XNB149 Nutrition Communication

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

One of the core competencies for nutritionists and dietitians is to be able to translate and communicate complex, scientific concepts into practical everyday advice for a variety of audiences. This requires an understanding of learning and health behaviour change theory as well as the various channels for communication. This unit will develop your understanding and skills in communicating evidence-based nutrition information to a variety of audiences taking into consideration literacy, learning styles and other contextual factors. The aim of this unit is to develop your communication skills and basic theoretical perspectives to design and evaluate effective nutrition communication strategies for individuals, groups and populations. For dietetic students, counselling skills will be further developed in the third year of your program.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Describe the principles and styles of communication in nutrition and dietetics including elementary counselling with individuals, groups, populations and other professionals. [XN43, XN45 CLO-1]
2. Identify and apply key learning and behaviour change theories that underpin nutrition communication to individuals and groups [XN43, XN45 CLO-1,3]
3. Demonstrate the communication of technical food and nutrition information to identified range of audiences utilising a variety of contemporary media [XN43, XN45 CLO-2,3]
4. Apply the principles of communication to the diet history method [XN43, XN45 CLO-3]
5. Demonstrate academic and professional core skills including ethical practice, reflection, critical cultural consciousness. [XN43, XN45 CLO-4]

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit takes a blended approach to learning. Self-directed materials will be available online and these will be discussed and applied in tutorials where practical examples and role plays will take place using simulation and an experiential approach. The tutorials will be where you will apply the theory and principles learnt online and provide an opportunity to complete assessment tasks.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback will be provided in the following ways:

• Formative quizzes online and in tutorials to assist in consolidating theory
• Via the Canvas discussion board
• Generic feedback to the whole class
• Written comments and the criteria sheet on the completion of assessment

Assessment

Overview

There are three assessments in this unit that will enable you to apply the underpinning theory and principles in developing communication that translates nutrition information. Each assessment enables you to develop your professionalism and to build your portfolio for practice as a nutrition professional.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Presentation

This assessment item takes the form of a 3-5 minute translation of practical nutrition advice for an intended audience. You will video-record your presentation and upload to a designated YouTube channel. You will be required to watch the contributions of your peers and provide feedback.  You will be assessed on your engagement with the audience, your communication style and your ability to explain a technical task. It will be unscripted.

Assessment: Creative Work

This creative work will be developed around a particular nutrition issue or event. It will demonstrate the application of a health behaviour change theory and adult learning principles. The creative work will be accompanied by a group presentation which demonstrates the application of communication theory and principles. This creative work could take the form of written resources, social media activities and a group presentation.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Portfolio

This portfolio will include application of the theory on a range of nutrition and dietetic practice examples from the field and will include activities, critiques, and reflections  relating to nutrition communication and counselling.  Examples of activities, reflections, critiques and the application of theory could include the following:

• Observation of a dietetic counselling session
• Observation of a group nutrition education session
• The use of an interpreter in a dietetic consultation
• Your attempt at and reflection of diet history taking
• Development of a written resource related to food and/or nutrition                               
• Interprofessional skills utilised in nutrition and dietetic practice

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Holli and Beto (2018) Nutrition Counselling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals, 7th Edition

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.