Orientation and Mobility (O&M) specialist education: Reflecting on the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Graduate Diploma in O&M
, , , , , and | Dec 28, 2023
About this article
Published Online: Dec 28, 2023
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Accepted: Dec 04, 2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/vri-2024-0004
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© 2023 Walker, M et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Challenges and factors that influenced the UNSW Graduate Diploma in O&M programme design
| Industry stakeholder/employer selection and sponsorship of O&M students through their specialist training. | Open student access to the course. Training and competence are the responsibility of the university. | |
| Partnership with industry and O&M profession through consultation and a National Steering Committee. | ||
| Financially non-viable to employ and cover all tuition costs due to attrition and movement of industry work force. | Student education independence: self-pay with availability of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). | |
| Industry supports WIL and, in some cases, provides bonded scholarships. | ||
| Attempts by state organisations to train O&M's locally with connections to separate state-based education institutions. | UNSW programme design to encourage students from across Australia, using online education delivery and training students in their home state and rural locations wherever possible. | |
| Difficulty gaining sufficient student numbers to make programmes viable and sustainable in the long term. | ||
| Greater amount of face-to-face and synchronous learning required. | Online asynchronous lectures, with practicals and WIL in home state, where possible. | |
| Enhancing use of new developments in online learning technology, such as interactive online learning modules and cloud-based video conferencing platforms. | ||
| Practical work is very time consuming and costly. | Remains a time-consuming component. The programme has explored innovative teaching methods to reduce the time taken, including: the development of online videos to demonstrate best practice techniques with students able to practice in their homes; and the use of practical tutors in student's home states. A trial in the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) will begin in 2024 with the intention of reducing the time and cost of practical skill learning components. | |
| Not specifically designed to meet ACVREP core domain requirements for COMS certification. | Designed from initial concept phase of development to meet ACVREP core domain requirements for COMS certification. | |
| Programmes of various lengths with most recent programmes at master's level and taking 18–24 months. | Graduate Diploma level chosen as balance between maintaining academic rigour and candidate's ability to complete the programme in a shorter timeframe (1 year). | |
| Challenge remains to cover required content in 1 year. | ||