Integrating Maternity Practice (11955.1)

Required texts

Johnson, R., Taylor, W., de-Vitry Smith, S. & Bayes, S. (2022). Skills for Midwifery Practice 2E, Australia and New Zealand Edition. Elsevier 

Additional resources and references
Australian College of Midwives. (2021). National Midwifery Guidelines for Consultation and Referral (4th ed.). Australian College of Midwives. 
Bass, J., Fenwick, J. & Sidebotham, M. (2017). Development of a model of holistic reflection to facilitate transformative learning in student midwives. Women and Birth, 30(3), 227-235. 
Department of Health (2020) Clinical Practice Guidelines: Pregnancy Care. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health. 

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Submission of assessment items
Student responsibility in regard to assessment If there is any doubt about the requirements of a particular assessment or assessment procedure, please see the Unit Convenor who is here to help you. The onus for clarifying assessment issues rests with the student. All assessments must be submitted to pass the unit. Back up your work. You must keep a copy of your assignments.

Special assessment requirements

Extensions
Unlike other disciplines, the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) component of studying midwifery continues alongside the academic semester and this work can be complex, demanding and unpredictable. Therefore, students can use WIL as circumstances to apply for an extension to an assessment item due date using the assignment extension form available from the Student Forms page and the UCLearn site. Unit convenors can use their discretion to approve an extension of up to one week on these grounds and may audit Daisy documentation as evidence to support the extension. Students can also apply for an extension to the submission due date for an assessment item due to extenuating, evidenced circumstances (specific details are found in the Assessment Procedures).

Documentary evidence (e.g. medical certificate) will be expected for an extension to be granted for extenuating circumstances or illness, however this will not guarantee that the application will be successful. The Unit Convener or relevant Program Director/Course Convener will decide whether to grant an extension and the length of the extension. An Assignment Extension form is available from the Student Forms page and on the UCLearn site.

Supplementary assessment

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Performance Concerns
If the unit convenor receives concerning feedback about a student’s performance during WIL, or reports of unsafe practice, several steps are typically taken to address the situation. First, a consultation about the feedback will be undertaken with the student, and the student may be withdrawn from WIL.
The student may then be placed on a learning plan. This plan will outline specific areas for improvement against the midwifery standards for practice and provide targeted support to help the student enhance their skills and knowledge. The learning plan may involve additional supervision, remedial education and tasks, or focused clinical experiences in simulation or the practice setting.

Secondly, the student may face the possibility of unit failure. If the student's performance does not satisfactorily improve, as determined by the unit convenor with input from relevant parties, despite the learning plan, the student will fail the practice unit.  The student will also fail the unit if the learning plan is not satisfactorily completed, or the initial feedback was deemed very serious by the unit convenor. Finally, if the behaviour breaches the Student Conduct Rules, then a referral for summary inquiry may be made.
It is essential for student midwives to be self-aware, take feedback seriously, reflect on their practice, take responsibility for their actions and actively engage in the learning process to ensure safe and effective care.

2025 Artificial Intelligence Position: Use of Artificial Intelligence tools/services (including GenAI) by a student in the preparation of a coursework assessment submission

UC’s 2025 position on the use of artificial intelligence (including generative artificial
intelligence (GenAI) in education and research*
The University’s position is that a student must not use artificial intelligence tools/services for assessment or
assessment preparation unless its use is explicitly permitted in the published assessment instructions. That is, an
artificial intelligence tool/service may only be used for assessment or assessment preparation if:
• its use is permitted by the Unit Convener (or HDR supervisor) for a specified assessment, and
• it is only used in the way permitted in the assessment instructions for that assessment, and
• its use is acknowledged by the student in the reference list or bibliography for the assessment using the format
specified in the assessment instructions (or an appropriate academic referencing standard for the unit where
not specified).
All students must include the required GenAI Acknowledgement Statement in their assessment submission to
indicate whether GenAI has or has not been used in the preparation of the assessment.
The University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023 determine whether a behaviour is academic misconduct.
Under the Rules, if a student does not follow assessment instructions, then a behaviour may be found to be
academic misconduct.
Under the Rules if a student does not appropriately reference a source, then a behaviour may be found to be
plagiarism.
A Learning Validation Conversation (LVC) may be required when the authenticity of a submitted assessment is in
doubt and will be used to ascertain if a student has met the learning outcomes linked to a summative assessment.

The University of Canberra has enabled the Turnitin AI Writing detection tool. From the start of 2025 the
associated AI Writing detection score and report may lead to an LVC and/or contribute as a piece of evidence in
suspected academic misconduct cases. For more information, refer to the Quick Guide to the Turnitin AI Writing
Detection Tool for Students or Quick Guide to the Turnitin Detection Tool for Staff.
For more information refer to University’s GenAI for Students LibGuide or GenAI Hub (for Staff).

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Acknowledgement
Instructions for students
You must properly acknowledge any generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) that you use in an assessment. Do
this by:
1. citing and referencing any GenAI content included in your assessment submission, applying the relevant
referencing style (either as specified in the assessment instructions, or as appropriate to the unit or
discipline area if not specified), and
2. acknowledging whether you have or have not used GenAI in preparing the assessment by completing the
GenAI Acknowledgement Statement below and placing this statement in your submission (either after the
reference list or another location as specified in the assessment instructions).
Your Unit Convener may require additional specific information about how you have used GenAI, such as including
the prompts you used or providing the output of the GenAI as an appendix in the submission; any such
requirements would be specified in the assessment instructions.
You should:
• keep records of the development of the work submitted for the assessment, and any drafts of works
submitted for a work-in-progress review, in a learning portfolio or equivalent (access to these may be
requested during a Learning Validation Conversation).
• ensure you are ready to respond in English to questions about your assessment to demonstrate your
achievement of the learning outcomes of that assessment if/when you are requested to participate in a
Learning Validation Conversation.

GenAI supporting information for students
The GenAI for Students guide will assist you in understanding GenAI and how it can be used at the University of
Canberra.
GenAI and referencing
Each referencing guide provided by the Library provides advice on how to appropriately reference the use of
GenAI in-text.
Free and protected access to Microsoft Copilot
The University provides students with free and protected access to Microsoft Copilot and Dall-E. These GenAI
services are accessible when you log-in using your UC username and password at https://copilot.microsoft.com/
Recommendation
If use of GenAI is permitted in the preparation of an assessment, you should avoid using GenAI tools other than
the secure services provided by the University such as Microsoft Copilot. Using this version of Microsoft Copilot
ensures your student data, personal information, and intellectual property are protected. For more information,
refer to GenAI and Ethical Considerations in the GenAI for Students LibGuide.

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.

Learner engagement

Inclusion and engagement

If you are struggling with the content, workload or any other aspect of the unit, you are strongly encouraged to discuss this with the unit convenor or another member of the Midwifery Discipline. Most problems can be resolved with good communication and the team is here to support you.

Participation requirements

Students are expected to attend all face-to-face practice sessions unless there are extenuating circumstances such as personal illness, attendance at a birth or ‘sorry business.' Students will be required to make up any missed learning opportunities in scheduled make up sessions. 

Required IT skills

None

In-unit costs

Note: To calculate your unit fees see: How are Your Fees Calculated? Your unit convener may have listed textbooks for you to purchase via The School Locker.

Work placement, internships or practicums

This unit involves work integrated learning: Placement and Simulation.

Students must adhere to University policy during WIL activities, including the Student Conduct Rules 2018, the WIL Policy and WIL Procedure, and the Assessment Policy and Assessment Procedure.

You are also required to complete details in InPlace, refer to inplace.canberra.edu.au. If you have any queries related to InPlace please contact placement@canberra.edu.au.

• Winter Term, 2025, On-campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (225993)