Policies and Procedures of Health Skills Australia

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fax: (03) 9637 3564
email: appshotline@edumail.vic.gov.au

The independent arbitrator is a person experienced in the VET sector and in training and assessment issues. He or she will review your complaint or appeal and come to a judgment which will be binding on both yourself and Health Skills Australia Pty Ltd.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

The student has the right to:

• experience quality training
• question and have their questions answered
• a clean, friendly and supportive environment
• enter into discussions enthusiastically
• adequate breaks from training
• access to appropriate aids for learning

The student has the responsibility to:

• be prompt and regular in attendance
• behave in a manner that respect your follow students and HSA staff
• dress in a manner appropriate to the training being undertaken
• be patient with other students / candidates
• have an appropriate attitude towards their training
• avoid private conversations while someone is speaking
• charge computers for note taking outside class times
• turn mobile phone off in classes

Student Progress

Student participation in, and progress through the course is observed for signs of the student who may not be coping with the demands of study. The following are some of the key areas that are monitored like your grades and attendance:

• 80% attendance is required and forms part of your overall assessment
• Late submission of work without request for exemption is considered to have failed the first attempt and is now considered resubmission of the work
• 2 failed attempts of any one assessment task
• A number of failed first assessments

Students who are identified as being at risk of not completing the course are discussed at the Student Progress Committee meeting to consider the issues and find solutions if able.

RTOs Rights and Responsibilities

The RTO has the responsibility to:

• maintain information on assessment in accordance with the Privacy Act
• employ qualified assessors with relevant industry experience
• produce delivery and assessment resources
• maintain all RTO student records
• provide an inclusive supportive environment for student learning

Establish procedures to:

• conduct program training assessments that promote the principles of VET assessment i.e. Fair, Flexible, Valid, Reliable
• appeal processes for assessment or RPL outcomes
• issue Statements of Attainment/certificates to successful student
• provide an accessible RPL processes
• provide copies of policy and procedure upon request

The RTO has the right to:

• Enforce all RTO policies and procedures

Termination of Training

The RTO has the right to terminate training under the following circumstances.

• The student/candidate attends class or presents to the clinical work environment under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Where the student puts him or herself, and others, at risk while training is being conducted.
• The student's behaviour is inappropriate and disrupts the ability of others to learn.

Student Welfare Support Services

HSA recognises that people learn in different ways and at different rates. If a Trainer recognises that a student is having difficulty the RTO Manager will provide support to the student & trainer in finding solutions. Any person who wishes to undertake a course who has a non English speaking background is able to access translation services and software.

Three free confidential counselling sessions are available to all students. See the RTO Manager for more information.

Access and Equity

HSA encourages people who consider themselves to have a disability or are from any disadvantaged group in society to apply for entry to any course offered.

Prospective students who consider themselves to be in this group are advised to contact the RTO Manager on 03 9633 0188 or email on Mike.Moffat@navitas.com to discuss their enrolment and any special requirements or issues.

Smoking

HSA is dedicated to improving health outcomes for all, including our students. Smoking contributes to many diseases and passive smoking can cause disease in non-smokers. Therefore, smoking is not permitted in any classroom or HSA facility and is not permitted within 10 metres of any HSA facility.

Intellectual Property

Teaching materials and other documentation are the property of HSA or the copyright owner. Students are not permitted to use, distribute, copy or disseminate in any form any HSA intellectual property without the express permission of HSA via the RTO Manager.

Privacy Policy

Student information is collected on the Enrolment Form for the purpose of training, registration, assessment results, certification and other related matters.

Students are asked to approve the use of this information by contracted trainers/ assessors and organisations associated in the delivery of training by signing the enrolment form.

Access to records

Upon application in writing, students have access to:

• View marked assessment workbooks;
• Summary of all their own results.

Students requiring access to their records or information are required to email their request to tanina.davenport@navitas.com

Copyright, Academic Acknowledgement, Collusion and Plagiarism

Definition

Plagiarism is the reproduction without acknowledgement of another person’s words, work or expressed* thoughts from any source. The definition of words, works and thoughts includes such representations as diagrams, drawings, sketches, pictures, objects, text, lecture handouts, artistic works and other such expressions of ideas, but hereafter the term ‘work’ is used to embrace all of these.

Plagiarism comprises not only direct copying of aspects of another person’s work but also the reproduction, even if slightly rewritten or adapted, of someone else’s ideas. In both cases, someone else’s work is presented as the student’s own.

Collusion is when students have collaborated or shared work that is not considered to be part of the approved assessment.

Students requiring access to their records or information are required to email their request to Mike.Moffat@navitas.com. It is a fundamental principle of academic endeavour to acknowledge the academic work of others when developing material for assessment or publication, in order that:

• the precedence of others’ work is acknowledged,
• the work is linked with other groups of authors, and other intellectual and research traditions, and
• the reader may become aware of omissions in the work referred to by the author.

In all academic work submitted for assessment, students must:

• comply with the appropriate acknowledgement and referencing standards of their course, as detailed in the course outline or assignment specification, ‘ APA style‘ is the referencing style stipulated by HSA. Please click here for more details about APA style referencing.
• submit for assessment their own individual and unassisted work, except as otherwise permitted.

Plagiarism or collusion is not acceptable and disciplinary action may result.

* See the Copyright Act

Common Forms of Plagiarism

1. Downloading an assignment from an online source and submitting it as your own work.
2. Buying, stealing or borrowing an assignment and submitting it as your own work.
3. Copying a section of a book or an article and submitting it as your own work.
4. Quoting from a source 'word for word', without using quotation marks is plagiarism.
5. Copying, cutting and pasting text from an electronic source and submitting it as your own work.
6. Using the words of someone else and presenting them as your own.
7. Using significant ideas from someone else and presenting them as your own.
    Putting someone else's ideas into your own words and not acknowledging the source of the ideas is plagiarism.
8. Copying the written expressions of someone else without proper acknowledgement.
    Lifting sentences or paragraphs from someone else, even with proper acknowledgement, gives the impression that      the idea or information comes from the source cited, but that the phrasing, the choice of words to express it, is your own contribution.

Resist the temptation to 'cut and paste' text directly from an electronic resource into your assignment. the student should rewrite any information in your own words. When using the internet, cite the source of anything that the student borrow, including material from web pages, email, and newsgroups. These materials are the words and ideas of people who deserve to be given credit.

The internet can be a great source of information and an effective research tool. However, just because electronic information is easily available does not mean it is 'free'. Information the student find online should be referenced, just like any other source. For referencing purposes, always make a note of the 'address' or URL of web pages and the date the student accessed the material.

If the student are ever tempted to download a paper, please remember that academics are experts in the words and ideas of their discipline. There are strategies and a software package to identify internet plagiarists. Remember, if the student found the paper, so can your lecturer or tutor!

Wikipedia cannot always be not considered an accurate source of information for assignment/assessment work.

Relying too much on other people's material. Avoid repeated use of long quotations. Too many direct quotations (even with quotation marks and with proper acknowledgement) result in your sources speaking for the student, meaning your own contribution is minimal. Use your own words more and rely less on quotations.

Alcohol Policy

Consumption of alcohol is not permitted at HSA facilities. Students who are suspected to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be permitted to attend class.

Pets

Pets are not permitted in any HSA facility. The only exception is registered guide dogs.

Access to computers

It is a condition of enrolment that students have access to a computer to access the internet. The internet provides a gateway to valuable learning resources, government agencies and to students and teachers. Some mandatory functions can only be done online e.g. a Police Check and online tests. Personal computers are permitted in class rooms for purposes of note taking and access to learning resource material. PC’s must be pre-charged before entering the classroom and recharged in breaks if necessary. Cords across the room is considered and OH&S hazard.

Use of computer equipment must comply with HSA computer use Policy and Procedure. For more about this, please refer to  Navitas- IT Acceptable Use Policy.

HSA will not accept responsibility for theft, loss or damage of any private equipment.