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Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Advanced

Former School/College

Former School of Health and Human Sciences

Pre-requisites

BHS20008 - Quantitative Methods in Psychology

Unit aim

Introduces students to the basic knowledge and concepts of Human Factors Psychology. The ways in which systems performance is affected by human behaviour, cognition, and emotion are examined. Special attention is paid to the impact of human factors in the context of health, including ways of increasing patient safety and enhancing therapeutic outcomes through appropriate behavioural management, training and education.

Unit content

Lectures from content experts and reading Lectures, supported by reading materials, will be held in Weeks 1 to 6, with the goal of ensuring that students have a solid underpinning of theory and evidence upon which to base their project development. Topics will include - Understanding, measuring, and reducing error - Biology and performance - Behaviour and performance - Cognition and performance - The process of workplace design - The human factors of education and training 

Human factors in action project Students will design and implement a project in which they collect data relating to a human factors situation of their choice. Before conducting this research during Weeks 7-12 they will be required to submit a proposal outlining their idea and describing how any potential ethical issues have been taken into consideration. These proposals will be reviewed by two peers as well as the teaching staff of the unit. This research will be submitted in the form of a conventional APA-style laboratory report, a consultation paper, or a case study depending upon the nature of the work conducted.

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 demonstrate an understanding of factors affecting human performance and decision making such as perception, cognition, fatigue, body rhythms, fitness, and stress
2 identify design factors that lead to efficient use of everyday technology, and the built environment (good design) as well as factors that impede efficiency (poor design)
3 explain the nature of human error and discuss the role of human factors in incidents and accidents
4 identify and/or design methods used to reduce the risk of accidents and incidents
5 provide an evaluation and critical analysis of a work setting in relation to human factors issues (safety, efficiency, etc.), identifying or making recommendations for changes as required.
6 conduct research that conforms to ethical standards pertaining to human factors research in the field or workplace

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. demonstrate an understanding of factors affecting human performance and decision making such as perception, cognition, fatigue, body rhythms, fitness, and stress
    • GA4:
  2. identify design factors that lead to efficient use of everyday technology, and the built environment (good design) as well as factors that impede efficiency (poor design)
    • GA4:
  3. explain the nature of human error and discuss the role of human factors in incidents and accidents
    • GA4:
  4. identify and/or design methods used to reduce the risk of accidents and incidents
    • GA2:
  5. provide an evaluation and critical analysis of a work setting in relation to human factors issues (safety, efficiency, etc.), identifying or making recommendations for changes as required.
    • GA2:
  6. conduct research that conforms to ethical standards pertaining to human factors research in the field or workplace
    • GA6: