Occupation in Context (10310.1)

Please note these are the 2026 details for this unit
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Occupation in Context
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods On-campus
 Bruce, Canberra
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Health
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
Discipline Of Occupational Therapy Level 3 - Undergraduate Advanced Unit Band 2 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 3 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
This unit introduces students to the various ways and means in which human occupation and occupational therapy are subject to a range of contextual influences. The contexts considered include geo-physical, socio-cultural, attitudinal and legislative. Students will consider how these contexts influence human occupation and occupational therapy practice, locally and globally. They will learn how it is possible to use and change these contexts to enable individual clients and populations to meet their occupational needs for health and well being. Throughout this unit, there will be a focus on the principles of occupational justice and occupation as an agent for population health.

This unit is co-taught with Occupation in Context PG, 9070.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a clear understanding of different contexts that influence occupation and well-being;
2. Discuss contexts of occupational therapy practice, role-emerging positions in occupational therapy and the role of occupation in population health; and
3. Explain to a variety of audiences the rationale of implementing occupation-focused proposals, involving modification of contexts by drawing on relevant theory, research and literature.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - apply their knowledge to working with Indigenous Australians in socially just ways
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - communicate and engage with Indigenous Australians in ethical and culturally respectful ways


Skills development

PLEASE NOTE: due to changes to BOT course structure, for 2024, the intensive version of this unit will NOT be co-taught with Occupation in Context PG, 9070.



Prerequisites

10302 Occupational Therapy Toolbox 2 AND 10303 Practice Reasoning in Occupational Therapy AND
(7434 Indigenous Health: Contemporary Issues OR 11852 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People's health contexts)


Corequisites

Enrolment in 373JA Bachelor of Occupational Therapy.

Incompatible units

9070 Occupation in Context PG.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.
Availability for enrolment in 2026 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 28 July 2025 On-campus Ms Stefanie Pearce
2026 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 10 August 2026 On-campus Ms Stefanie Pearce
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit timetable.

Required texts

M. Egan & G. Restall (Eds.), Promoting occupational participation: collaborative relationship- focused occupational therapy (1st ed. pp 155-168). Ontario, Canada: Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Technology-related reasons to justify a late or an incomplete submission will not be considered. Students must plan and complete their submissions in a timely manner. 

Unless otherwise advised in the assessment instructions, written assessment pieces must conform to the following requirements:
The cover sheet should include the assessment title, student number and word count as specified by the assessment. You should not include your name on the cover sheet.
Font size: 12 pt – Times New Roman or Calibri.
Line spacing: double
Headings: in bold, maximum size 16 pt.
Margins: no less than 2.54cm on all sides.
Page numbers: at bottom right hand corner of footer.
Student identification number: (number only) at top right hand corner of head

Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx), unless otherwise specified within the Assessment information.
References: APA 7th edition style . Information on this referencing styles can be found on the library websiteat: http://canberra.libguides.com/content.php?pid=238252&sid=1966106 (web-based), https://canberra.libguides.com/ld.php?content_id=27348090 (pdf version)

Word Count
Allocated word limits are final. The examiner will stop reading when the allocated word limit is reached. Content beyond the word limit will not be assessed. This same principle will also apply for presentations and recordings, where content after the time limit will not be marked.

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Participation requirements

It is essential that students actively participate in all lectures, tutorials, and group assignment related activities. Such participation is required by students in order to meet the Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards (2018). Therefore, except in the case of extenuating circumstances, 100% attendance at the seminars and workshops is expected. It is also expected that if students are unable to meet these participation requirements they inform the Unit Convener as soon as practical, by email.

Please note: In the course of studying occupational therapy, students may be exposed to clinical scenarios,  stories of lived experience, and in this particular unit, communities in situations of extreme vulnerability that may be stressful or compelling. At UC, a free Counselling Service is available for all students. All sessions are confidential. The UC Counselling Service is located in the UC Health and Counselling Centre on Level B in Building 1. For more information please go to http://www.canberra.edu.au/on-campus/health-and-childcare-services/medical-counselling/counselling.

Reference:

Occupational Therapy Board of Australia (2018). Australian Occupational Therapy Competency Standards. https://www.occupationaltherapyboard.gov.au/codes-guidelines/competencies.aspx 

Required IT skills

It is expected that students will have basic word processing skills, an ability to use databases to search for journal articles, and to regularly access their UC email account and Canvas daily. Canvas is an online learning site, which provides students with access to readings and learning activities.

Lecturers will communicate with all students via their UC email account and Canvas. It is the students' responsibility to regularly check their email and Canvas for messages, information and or instructions.

Students will be required to compile and upload recorded assessment tasks as well as written assessment tasks. Please see Assessments in Unit Outline or Canvas site for more information.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

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