Human Rights: 8 Principles for Curriculum Renewal in Health
Faculty: Health Sciences
Team: Professor Stephanie Short, Associate Dean Postgraduate, Discipline of Behavioural & Social Sciences in Health; Dr Chris Chaparro, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of Occupational Therapy; Ros Madden, Director, Australian
ICF Disability and Rehabilitation Research Program; Dr Warren Reed, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of Medical Radiation Sciences; Bridianne O’Dea, Associate Lecturer; Opal – Suchaya Thongyoo, Research Assistant.
Contact: Stephanie.short@sydney.edu.au
Challenge: How to instill knowledge, attitudes and behaviours that are
aligned with the eight principles of human rights for persons with disabilities,
in our curricula to positively effect the way our graduates engage in
collaborative learning, health care professional practice and research. The
eight principles are: respect; non-discrimination; participation and inclusion;
respect for difference and acceptance; equality of opportunity; accessibility;
equality between men and women and respect for children.
What we will actually do:
Conduct a curriculum audit of what actually exists in the faculty. Identify resources, activities, examples and elements of curricula around
the faculty where these principles are underpinning learning.
Timeline: October 2011 – January 2012
This project seeks to address a strategic challenge for the Faculty of Health
Sciences in the context of the Faculty Strategic Plan 2011-2015: ‘The
faculty takes as its underpinning proposition the values embedded in the
moral and legal framework of the United Nations Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities (2006) ratified by the Australian Government in
2008.’(FHS Strategic Plan, 2011-2015, p. 2)
Solution: In line with the University of Sydney Graduate Attributes
Statements and the specific attributes listed under Ethical, Social and
Professional Understanding, an opportunity exists for the faculty to build a
culture and community of genuine inclusion by embedding these eight
principles through curriculum renewal into the FHS curriculum Framework
(Figure 1), ensuring all students are able to identify with and build upon
these as they progress through their studies.
Although legislation supporting these principles in health provision and
education is well documented, it is thought that the integration of these into
curricula across the disciplines is sporadic. This project will identify what is
already in existence, provide a framework for future curriculum renewal
projects and provide case examples of how to embed these into teaching
practice.
Total Cost: $14,616.88
Establish a scaffold for curriculum renewal for FHS across the curriculum framework and across years.
Timeline: February 2012 – April 2012
Identify and produce examples and case studies to support the scaffold in the area of Personal and Professional Development.
Table 1: Project action plan and costing
Timeline: May 2012 – July 2012
Evaluate
Disseminate
 Survey student knowledge of principles
 Our Project will be disseminated to the
pre and post project implementation
University community through the Widening
participation Scholars website as an ongoing
resource for interested colleagues at Sydney.
 The Poster will be used at other
Conferences (such as HERDSA and Allied
Health Professionals) and at meetings in the
faculty and University
Run Evaluation focus groups with staff to
evaluate resources and staff awareness of
principles within the curricula
Sustain
 Develop a webpage dedicated to the
project for future reference
Make resources available electronically
for re-usability
References
Chapparo, C. (in press). Paediatric occupational therapy in Australia: Recognizing multiculturalism in policy. In S. Lane and A. Bundy, (Eds.). Kids will
be kids. (pp. 251-269). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis
Palmer G R and S D Short (2010) Health Care and Public Policy: An Australian Analysis, Melbourne: Macmillan, 4 th edition.
Short, S. (1981) An holistic approach towards disabled persons and their rehabilitation, Australian J Physiotherapy, vol. 27, No. 5, , pp. 145-147.
United Nations 2006. UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
University of Sydney , Faculty of Health Sciences (2010) Curriculum Framework: Leadership in People-Oriented Health Care
University of Sydney (2004) Statement of Generic Attributes of Graduates Attributes
University of Sydney , Faculty of Health Sciences (2011) Strategic Plan, 2011-2015
University of Sydney (2011-2015) White Paper
Figure 1- Curriculum Framework for the Faculty of Health Sciences
‘Injunctions such as ‘health for all’, ‘social inclusion’ and ‘closing the gap’ rest on the notion that what is available to some groups in the population should be available to all: access to health and health care is a right, not a privilege.’ …Polices
designed within this social justice perspective can be regarded not so much as meeting the ‘special needs’ of disadvantaged groups but rather as guaranteeing basic rights to health and health care’ (Palmer and Short, 2010: p. 278)