Assessment of Ocular Health (10408.1)

Required texts

Required:

Title: Clinical Procedures in Primary Eye Care

Author: David B Elliott

Edition: 4th or 5th edition

This book is available for purchase at the Co-op book shop, or for loan at the library.

Recommended:

Title: Kanski's Clinical Ophthalmology: A Systematic Approach

Author: Bowling (8th), Salmon (9th)

Edition: 8th or 9th Edition

This book is strongly recommended for Assessment of Ocular Health and is a required textbook for other units in the Bachelor of Vision Science degree.

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

This unit has two hurdle (must pass) assessments - Theory Assessment B and the Final Practical Assessment.

The passing mark for these assessments is 50%. Students who fail a hurdle assessment with a mark of 45% to 49% inclusive will be offered a second attempt at the hurdle only if it is possible for the student to achieve an aggregate mark of 50% or more by passing the hurdles. Hence, if passing the hurdle will not allow the student to pass the unit, then no second attempt is offered. 

The mark achieved on the second attempt of the hurdle assessment replaces the original mark of the hurdle assessment, hence it is possible for the student's hurdle assessment mark and aggregate mark to increase or decrease by taking the second attempt of the hurdle assessment.

Timing of repeats of a hurdle assessment: If the first attempt at the hurdle assessment takes place in the final examination period, the second attempt of the hurdle will be held during the deferred examination period. If the first attempt at the hurdle assessment takes place in the deferred examination period, the second attempt of the deferred hurdle will be held in the week immediately after the deferred exam period.

Special assessment requirements

To pass this unit you must meet ALL of the following requirements:

1. Students must pass the Final Practical Assessment to pass this unit by obtaining an overall mark of at least 50%. This component is a threshold component of the unit and is required to successfully pass the unit overall. This is a hurdle (must pass) assessment. 
2. Students must pass 3 of the 4 clinical skills assessed in the final practical exam. This component is a threshold component of the unit and is required to successfully pass the unit overall. This is a hurdle requirement.
3. Students must pass the Theory B - Final Theory Assessment to pass this unit by obtaining a mark of at least 50%. This component is a threshold component of the unit and is required to successfully pass the unit overall. This is a hurdle (must pass) assessment. 
4. Students must achieve a final aggregate (overall) mark of 50% or higher.

Supplementary assessment

Refer to the Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedures. This unit is NOT in the final semester of the course, and a supplementary assessment is NOT available.

Deferred in-class assessments

In the event a student misses an assessment due to an extenuating and evidenced circumstance, the student must contact the Unit Convener and request a deferred assessment/assignment within three (3) days of the scheduled assessment/assignment. The request must be made in writing (by email) with an ‘Assignment Extension’ form. The student must provide documentary evidence (e.g. medical certificate) or other relevant documents as requested by the Unit Convener before sitting the deferred assessment. Failure to do so will result in a zero grade being awarded for that assessment item. Students are not permitted to defer a deferred intra-semester exam, assignment or practical assessment. Any student unable to undertake the deferred assessment will receive zero marks for the assessment task.

In the event a student is unable to attend their scheduled final examination and the reason meets the criteria for acceptable grounds for extenuating circumstances, the student should submit a ‘Request for Deferred Examination Application’ form with original documentary evidence to the Timetabling and Examinations Office. This must be lodged within three (3) days of the scheduled examination. Students are not usually permitted to defer a deferred final exam. Any student who does not undertake their deferred exam will receive a mark of zero for the exam.
 

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

This Unit contains participatory elements which are vital to the Optometry Board of Australia entry-level competencies for optometrists (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cxo.12216). Except in the case of extenuating circumstances, 100% attendances is expected at all lectures, and 100% participation is required in all lab sessions. Please note, that not all learning material covered in lectures, e.g. worked examples of problems or discussion in small groups, will be captured by the lecture recording software. Students are required to attend for the entire time scheduled for lab sessions. Students who are late by more than 15 minutes without an adequate documented reason will be regarded as absent; students who leave before the end, unless all assigned work has been completed to the satisfaction of the lecturer or tutor will be regarded as absent from the tutorial. It is expected that students unable to fulfil these participation requirements will inform the Unit Convener as soon as practical, by email. If attendance requirements cannot be regularly satisfied (e.g. timetable clash) it may be recommended that you schedule this unit for a future semester. Failure to adhere to these requirements may result in failure of the associated assessment piece. For inability to attend a scheduled laboratory session, an ‘Absence from Laboratory' form (available on UCLearn Canvas) with supporting documentation must be submitted to the Unit Convener; students may be required to attend an additional laboratory session to complete the required tasks.  Consideration will be given for illness; however evidence such as a medical certificate will be required. The final decision will be at the discretion of the Unit Convener.  

Contact details for the Unit Convenor and the Faculty of Health Administration Office are given in Section 1.

Except in the case of extenuating circumstances, 100% attendance is expected at all lectures, and lab sessions.

Students are required to cooperate in laboratory classes, workshops or remediation sessions where students may be asked to practice optometry skills on each other, with each student acting as the patient and practitioner in turn and in approximately equal duration. By both conducting the clinical procedures and participating in the tests, you will gain an insight and empathy into the issues associated with testing visual function, both from the point of view of both an optometrist and patient. 

This course aims to develop your professional and communication skills in preparation for your journey towards being a health professional. During classes you will be required to demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict. Any action or omission that affects the safety of patients or peers or is deemed disrespectful to your patients, fellow students or the teaching staff can result in failure of an assessment task regardless of the aggregate mark for the assessment.

Virtual classes have additional requirements where you will further develop communication skills in the virtual environment. While in a virtual environment, students are required to present themselves and communicate with peers, staff and invited speakers in a professional way. Hence, the default for all virtual classes is for all student web cameras to be turned on during virtual classes. Instructors may require students to interact either verbally, through polls or the shared chat function. Students who do not participate in this way can be marked as absent for the class. Students who need guidance on expected behaviours and participation may consult with the Unit Convenor and/or Study Skills. Instructors may request that cameras are turned off under certain circumstances.

Required IT skills

The use of UCLearn Canvas, library searching skills, and word processing (Microsoft Office Suite) are necessary for this unit.

In-unit costs

Students are encouraged to purchase items such as equipment for some lab sessions. Please see section 4: Unit resources for further information. 

Additional details regarding equipment can be found on the Canvas site for the Bachelor of Vision Science 

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

Additional information

Pursuant to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009, optometry practitioners (registered optometrists) and education providers have an obligation to report ‘notifiable conduct', to the Optometry Board of Australia in order to prevent the public being placed at risk of harm. Education providers are also required, under s.143 of the National Law, to make mandatory notifications in relation to students, if the provider reasonably believes: a student enrolled with the provider has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm; or a student for whom the provider has arranged clinical training has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking the clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm. Practitioners are required to make a mandatory notification in relation to a student if the practitioner reasonably believes that a student has an impairment that, in the course of the student undertaking clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk of harm. All concerns raised within the Discipline of Optometry or by clinical preceptors will be reviewed by the Head of Discipline and the Course Convener before any reporting action is taken.

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