
5.1 Overall Assessment
Satisfactory completion of the unit is achieved by gaining a grade of P or above. Supplementary examinations are not given in this unit. All results in this subject are reviewed by the Academic Progress Committee at the end of the trimester. Students are reminded to read the faculty course rules that govern assessment in all Faculty of Science and Technology units.
The grades awarded in this unit are:
| HD | 80 - 100% | High Distinction |
| D | 70 - 79% | Distinction |
| C | 60 - 69% | Credit |
| P | 50 - 59% | Pass |
| N | 0 - 49% | Fail |
6. Learning Resources
6.1 Unit Materials
These will be handed out in the workshops or posted on DSO.
6.2 Other Resources
Take the Library with you
Deakin University Library
Many of the Library’s resources are online, so you can access them on campus, at home or at work - any day, any time - via your computer or mobile phone. You can access unit e-readings, academic journals, books, e-books, subject databases and websites that contain quality information for this unit through the Library Resources area of DSO, and the Library website. These resources give you a distinct advantage with your assignments. The Library’s help services - in person, via email or phone - will assist you to make the most of library services, and save you valuable research time.
Your Library. Your Space.
http://www.deakin.edu.au/library/
Library resource guides - for quality academic journals, databases and websites recommended by your liaison librarians.
http://deakin.libguides.com/
Links to your liaison librarian, help information and services.
http://www.deakin.edu.au/library/help/index.php
Access the library catalogue and key resources on your mobile phone.
http://m.library.deakin.edu.au
Other resources that you may find useful are:
Your Library: www.deakin.edu.au/library
- Searching the Internet is a key way of finding information - especially for general and everyday topics. The Library website is a key way to find unit e-readings, academic journals, books, e-books, subject databases and websites that contain quality information for your study of this unit, and as research for assignments. Many of these resources are online so that you can access them on campus, at home or at work - any day, any time. The Library’s help services, in person or via email, phone or instant messaging, will assist you to make the most of library services and save research time.
6.4 Achieving Unit Goals
You must be proactive and attend the workshops. You will not be able to complete sections of the workbooks or earn the associated marks if you do not attend.
6.5 How to Begin...
Although SLE390 course work is running in T2 the work experience can be completed ahead of time and many students complete their placements in the mid-trimester breaks. Some of you have already completed the work placement. If you have not already started to look for a work placement opportunity START NOW.
ACADEMIC HONESTY AND MISCONDUCT
Pursuant to Regulation 4.1(2) Academic Misconduct
Academic Misconduct means:
(a) conduct by a Student that is designed or calculated to, or has the effect of, providing a
misleading basis for admission, assessment or academic progress; and/or
(b) conduct by a Student in connection with Research that is dishonest, reckless or negligent and seriously deviates from accepted standards within the scientific and scholarly community.
Examples of Academic Misconduct
Academic Misconduct includes but is not limited to:
(a) passing off the work of any other person as the Student’s own work;
(b) copying or relying on the work of any other person without appropriate acknowledgement;
(c) impersonating any other person in, or for the purpose of, any examination, essay, assignment,
course requirement or any other work relevant to assessment or allowing impersonation by
another person for those purposes;
(d) failing to comply with the University’s directions given in connection with any examination or
assessment, including having, possessing, accessing or using unauthorised material in the
examination or assessment, whether or not with the intention of using the material to obtain an
advantage;
(e) obtaining from, or giving to, any other person during any examination, or other assessment any
information relating to that examination or other assessment or any part of it without the
approval of the supervisor of that examination or other assessment;
(f) undertaking an examination in breach of the conditions set down by the University for the
supervision and conduct of the examination;
(g) fabrication and falsification related to proposing, conducting or reporting Research;
(h) breaching the University’s Code of Good Practice in Research Procedure;
(i) providing false information or fraudulent documentation including academic transcripts or
medical certificates.
Reporting Academic Misconduct
- A member of the University staff who has reasonable grounds to believe that an act of Academic Misconduct has been committed by a Student must promptly report the matter to the Chair of the relevant Faculty Committee.
- A Student who has reasonable grounds to believe that an act of Academic Misconduct has been committed by another Student may report the matter to the Chair of the relevant Faculty Committee.
- (6) A report made under sections 4 or 5 is an allegation of Academic Misconduct under this regulation.
Plagiarism and Collusion
Plagiarism and collusion constitute extremely serious academic misconduct. They are forms of cheating, and severe penalties are associated with them, including cancellation of marks for a specific assignment, for a specific unit or even exclusion from the course. The University’s definitions of plagiarism and collusion are as follows:
- Plagiarism occurs when a student passes off as the student’s own work, or copies without acknowledgment of its authorship, the work of any other person.
- Collusion occurs when a student obtains the agreement of another person for a fraudulent purpose with the intent of obtaining an advantage in submitting an assignment or other work. You should note that the University views collusion very seriously and may impose serious penalties.
The University’s policy on plagiarism and collusion sets out your responsibilities as a student in regard to plagiarism and collusion. Students are responsible for ensuring that:
- they are familiar with the expected conventions of authorship and the appropriate use and acknowledgement of all forms of intellectual material relevant to their discipline;
- work submitted for assessment is their own;
- they take all reasonable steps to ensure their work can not be accessed by others who might seek to submit it, in whole or in part, as their own.
Whenever you refer to another person's research or ideas (either by directly quoting or by paraphrasing them), you must acknowledge your source. If you are ever in doubt about how to properly cite a reference, consult your lecturer or the academic skills web site http://www.deakin.edu.au/current-students/study-support/study-skills/.
The University policy of plagiarism and collusion is available from The Guide www.deakin.edu.au/theguide . Regulation 4.1(2) - Academic Misconduct also contains important information regarding academic misconduct.
Unauthorised collaboration
Unauthorised collaboration is a form of collusion. It involves working with others with the intention of deceiving your markers about who actually completed the work. If you have collaborated with others in preparing an individual assessment item, you must disclose this to your lecturer. Assignments will sometimes be set as group work, but even in these cases you will generally still have to write up and submit your own report.
If you have any doubt as to what constitutes authorised or unauthorized collaboration, consult with your lecturer.
Penalties
The Faculty Academic Discipline Committee may impose a penalty on any student who is found to have committed an act of academic misconduct such as plagiarism, collusion, examination cheating or unauthorized collaboration. These penalties can include:
- Allocate a zero mark or other appropriate mark for the unit or the assessment task
- Suspend from unit or course for up to 4 trimesters
- Exclude from the University
- Impose a fine of up to $1000.00
- Restrict or deny access to a facility (eg IT, Library)
- Pay cost of investigation of the misconduct
- Require student to refrain from contact with specified person/s
- Require an apology
- Reprimand and caution the student
- Allow resubmission of an assessment task
- Require a Student to undertake alternative assessment for the Unit on terms determined by the Student Misconduct Committee (SMC)
- Terminate candidature
- Degree not to be awarded.
Things you should never do
There are some activities that are never acceptable in the preparation of assignments at the tertiary level. Students who engage in any of the following activities create some doubt in the mind of the reader that the student's work is original. Many of these activities leave the student open to charges of plagiarism.
Students should never:
- Submit an assignment without providing a list of references used.
- Copy one or more sentences from a reference source (book, journal, web page, etc.) without formatting the material as a quotation.
- Use data in the form of numbers, tables, graphs, diagrams or other images without citing the source of the material.
- Use program source code, even if it is freely available in the public domain, without citing the source of the code.
- Take material from reference material and paraphrase it (write it in your own words) without citing the source of the material.
- Use an idea made by another person without citing the source of the idea.
