ASSESSMENT 02 PART A BRIEF
Subject Code and Title CCS103 Counselling and Communication Skills
Assessment Blog Activity: Information Presentation Part A
Individual/Group Individual
Length 900 words +/-10%
Learning Outcomes a) Explore the practical foundational principles of
counselling and communication skills, and discuss as
relevant to the health professional and industry.
b) Identify and reflect on ‘best practice’ broad
strategies as they relate to facilitating communication
within culturally diverse communities for goal setting and
change discussions and establishing the professional
relationship and personal awareness.
c) Describe and compare concepts relating to
promoting change, compliance, obstacles to change,
transition and self-care as relevant to professionals.
d) Explain and demonstrate effective communication
and counselling skills including listening and responding
techniques
Submission
By 11:55pm AEST/AEDT Sunday of Module 3.2 (week 6)
or for 6-week duration by 11:55pm AEST/AEDT Sunday of
Module 3.2 (week 3)
Weighting 35%
Total Marks 100 marks
CCS103_Assessment_2_Part_A_Brief_Report_Module 3.2
Task Summary
This assessment requires listing and discussing selected behaviours and microskills required
to form and maintain a professional/collegial relationship with a work colleague. This is not a
client-focused assessment.
Context
• Identify and define selected micro-skills essential to the professional/collegial
relationship and with diverse communities. Explain the benefits that these skills bring
to professional relationships and working within cultural diversity.
• This assessment is designed to show the theoretical understanding of selected
behaviours and microskills needed to establish and maintain effective communication
in the professional/collegial relationship and working within cultural diversity.
• Discussion on the necessity of the skills and their benefits to professional/collegial
relationships underlies the appropriate application of each skill in a
professional/collegial setting and in further assessment in this unit.
Task Instructions
Part A requires you to define the relevant and essential behaviours and micro skills presented
in the curriculum during Modules 1-3.
You are required to:
a) Discuss the three essential behaviours and choose three other microskills that are
needed to form a professional/collegial relationship and provide a clear definition of
each (approx. 300 words).
b) Describe how and why each behaviour or microskill is fundamental to creating a
professional/collegial relationship (approx. 300 words).
c) Explain how these micro-skills and behaviours might be used differently when working
within culturally diverse populations and provide at least one example using a specific
culture (approx. 300 words).
To prepare for this assessment, it is important that you have read and integrated the
curriculum presented in Modules 1-3 and completed all the learning material. Whilst a formal
writing structure (e.g., introduction, main body, conclusion) is not necessary, in-text citation
and a reference list are required. Inclusion of at least two references in APA style is essential
to achieve a passing grade in this assessment. Use of the first person is acceptable in
answering the second part of the question however it should not be used when referring to
the literature.
CCS103_Assessment_2_Part_A_Brief_Report_Module 3.2
Helpful link for blog writing
For guidance, how to write a blog, please refer to:
Torrens Library (n.d.) Blog Writing. https://library.torrens.edu.au/academicskills_ap/blogs
Torrens Library (n.d.) Reflective Writing.
https://library.torrens.edu.au/academicskills_ap/reflective
Blog Submission Instructions:
• Go to the Assessment link via the main navigation menu.
• Click on ‘Assessment 2 Blog Activity: Part A’ submission point.
• Create a thread in the class blog and enter the Assessment 2: Part A Information
Presentation content.
• The blog will not be able to be edited after it is submitted
The learning facilitator will provide feedback via the Grade Centre and can be viewed by you
in the My Grades area.
Blog creation instructions in BB: How to create a Blog thread?
This task will allow you to contribute information on your personal Learning Activities Blog
thread.
To add into a Blog page in Blackboard:
• A link is created for the Assessment 2 Blog Activity
• To add content to the blog page please click on “Create Blog Entry” on the top left hand side.
• Enter in text into Blog page
For guidance, how to embed into a Blog page please refer to:
Blackboard Help (n.d.) Create a blog
https://help.blackboard.com/Learn/Instructor/Original/Interact/Blogs
Referencing
It is essential that you use appropriate APA style for citing and referencing research. You may
find this page helpful for information on correctly formatting your references:
https://library.torrens.edu.au/academicskills/apa/tool
Extra Support
You can get on-demand academic help via Studiosity:
https://studenthub.torrens.edu.au/Hub/library-learning-services
CCS103_Assessment_2_Part_A_Brief_Report_Module 3.2
Assessment Rubric
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a) Three essential behaviors that are crucial for developing a professional/collegial relationship include active listening, empathy, and mutual respect. Active listening involves focusing your attention on the speaker, understanding their message, and responding appropriately. Empathy involves understanding and acknowledging the feelings and perspectives of others, and mutual respect involves treating others with dignity and valuing their opinions and ideas.
In addition to these three essential behaviors, there are several micro-skills that are necessary to form a professional/collegial relationship. These micro-skills include effective communication, conflict resolution, and collaboration. Effective communication involves expressing oneself clearly and respectfully, listening actively, and seeking clarification when necessary. Conflict resolution involves identifying and addressing conflicts in a constructive manner, and collaboration involves working together with others to achieve a common goal.
b) Active listening is fundamental to creating a professional/collegial relationship because it demonstrates that you are interested in the speaker and value their opinion. By actively listening, you can better understand the needs and concerns of others and work together to find solutions. Empathy is essential because it allows you to understand the feelings and perspectives of others, which can help you build trust and rapport. Mutual respect is important because it creates a positive and respectful work environment where everyone’s contributions are valued.
Effective communication is critical because it ensures that everyone is on the same page and can work together effectively. Conflict resolution is necessary because disagreements and conflicts are inevitable, and it is essential to address them in a constructive manner to maintain positive working relationships. Collaboration is important because it promotes teamwork and allows individuals to work together to achieve common goals.
c) When working within culturally diverse populations, these micro-skills and behaviors may need to be adapted to meet the needs and expectations of different cultures. For example, in some cultures, active listening may involve maintaining eye contact and nodding, while in other cultures, it may be seen as disrespectful to make prolonged eye contact. In some cultures, empathy may involve expressing emotions openly, while in others, it may be considered inappropriate.
Effective communication may also need to be adapted to cultural differences. For example, some cultures may value indirect communication, while others may prefer direct communication. Conflict resolution may also vary across cultures, with some cultures preferring to avoid conflict altogether, while others may be more confrontational.
One example of a cultural difference in the use of micro-skills is in Japan, where there is a strong emphasis on mutual respect and collaboration. In Japanese culture, active listening involves maintaining eye contact and nodding, and it is important to avoid interrupting others. Empathy is also essential, and it is common for individuals to express their emotions openly. Effective communication in Japan often involves indirect communication, with a focus on polite language and avoiding direct confrontation. Conflict resolution is typically addressed through collaboration and compromise, with an emphasis on preserving relationships.
In conclusion, developing a professional/collegial relationship requires essential behaviors such as active listening, empathy, and mutual respect, as well as micro-skills such as effective communication, conflict resolution, and collaboration. When working within culturally diverse populations, it is important to understand and adapt to cultural differences in the use of these micro-skills and behaviors to promote positive working relationships.
