The purpose of the module is to provide students with an opportunity to consolidate their knowledge and understanding of assessment and intervention issues in speech and language therapy practice. The module will provide students with an in-depth insight into key developments in the field and an opportunity to develop learner autonomy.

The module will commence with an overview of the current context of health, education and social care related to the role of the SLT in Ireland, the development of speech and language professional practice, and the variety of challenges that have emerged due to the dynamic nature of the health and social care climate. Students will become familiar with current policy, professional guidelines and regulatory standards related to the role of SLT. Students will also develop skills in critical appraisal of research evidence in relation to clinical reasoning. Participants will develop knowledge and skills related to collaboration and peer feedback including appropriate tools and techniques. Students will develop an understanding of frameworks and approaches underpinning problem-based learning. Students will also be provided with an open forum to identify a contemporary issue of their choice, which they will explore within small groups.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: Select a contemporary issue related to speech and language practice in Ireland Analyse the impact of the issue for speech and language therapy practice, service delivery and policy Justify recommendations and future directions in relation to the issue based on quality evidence Reflect on own engagement in the collaborate process including peer review

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: Appreciate the views of others in collaborative problem solving Value the importance of own role and responsibilities in relation to contemporary issues in speech and language therapy practice

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: n/a

This module is fully online and delivered in a summer school format. The module is taught incorporating a mixture of methods including live lectures, tutorials, and group-based workshops. In this module, the student is afforded the opportunity to consolidate their learning on the programme so far by choosing a topic of interest previously covered and to explore the chosen topic in depth (graduate attribute: proactive). The topic may relate to contemporary issue related to the role of the speech and language therapist, a particular service model and/or a specific clinical profile of need. The student will actively participate, collaborate, and engage with the learning process, working with a peer partner over the course of the module to develop a broader view of their own attitudes and insights in relation to the topic (graduate attributes: proactive and collaborative). Students will be provided with the tools needed to define and problem-solve the issue being explored and will be supported to reflect and discuss the process of learning in feedback sessions (graduate attribute: articulate). The student will be introduced to a variety of perspectives and contributions from practising clinicians and service users where relevant to their topic.