Clinical Optics and Dispensing (10410.1)

Required texts

Required Textbook: Brooks, C. (2023). System for ophthalmic dispensing (4th ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann.

Recommended reading: Practical Dispensing by David Wilson

Submission of assessment items

Special assessment requirements

The final mark for this subject will be calculated by an accumulation of marks from each assessment item.  To achieve a passing grade or higher in this unit, students must:

• Attempt all assessment items;
• Achieve a mark of at least 50% in the final theory exam;
• Achieve a mark of at least 50% in the final practical exam;
• Achieve a final aggregate mark of 50% or higher.
• Satisfactorily attend all laboratory classes.

Deferred Exams and quizzes

In the event a student misses an examination due to illness or other exceptional circumstances, the student must contact the unit convener and request a deferred assessment within 3 days of scheduled exam/quiz. The request must be made in writing (by email) on the Assignment Extension Form (https://www.canberra.edu.au/current-students/forms/forms/other-forms/Assignment-Extension-Form.pdf).

Students must provide a medical certificate or other relevant documents and the assignment extension form as requested by the unit convener before sitting the deferred examination. Failure to do so will result in a zero grade being awarded for that assessment item.

Academic integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.

To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link in the Study Help site.

Use of Text-Matching Software

The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals, and previously submitted student texts.

ePortfolio Assignment

For the ePortfolio assignment Part B, students will be required to participate in an assigned optometry dispensing activity at the UC Optometry clinic, which will provide improved student knowledge of processes in a working optometry clinic and to develop the graduate attribute of reflecting on their own practice, updating their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development.

Contract Cheating 
Contract cheating (academic outsourcing / ghost-writing) is a form of academic misconduct in which students submit written or creative work which has been drafted or produced by someone else and claim authorship for it. It includes (but is not limited to) using a third party, artificial intelligence, offering their services for commercial or other benefits, to complete (either partially or fully) an assignment or other assessment items on behalf of the student.  

You are at risk of contract cheating if you ask someone (including artificial intelligence) to:

• Complete an assignment for you
• Substantially edit your assignment
• Do your university work for you, with or without compensation
• Check test or quiz answers
• Sit a test or quiz for you
• Provide someone with your UC login details
• Use someone's work as your own

You may also be at risk of contract cheating if you provide information to people or organisations outside UC, such as:

• Assignment questions and briefs
• Lecture notes
• Marking rubrics and marking guides

UC considers contract cheating serious misconduct which may attract suspension or exclusion from the university. Furthermore, we, as your education provider, have mandatory reporting responsibilities under National Law. We are required to notify the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) if we believe that a registered health practitioner (including those with student registration) has behaved in a way that constitutes notifiable conduct including signature departure from accepted professional standards. Contract cheating can result in UC submitting a mandatory notification to AHPRA.

You can learn more about contract cheating in the Academic Integrity Module, a compulsory module that provides information about a range of issues including plagiarism and contract cheating. UC provides a range of services to support student learning. Further information regarding Study Skills, Studiosity and Medical & Counselling services are available on your unit's Canvas site.

Artificial intelligence services must not be used by students in assessments or assessment preparation.

Participation requirements

This Unit contains participatory elements which are vital to the entry-level competencies for Optometrists (see https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cxo.12216). Except in the case of extenuating circumstances, 100% attendance is expected at all lectures, and 100% satisfactory participation is required for the laboratory classes.

It is expected that students unable to fulfil these participation requirements will inform the Unit Convener as soon as practical, by telephone or 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. Consideration will be given for illness; however evidence such as a medical certificate will be required.

Students are required to cooperate in (laboratory classes) where students may be asked to practice optometry skills on each other, so each student is 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. 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 patient safety or is deemed disrespectful to your patients, fellow students or the teaching staff can result in failure of an assessment regardless of the aggregate mark for the assessment; For laboratory classes, it can result in unsatisfactory participation in the laboratory classes impacting on ability to pass the unit. For the assignment, students will be required to participate in an assigned optomtery dispensing activity at the UC Optometry clinic, which will provide improved student knowledge of processes in a working optometry clinic and to develop the graduate attribute of reflecting on their own practice, updating their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development.

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 behaviors 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

Students should be conversant with searching for and accessing information via electronic means; the use of Canvas; and word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software.    

In-unit costs

Students are required to have a student kit that contains a PD ruler, pentorch, tape measure, marker pen. Additional materials (e.g. spectacle frame and lenses) may also be required.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

• Semester 1, 2023, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (215740)
• Semester 2, 2022, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (208132)
• Semester 2, 2021, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (201561)
• Semester 2, 2020, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (195831)
• Semester 2, 2019, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (189915)
• Semester 1, 2024, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (219279)