TOPIC: ‘A SCOURCE OF THE PRESENT: NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES” This second Assessment Task invites you to demonstrate new insights into a noncommunicable disease of your choosing, at a depth commensurate with postgraduate studies, and explore links between the NCD and your research project. A public health, rather than biomedical, perspective is required for this task. Whether your planned Masters or Doctoral research project is about a clinical technique, the use of social media in working with groups with low health literacy or ethical issues in health service governance, there is likely to be a link between your project and noncommunicable diseases. This is because there is such a high prevalence of NCDs, such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and mental health conditions in Australia and countries across the globe. This task is considered as preparatory for Assessment Task 3. Due date: 14 June 2016 Task: There are two components to this Assessment Task: a 1,000 word written piece and a 10 minute oral piece. 1. Select an NCD of interest to you *CHOOSE WHICHEVER HAS THE MOST REFERENCES. MOST OF MY REFERENCES ARE FOR NCDS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA AND OBESITY. I MAY HAVE MORE ON ‘OBESITY’. SO DECIDE. 2. Research recent peer-reviewed literature (journals, textbooks) from the last 10-15 years to investigate: • the social, cultural, economic, political, environmental and genetic factors that are known to be determinants of the NCD, and • how these determinants interact with each other to shape the prevalence of the NCD in a selected population (eg Victoria, Australia or another country). 3. Write a brief 1,000 word paper that: • explains links between your research project and the following: the NCD, determinants of the NCD, and/or the population/s affected by the NCD, and • discusses any implications there might be of the above for your research topic, the literature you will review for your research project, the design of your research project, or other aspect of your research project.Kenya represents a culturally and linguistically diverse environment where over 60 languages are spoken (Nyaga & Anthonissen, 2012; Piper & Zuilkowski, 2015). It is estimated that for a majority of students if English is spoken, it is usually the third of fourth language (Nyaga, 2012). English is however the language of instruction in schools in Kenya. Uwezo, Kenya (2013) conducted an independent study into the literacy achievement of primary school children and found that a third of grade 3 students fail to achieve grade 2 level literacy skills and overall, a large number of students do not have grade 2 level literacy skills even as they near the end of their primary school phase. These findings prompt discussion around the impact of teacher’s cultural and language diversity on how effectively they teach literacy skills in the early years. The early years forming critical foundation blocks to most other learning and although student characteristics such as social factors or ‘home literacy environment’ (Niklas & Schneider, 2012) can have an impact on emergent literacy trajectories and the achievement of other linguistic competencies, these factors can however be mitigated. Studies in the past few decades have demonstrated that effective teachers do in fact improve student performance to a point of ameliorating any existing differences that may have been as a result of student characteristics (Cirino et al., 2007).” The paper should include a brief introduction and conclusion, and a full reference list. 4. Prepare a 10 minute oral presentation in which you present the above findings in a coherent way. 2 The oral presentation can be audio or video. Options for submission are: 1. Via telephone call 2. Via submission of an iPhone audio or video recording 3. Via alternate method with which you are familiar and submitted as an audio or video file. 5. Submit the fully referenced 1,000 word summary paper and your 10 minute oral presentation. MARKING GUIDE Criterion Possible marks 1 Written assessment task /60 Introduction and Conclusion A concise, informative introduction to the assessment task was provided. A concise conclusion that reflects on the focus of the Assessment Task was provided. Possible marks: 5 Analysis Factors that are known to be determinants of the NCD were effectively explained. Possible marks: 5 How determinants of the NCD interact with each other to shape the prevalence of the NCD in a selected population was effectively described. Possible marks: 10 Links between the research project and the NCD, determinants of the NCD and/or the population/s affected by the NCD, were effectively explained. Possible marks: 10 Implications of the NCD for the research project were assessed and briefly explained. Possible marks: 10 Peer-reviewed literature (eg journal articles) and government and nongovernment reports (‘grey literature’) were relevant and properly utilized. Possible marks: 10 Structure, format and presentation • The task was submitted with a cover sheet that includes: name, student ID number, assessment topic, number of words excluding reference list, date, subject name and code • Appropriate format was used • Information was presented in a clear and logical manner • High quality English expression was used; spelling and grammar were accurate • Technical terms or jargon were briefly defined. Possible marks: 5 Academic integrity • All sources of ideas, facts and information were properly acknowledged • APA6 referencing style was used • In-text referencing and reference list were accurate and complete. Possible marks: 5 2 Audio/video assessment task /40 The nature of the NCD was defined and explained. Possible marks: 5 Factors that are known to be determinants of the NCD, and how these factors interact, were identified and clearly explained. Possible marks: 5 Changes in the prevalence of the NCD over recent decades and factors that might have influenced these changes were identified and clearly explained. Possible marks: 5 Implications of findings in this Assessment Task and the proposed research project were assessed and discussed. Possible marks: 15 The oral presentation was confident, fluent, addressed all of the key points and drew effectively on the written assessment task. Possible marks: 10 Total /100 Other recommended resources: 1. Videos: Dr Alessandro Demaio on obesity, health and freedom of choice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG2dziaCmc0 2. Videos: BIG FOOD - Dr Tim Lobstein: 10 Actions to Tackle Obesity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d7qcWaxCSI 3. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs355/en/