Course Stucture

The Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs is a 2 year course delivered asynchronously online.

The course aims to develop the skills and knowledge for individuals to effectively provide services and interventions to clients with alcohol and other drugs issues, as well as to implement health promotion and community interventions within established parameters and under the guidance of other practitioners and professionals.

The Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs comprises 17 units of competency. This includes 12 core units and 5 pre-selected elective units. These units are reflected in the table below.

Each unit of competency is addressed in a module within this course.

Online learning has become increasingly popular over the years. It is one of the most convenient, flexible and effective ways to study. Setting aside dedicated hours of study each week, and creating a study plan, with set goals of completion for each module will help you in setting yourself up for success.

As online learning may be a new experience for you, it is suggested that you take your time to explore and familiarise yourself with the learning platform and course requirements. It might feel a little overwhelming at first, but please remember, though you are enrolled in an online course, it does not mean you are alone. The staff here at Swinburne Open Education, including trainers, assessors and Student Support officers, are more than happy to support you through your learning journey. It is our goal as much as it is yours, to see you graduate!

We understand studying needs to fit around your life, and that sometimes things don’t go to plan. Our learning platform is designed with this in mind – flexible study for busy lives.

Refer to Swinburne Open Online Study - FAQs to find a series of frequently asked questions relevant to online study that you may find useful.

Within your learning platform, you will find:

• your learning materials and assessments,
• avenues to engage and interact with your trainer,
• opportunities to participate in student forums and find a ‘study buddy’,
• instructions to access and submit your assessments,
• a Structured Workplace Learning and Assessment (SWLA) practical module,
• your assessment grades and feedback,
• access to student support services.

Throughout this course you will be provided with sequential learning modules that will build on your knowledge and skill as you progress through your course. Each module will contain useful information on the Unit of Competency that will be later assessed.

Your online learning modules include:

• topics that are filled with informative content, weblinks, and engaging videos,
• interactive learning activities and reflections that will assist you in retaining important information needed in assessments,
• additional resources to enrich your learning experience such as links to sample documents, factsheets, articles, industry publications and templates that will be helpful throughout the course and in your future career,
• learning checkpoints or self-check activities that help you check your understanding of the content covered in each topic,
• discussion forum activities that can enrich your learning experience by engaging in discussions relevant to the topic content with other students enrolled in the course.

Webinars

In addition you will be able to access regular webinars throughout your course. Webinars presented by your trainers cover a range of useful topics, provide assistance for assessments, and more! It is highly encouraged that you participate in webinars wherever possible to aid in connecting with trainers and other students. This will add to your learning experience and help you stay motivated, grow and progress in your course.

You will be informed by your trainers of the details for any upcoming webinars during your course and links to webinar recordings will also be provided for you to access online.

Structured Workplace Learning and Assessment (SWLA)

Structured Workplace Learning and Assessment (SWLA) requires you to complete part of your training and assessment in a real workplace as a condition of specific units of competency. Learning for these units will be commenced in the modules themselves with additional practical or more complex components completed during actual industry work placement in line with the SWLA module.

More information on SWLA is captured below.

There will be times throughout your studies when you will have a query or two, and may need to reach out for help, or you simply want to speak with others during your studies to maintain your engagement in your learning. Regardless of the need for interacting with others, it is important you know the correct person to contact for your type of query.

Trainers

There is no such thing as a silly question, so take advantage of the messaging system within your learning platform to contact your trainers for any type of learning and assessment assistance.

Trainers and assessors will also provide formal and informal feedback to the student at regular intervals. They can help clarify any uncertainties and give you the confidence in understanding the learning and assessments.

Students

Some students like to ‘buddy-up’. Getting yourself a study buddy can help in encouraging progression and motivation. You can meet study buddies on the online forums, and by attending live webinars. Just like the trainers, you can contact other peers by using the messaging system in the online platform. Although you are responsible for your own learning, having a study buddy can keep you accountable and move forward toward the completion of your course. It is important to note that while Swinburne Open Education encourages you to have a study buddy if you wish to do so, you must abide by student codes of conduct relating to communications and assessment submission.

Note: From time to time, you may also be required to contact a trainer and students as a part of your assessment requirements.

Discussion forums

These are used to provide current and relevant updates and engage students in social interactions.

Student Support

Contact our friendly Student Support team regarding any queries relating to your course enrolment. These may include queries relating to course extensions, course completion, payment, login access, unique student identifier etc. Student support, unlike your trainer, has no industry knowledge and experience and cannot answer any questions relating to your learning and assessments. Please redirect those messages to your trainer.

After working through the learning content for each module, you will complete a series of theory and practical assessments. The completion of these assessment events will demonstrate your knowledge and skills for each unit of competency.

Assessment types may vary, however will include a range of the following:

• Quizzes
• Short answer questions
• Projects, reports or written assessments
• Structured Workplace Learning and Assessment (SWLA)

Quizzes

Online quizzes may include a range of question types such as:

• Ordering
• Matching
• Drag and drop
• Multiple choice
• Fill-in the blanks

Online quizzes are auto-marked and would provide you with immediate feedback after you’ve completed it. All questions in an online quiz must be answered correctly to achieve a satisfactory outcome.

You will have a total of three (3) attempts to achieve a satisfactory result.

Short answer questions

Short answer question assessments are usually applied to knowledge-based questions. Short answer questions may require you to:

• identify or list,
• explain, summarise or describe,
• outline a process,
• complete a table of information, or
• respond to scenarios provided.

Where appropriate a word count range is applied to the question. If this is approximate, you are required to answer within 10% of the word count indicated.

For this type of assessment, you access your assessment document from the LMS and capture your answers in the spaces or format indicated before saving them as a PDF and submitting it for grading.

You will have a total of three (3) attempts to achieve a satisfactory result.

Projects, reports, case studies and role plays

While they may also cover some knowledge based components, practical skill are generally captured in the following assessment types:

• Projects
  Projects are hands-on tasks that require learners to apply their skills and knowledge to solve real-world problems or complete specific tasks. Learners may work individually or in groups to design, plan, and execute a project. The assessment evaluates their ability to apply theoretical concepts and practical skills to produce a tangible outcome or result.
• Reports
  Reports are written documents that allow learners to demonstrate their understanding of a particular topic or issue related to their vocational area. Learners may need to conduct research, analyse data, and present their findings in a structured and coherent manner. Reports assess learners' research, analytical, and communication skills.
• Case Studies
  Case studies involve analysing and responding to real or simulated scenarios that are relevant to the learners' vocational field. Learners are required to identify problems, propose solutions, and make decisions based on their knowledge and expertise. Case studies assess learners' problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making abilities.
• Role Plays
  Role plays involve learners assuming specific roles and engaging in simulated interactions or scenarios relevant to their vocational field. Learners may play the role of a customer, client, colleague, or supervisor, and are evaluated on their ability to apply communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills in a practical context.

You will have a total of three (3) attempts to achieve a satisfactory result.

Structured Workplace Learning and Assessment (SWLA)

Structured Workplace Learning and Assessment (SWLA) requires you to complete part of your training and assessment in a real workplace as a condition of specific units of competency. Assessment for these units will be collected in the modules themselves with additional practical or more complex components completed and evidence collected during actual industry work placement in line with the SWLA module.

More information on SWLA is captured below.