Case study 1

Developing Graduate Qualities for the Bachelor of Health Science

Louise Reynolds and Yvonne Parry from the School of Health Sciences outline a research-based approach to a program-wide process of implementing Graduate Qualities

Conceptualisation

We were given the task of constructing an implementation program for the embedding of Graduate Qualities in student curriculum for the Health Sciences. This has implications for the BHS, BHS Paramedic awards as well as a number of double degrees and a Graduate Diploma. In order to facilitate this embedding process, we chose to draw on the collective expertise of the teaching academics of the core topics in the Bachelor of Health Science to map their topic content to the Graduate Qualities and work from core to electives over time. Our research confirmed that the mapping of the topics to the Graduate Qualities - rather than mapping qualities onto existing topic and course structures - allows for re-conceptualisation and analysis of the relationships between knowledge and attitude development and assessment of incremental skill within and between topics in the BHS. Our approach scaffolds the introduction and development of Graduate Qualities through integrated program design.

Contextualisation

A literature review provided the theoretical background for the contextualisation of the learning theories involved and the development of Graduate Qualities. We used constructivist theory to provide a means for understanding the need for constructive alignment of topics with the ILO and with the Graduate Qualities (Medlin, Graves & McGowan 2003; Treleaven & Voola 2008). This theory also provides a structure for the scaffolding process within a degree so that core topics in the BHS program can be designed to incrementally develop student capacity. It removes the need for one topic to ‘provide' all the attributes or qualities of a graduate.

Implementation/ process

The project entailed gaining the support of the academic and general staff from the Schools of Medicine, and Nursing and Midwifery in this process. Time was allocated for this purpose and an agenda outlining the direction and planning was provided to the topic coordinators in the BHS core topics. The concepts of constructive alignment, the mapping process and scaffolding were outlined, along with the need to change the topics due to a university wide restructuring of all topic into a 4.5 unit value. In our view, sufficient and efficient preparatory use of time and personnel resources is essential to successful comprehension of the task of implementation,

In our meeting we presented an abridged version of the Medlin, Graves & McGowan (2003) matrix for curriculum alignment. This allowed assessment practices and the intended learning outcomes to be aligned within the BHS and with the Flinders University Graduate Qualities. In light of the proposed change to 4.5 units, topic coordinators were able to consider possible changes to current curriculum and assessment practices and discuss how new or different outcomes would address the benefits of identifying Graduate Qualities for staff and students. A gap analysis was undertaken in relation to incremental development of skills, knowledge and attitudes across the core topics in the BHS program, with recommendations to topic coordinators for proposed changes. The following matrix for topic HLTH 1302 gives an idea of how topic tasks align with qualities:

Assessment	ILO	Rationale / skills	Graduate Quality
Tutorial participation	1, 2, 4, 5, 7	Multidisciplinary, reflective	Boundaries Collaboration
Team work weekly exercises	1 - 7	Searching, team, reflective	Boundaries Collaboration
Study Summary	1, 2, 4	Searching and writing	Knowledgeable
Individual team reflection sheet	6	Reflective practice	Independently Ethics
Interview with a health professional	1 - 7	Links across topics, links to literature, theory and future practice	Application Ethical behaviour

Review

Our approach to the embedding of graduate attributes provides the Heath Sciences with a template for evaluating and reviewing further developments in curriculum change and innovation and their effects on the conceptualisation, contextualisation and use of graduate attributes. It offers a theorised and adaptable template for academics to use when they consider and visualise the implementation of changes to curriculum and enables a collaborative, multi-disciplinary process of comparative alignment to occur across course and professional boundaries in the Health Sciences. The monitoring of the project will include the inclusion of a standing agenda item on the BHS Curriculum Committee which meets March, August, November each year.