PFP107_Assessment 2 Brief_T3 2017.Docx Page 1 of 7
ASSESSMENT 2 BRIEF
Subject Code and Title PFP107: Professional Practice
Assessment Assessment 2: Reflective Journal
Individual/Group Individual
Length 2,000 Words (+/- 10%)
Learning Outcomes a) Illustrate the value and purpose of professional
supervision within the placement context
c) Demonstrate ability to work collaboratively in the
field and to use judgement and initiative
d) Evaluate learning experiences within the
placement
e) Analyse and reflect on observations of fieldwork
placement/s in relation to the allocation of
clients, case work and group work
Submission By 11:55pm AEST/AEDT Sunday of Week 11
Weighting 35%
Total Marks 100 marks
Context:
As students progress through their placement experience, they will develop their counselling skills as
well as their understanding of professional practice in the counselling environment. Work placement
is both a new and very different experience within the course framework. It can be exciting,
challenging and confronting when students experience fieldwork, workplace expectations, fitting in
to a new group and extending their professional capabilities.
Students are required to keep a ‘reflective journal’ that describes and mirrors their placement
experience.
Instructions:
Students are to complete a journal throughout their placement that considers their experiences and
documents their learning, especially in relation to any applicable Learning Goals that were identified
in the Learning Contract (Assessment 1).
Entries are to be both academic and personal and will include references/citations. There are three
elements of placement that need specific focus:
1) Skills development;
2) Supervision; and
PFP107_Assessment 2 Brief_T3 2017.Docx Page 2 of 7
3) The workplace/organisation and the student’s place in it
Students are to identify counselling skills used, define the skills according to the literature, and pair
these with brief examples from the student’s fieldwork.
You are also expected to discuss the supervision process and speak about what was learnt and how
you were able to use this to develop as a practitioner. Provide a brief description of supervision,
including the number and duration of meetings. Highlight issues that emerged and improvements
made. Discuss the supervisor-student relationship and comment on the impact this had on your
development and how you were able to use supervision effectively to enhance your skills.
Students should also provide a brief description of the work environment and your place in it.
Describe your use of assertive communication skills and capacity to deal skilfully with workplace
interactions and client encounters. Include specific examples of how you have engaged
collaboratively with colleagues and what positive contributions you have made in the workplace.
Reflect on what you learnt about yourself in these situations and on your emerging professional
identity.
The journal should provide personal reflections of your experience. Recognising that all learning
involves ups and downs, you should include times where your own effort or experience has not
resulted in desired outcomes as well as when there was a positive outcome. The journal will be
assessed not on the difficulties or successes themselves but rather the student’s ability to reflect on
and evaluate the personal experiences in counselling work.
In summary, the Reflective Journal must include the following:
Appropriate reflection and commentary on any applicable ‘Learning Goals’ identified in
Assessment 1 to whatever extent fulfils the validation requirement
Reflection on counselling skills used throughout the fieldwork, defining the skills according
to the literature, and pairing them with brief examples from the student’s fieldwork. Include
information on what changes you noticed in your skills. This can include personal responses
to the experience of improving your technique.
A brief description of supervision, including the number and duration of meetings. Highlight
issues that emerged and improvements made. Discuss the supervisor-student relationship
and comment on the impact this had on your development and how you were able to use
supervision effectively to enhance your skills.
A description of the work environment and your place in it, including examples of how your
contribution positively impacted the workplace. Reflect on what you learnt about yourself in
that situation.
Describe the use of assertive communication skills in the workplace, the capacity to deal
skilfully with workplace interactions and client encounters, and on operating in a
professional manner.
Reflection on any difficulties that may have arisen and conceptualise how these may be
addressed
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IMPORTANT: Students must ensure that any references to clients are de-identified. Clients should
only be mentioned to the degree that their issue or presentation in session is related to the learning
being described.
Referencing:
In-text citations as well as your reference list should follow the latest APA referencing style. The APA
referencing guide can be located in the Academic Writing Guide at
http://library.think.edu.au/ld.php?content_id=1882254. Direct quotes and references do not
contribute to the word count.
Submission Instructions:
Prior to submission, the journal can take any form (ie handwritten notes, typed
notes, voice recordings, etc). However, the final submission must be a single word
processed document that contains edited and collated information from the entries
that meets the length requirement and addresses the points above.
Submit your reflective journal on Blackboard via the ‘Assessment’ link in the main
navigation menu in PFP107: Professional Practice.
The Learning Facilitator will provide feedback via the Grade Centre in the LMS portal.
Feedback can be viewed in My Grades
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Learning Rubric: Assessment 2
Assessment
Attributes
Fail (Unacceptable)
0-49%
Pass
(Functional)
50-64%
Credit
(Proficient)
65-74%
Distinction
(Advanced)
75 -84%
High Distinction
(Exceptional)
85-100%
Grade
Description
(Grading Scheme)
Fail grade will be
awarded if a student is
unable to demonstrate
satisfactory academic
performance in the
subject or has failed to
complete required
assessment points in
accordance with the
subject’s required
assessment points.
Pass is awarded for work
showing a satisfactory
achievement of all
learning outcomes and
an adequate
understanding of theory
and application of skills.
A consistent academic
referencing system is
used and sources are
appropriately
acknowledged.
Credit is awarded for work
showing a more than
satisfactory achievement
of all learning outcomes
and a more than adequate
understanding of theory
and application of skills. A
consistent academic
referencing system is used
and sources are
appropriately
acknowledged.
Distinction is awarded
for work of superior
quality in achieving all
learning outcomes and a
superior integration and
understanding of theory
and application of skills.
Evidence of in-depth
research, reading,
analysis and evaluation is
demonstrated. A
consistent academic
referencing system is
used and sources are
appropriately
acknowledged.
High Distinction is
awarded for work of
outstanding quality in
achieving all learning
outcomes together with
outstanding integration
and understanding of
theory and application of
skills. Evidence of in‐
depth research, reading,
analysis, original and
creative thought is
demonstrated. A
consistent academic
referencing system is
used and sources are
appropriately
acknowledged.
Maps to SLO d) & e)
Reflecting on
professional working
experience to
enhance and develop
clinical practices and
professional identity
Does not reflect / or
complete the journal
throughout their
placement.
Limited identification of
how experience has
enhanced their practice
and minimal or absent
reflection on professional
Reflects on experiences
and documents their
learning, especially in
relation to any applicable
Learning Goals Uses
adequate reflection for own
learning. Able to nominate
specific areas of growth and
deepened understanding of
Reflects on experiences
clearly using both academic
and personal commentary.
Refers to applicable
Learning Goals
Considers burgeoning
professional identity and
Reflects on experiences
clearly using both academic
and personal commentary.
Refers to applicable
Learning Goals
Uses the journaling process
effectively to document and
Critically reflects and
analyses own professional
development in relation to
organisation influences and
ethos.
Considers how this impacts
on professional practice
and professional
responsibility with a
Laureate_ISP102_Assessment 2 Brief_Video Skills Demonstration_T2 2017 Page 5 of 7
50% for this criterion
identity. Provides little or
no rationale about what
did or did not work.
Is unreliable and/or
untimely in carrying out
reflective tasks.
Blames others for
inefficiencies and inaction.
theory based on practical
exposure.
Takes responsibility for own
actions and completes
reflective tasks
independently on time.
ways to enhance it. Able to
reflect on overall experience
and what has been gained in
terms of understanding the
field, developing therapeutic
capacity and the student’s
own future direction.
Work is backed up by
definitions, concepts and
appropriate referencing.
expand their understanding
of the experience. Able to
connect the experiences to
theory and practice.
Reflects on challenges and
success and relates this to
theory. Demonstrates
behavioural changes
incorporating the learning
Able to comment on client
presentations and
conceptualise these
according to theory,
demonstrating clinical
learning.
Shows thoughtful
consideration of
professional identity with
suggested areas of
development.
Work is backed up by a
number of definitions,
concepts and appropriate
referencing
willingness to adapt and
grow.
Reflects on challenges and
success and relates this to
theory. Demonstrates
behavioural changes
incorporating the learning.
Applies critical reflective
practice for own learning.
Takes responsibility for own
actions and completes
reflective tasks such as
posting reflective journal
entries independently on
time.
Demonstrates effective
resilience strategies by
balancing competing
priorities, managing time
effectively and overcoming
obstacles.
Sensitive to diverse and
complex contexts.
Work is backed up by a
number of relevant
definitions, concepts and
extensive referencing
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Maps to SLO a),
Identification of the
purpose of
supervision in
counselling, and
application of
supervision in
placement
20% for this criterion
Limited understanding
of supervision concepts
and rationale
Does not demonstrate
an ability to apply
supervision to the
placement context
Key components of the
assignment are not
addressed.
Able to show a
knowledge of supervision
concepts
Is able to show the
impact of supervision
within the placement
context
Often confuses assertion
of personal opinion with
information
substantiated by
evidence from the
research/course
materials.
Clearly shows a thorough
understanding of the
supervision process
Makes clear connections
with supervision processes
and concepts and
counselling work
Supports personal opinion
and information
substantiated by evidence
from the research/course
materials.
Demonstrates a capacity
to explain and apply
relevant supervision
concepts within the
counselling setting.
Highly developed
understanding of
supervision theory and
its application.
Makes strong
connections between the
supervision process and
the student’s own skill
development
Discriminates between
assertion of personal
opinion and information
substantiated by robust
evidence from the
research/course
materials and extended
reading.
Well demonstrated
capacity to explain and
apply relevant concepts
to supervision.
A sophisticated
understanding and
application of
supervision theory and
practise.
Able to make succinct
and pertinent
connections between
supervision process and
their own development
and conceptualisation of
client issues.
Systematically and
critically discriminates
between assertion of
personal opinion and
information
substantiated by robust
evidence from the
research/course
materials and extended
reading.
Mastery of supervision
concepts and application
to new situations/further
learning.
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Maps to SLO c)
Provides examples of
collaboration and
positive contributions
to the workplace
20% for this criterion
Reflection suggests
inadequate
collaborative practices
and limited
contribution to
workplace processes
Reflection demonstrates
some collaborative
practices with colleagues,
supervisors and clients
Provides basic examples
of positive contributions
to workplace processes or
tasks.
Reflection demonstrates
effective collaborative
practices with colleagues,
supervisors and clients
Provides relevant examples
of positive contributions to
workplace process or tasks
that incorporate feedback
from the supervisor or
colleagues
Reflection demonstrates
skillful interactions
utilising assertive
collaborative practices
with colleagues,
supervisors and clients
Provides varied and
regular positive
contributions that
address problems in
workplace processes or
tasks
Reflection demonstrates
skilful interactions at a
professional level,
utilising assertive
collaborative practices
with colleagues,
supervisors and clients
Consistently provides
insightful contributions
that resolve problems in
workplace processes or
tasks
Correct citation of key
resources and evidence
10% for this criterion
Demonstrates
inconsistent use of good
quality, credible and
relevant resources to
support and develop
ideas.
Demonstrates use of
credible and relevant
resources to support and
develop ideas, but these
are not always explicit or
well developed.
Demonstrates use of high
quality, credible and relevant
resources to support and
develop ideas.
Demonstrates use of good
quality, credible and
relevant resources to
support and develop
arguments and statements.
Shows evidence of wide
scope within the
organisation for sourcing
evidence
Demonstrates use of highquality, credible and
relevant resources to
support and develop
arguments and position
statements. Shows
evidence of wide scope
within and without the
organisation for sourcing
evidence