SPH 532 Hurdle Tasks and Passing Requirements

SPH 532 Hurdle Task Requirements

• Definition of a Hurdle Task: The assessment task in subject SPH 532 is officially designated as a "hurdle task." This status signifies that a student must pass this specific assessment in addition to passing the subject overall.

• Overall Subject Passing Grade: To pass the subject in its entirety, a student must achieve an aggregate mark of $50\%$.

• Assessment Task Performance Threshold:

  • To pass this specific hurdle assessment task, a student must achieve an overall mark equivalent to $50\%$ of the total available marks for the task.

  • Notably, a student is not required to achieve a pass level for every individual criterion within the task.

  • It is possible to receive a fail mark in one or more individual criteria and still pass the task overall, provided the aggregate score for the task reaches the $50\%$ threshold.

• Frequency in Curriculum: Hurdle tasks become increasingly common as students enter their third and final year subjects.

Rationale and Professional Accreditation

• Speech Pathology Australia Accreditation: The primary reason for designating specific assessments as hurdles is the accreditation agreement with Speech Pathology Australia.

• Evidence of Readiness: These tasks are designed to provide key evidence of a student's readiness to enter the professional workforce.

• Comprehensive Coverage: Across the various assessment tasks in the third and final years, students engage with different populations and various practice areas. All these assessments come together to form an overall picture of professional competence.

• Subject Importance: This specific assessment task in SPH 532 is a critical piece of evidence regarding the student's preparation to enter the speech pathology profession.

Eligibility Criteria for Additional Assessment

• Marginal Fail Grade: A student may be offered an additional assessment if they receive a marginal fail grade for the subject overall.

  • This occurs when the overall mark (combining Assessment 1 and Assessment 2) is between $45\%$ and $49.4\%$.

  • Rounding Rule: A mark of $49.5\%$ is automatically rounded up to a pass grade of $50\%$.

• Hurdle Failure with Subject Pass: An additional assessment is also offered if a student fails one or more hurdle assessment tasks (such as Assessment 2: the simulated clinical interaction) but has achieved an overall subject mark of at least $50\%$.

Summary of Potential Outcomes and Eligibility

• Scenario 1: Assessment 2 Fail + Aggregate Mark $\ge 50\%$

  • In this situation, the student is eligible for an additional assessment.

  • The additional assessment typically consists of a resit of Assessment 2.

• Scenario 2: Assessment 2 Fail + Aggregate Mark between $45\%$ and $49.4\%$

  • In this situation, the student is eligible for an additional assessment.

  • The additional assessment consists of a resit of Assessment 2.

• Scenario 3: Assessment 2 Fail + Aggregate Mark < 45\%

  • In this situation, the result is an outright fail.

  • The student is NOT eligible for an additional assessment.

  • Historical Precedent: The instructor notes that based on recent history, an outright fail is very unlikely and has not seen it occur during their tenure in this subject.

Additional Assessment Logistics and Student Support

• Scheduling: If an additional assessment (resit) is required, it is arranged between the instructor and the student at a time that works for all involved parties.

• Debriefing and Feedback: Instructors are mindful that students may need to debrief regarding their scores and feedback from the first attempt before attempting the resit.

• Preparation: Meeting with instructors provides an opportunity to discuss strategies and preparation methods for the second attempt.

• Psychosocial Context: The instructor acknowledges that hurdle tasks may cause increased stress and anxiety, but emphasizes they are essential for professional entry requirements.