JCPSLP Vol 23 No 3

and even peers, to develop competency over time for different levels of learning, and maximise diversity of student experience while on placement. 6 Use the Speech Pathology Professional Standards to create unique learning opportunities The Professional Standards for Speech Pathologists in Australia (Speech Pathology Australia, 2020) provides a roadmap for continued reflection on our knowledge, skills, and attitudes as speech pathologists. Importantly, the Professional Standards recognise the breadth and depth of roles speech pathologists undertake and the contexts in which they work. If you work in a context previously thought not “traditional” or typical and were therefore reluctant to offer placement opportunities, think again! Our workforce will benefit from students being exposed to this broader scope of practice when on placement and students should have every opportunity to experience the multiple hats you wear during your work day. Engage students creatively in the prevention, promotion, education, and advocacy components of your role. They will gain skills of benefit to all workplaces, including yours! 7 Engage consumers in the clinical education process Have you considered that feedback on student performance need not just be generated by you and the learner? The voice of consumers in all aspects of care is increasingly recognised as an essential element in planning and evaluating services. Similarly, seeking consumer feedback on student delivered services can enhance the student’s learning experience. Previous research has found the majority of consumers feel comfortable providing feedback to students and these reflections are often synonymous with those of clinical educators, particularly regarding communication skills. What mechanisms currently exist in your workplace for consumers to provide feedback about the speech pathology services that they are receiving? How could this be extended to sessions with students? 8 Help your students to foster their own teaching skills It is increasingly common for speech pathologists to delegate tasks to less experienced members of the workforce such as volunteers and Allied Health Assistants (AHAs). This delegation improves service efficiency, reduces costs, and enhances patient care. It’s important that students are exposed to the process of delegation (and

task-specific training) on placement and have the opportunity to develop skills in this area. Why not engage your student in a project to develop some orientation or training materials for a new AHA or volunteer? Delegation and training placement activities not only align with COMPASS assessment criteria and the Professional Standards, but can also foster the development of a student’s confidence in their own knowledge and skills. 9 Provide your students with opportunities to develop their employability skills There are many rich learning opportunities for students on placement beyond direct client contact. As already identified, the Professional Standards highlight the breadth and depth of work roles a speech pathologist may undertake. Don’t be afraid to showcase all of your roles to your students—from meetings and case conferences to budget management and business acumen, the speech pathologists of tomorrow will draw upon a raft of skills that extend beyond “traditional” assessment and intervention. 10 Link placement experiences to COMPASS ® and the Professional Standards Finally, assessment is a powerful influence on learning. So, while you are providing creative learning experiences for students in a wider scope of practice as recognised by the Professional Standards, have an explicit conversation with them about how their demonstration of skills in these experiences will be assessed validly (it may not be as obvious to your student as you think!). COMPASS ® : Competency Assessment in Speech Pathology (McAllister et al., 2013) remains a widely-used validated tool to assess students on placement and will be used alongside the Professional Standards for the foreseeable future. Help students understand how the Professional Standards are reflected in your workplace, in the work they are doing now and into the future, and how this relates to their COMPASS ® assessment. We hope that you’ve found these simple tips helpful. Our goal in designing this list was to think of ways to help clinicians make clinical education enjoyable, fulfilling, and efficient. This list is by no means exhaustive, but we hope it helps you to think outside the box when it comes to student learning. If you’d like to keep the conversation going, share your own tips and tricks, or learn from the experiences of others in this space, you are welcome to join the SPICE Community of Practice!

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JCPSLP Volume 23, Number 3 2021

www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au