Core Units of Study

The course requires completion of two core units of study

• The master’s degree comprises two core units of study and a further six elective units.
• The graduate diploma comprises two core units of study and a further four elective units.
• The graduate certificate comprises two core units of study and a further two elective units.

The following two core units are taught by our coordinators in the Faculty of Medicine:

You may also complete this degree by selecting from the following alternative core units of study offered by the Faculty of Education and Social Work and the Faculty of Health Science. However, the two core units of study must be taken from the same area (ie both MDED, or both BACH or both EDPR) This flexibility in your choice of core units allows you to customize your degree to suit your professional interests.

Note: The two core units of study must be taken from the same area (ie both MDED, or both BACH or both EDPR). and at least 50 per cent of the credit points needed for award (e.g. at least 12 credit points for graduate certificate, 18 credit points for the graduate diploma and 24 credit points for the master’s degree) must be completed within the Faculty of Medicine (MDED units of study).

See: alternative core units of study

Descriptions of our Core Units of Study in Medical education (MDED)

Credit points: 6
Coordinator: Dr Rola Ajjawi
Session: Semester 1
Classes: Face-to-face: 1 x 3hr evening class (approximately every fortnight). Alternatively this unit may by undertaken fully online.
Assessment: 1 x Reflective Writing task, 1x 3000 - 4000 word project (100%) plus various formative assessments throughout the unit of study.
Campus: Camperdown
Workload: Approximately 10 hours per week over a 13-week semester.

This unit aims to develop a broad understanding of principles which underpin current teaching and learning practices in medical education.

The unit is designed at an introductory level, to encourage participants to explore key ideas from theoretical and research literature in the context of their current teaching practice in medicine. The unit lays important foundations for more detailed investigation in other units of study.

Modules within this unit of study will focus on the principles and practices of:

• Teaching and learning in health professional settings - focus on conceptions and approaches to teaching and learning;
• The learning context- focus on the differing needs of learners in undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing health professional education including small and large group learning;
• Curriculum design - promoting constructive alignment in program design;
• Assessment of competence and performance and
• Evaluation of education programs.

By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of current concepts in higher education and their implications for learning and teaching;
• Apply evidence in developing proposals for educational change;
• Show how to implement the concept of "constructive alignment" in curriculum development;
• Demonstrate an awareness of the effects of proposed educational change within a workplace setting;
• Effectively communicate ideas about improvement of learning and teaching practice in health professional education and demonstrate the ability to engage in collaborative learning;
• Demonstrate the ability to critically reflect on personal learning and teaching practices.

Textbook
Biggs, J. & Tang, C. (2007). Teaching for Quality Learning at University. (3rd ed.). Buckingham: Society for Research in Higher Education and the Open University Press.

Credit points: 6
Coordinator: Dr Rola Ajjawi
Session: Semester 2
Classes: Face-to-face: 1 x 3hr evening class (approximately every fortnight). Alternatively this unit may be undertaken fully online.
Assessment: 2 projects 8000 words in total (100%)
Campus: Camperdown
Workload: Approximately 10 hours per week over a 13-week semester.

This unit aims for the development by students of a deeper understanding of the nature of evidence in health professional education, and the use of this evidence to inform course design, implementation, assessment and/or evaluation.


The contents of this unit include:

• Best evidence medical education (BEME);
• Literature searching and using Endnote;
• An introduction to the use of qualitative and quantitative research methods;
• Identify research questions and develop a proposal for a small-scale quantitative and/or qualitative research project which is related to the improvement of teaching and learning practice/s in medical education.
• Writing a literature review and a research proposal in the form of an Ethics Application
• Apply knowledge of current research in health professional education in planning for innovation in teaching/learning practice/s;

Textbooks
To be advised

Alternative core units of study

Search the University’s electronic handbook for more information on these alternative core units