Course structure

The Certificate II in Animal Care (ACM20121) is a 12-month course delivered asynchronously online.

The course aims to develop the skills and knowledge of workers who care for animals in workplaces such as animal shelters, boarding/daycare facilities, sanctuaries, and veterinary clinics. The work activities are routine, performed under supervision and within clearly defined guidelines.

In addition to the online learning modules that cover foundational knowledge for this course, you will have the opportunity to undertake a Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) placement.

SWL provides you the exposure to apply what you’ve learnt throughout the course and helps you gain hands-on industry experience as aligned to the units of competency.

Refer to the Course Overview page for more information about the units of competency for this course.

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

As online learning may be a new experience for you, it is highly 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 that studying needs to fit around your life and that sometimes things don’t go according 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.

Here is what to expect in your learning platform:

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

The learning modules include:

• Topics that are filled with informative content, web links, and engaging videos
• Interactive learning activities that can be found throughout each of the topics will assist you in retaining important information that will be needed in assessments
• Additional resources that can enrich your learning experience and provide you with useful links to sample documents, factsheets, articles, industry publications and templates that will be of effective use in this course. Additional resources often include content that will prepare you for assessment tasks
• Learning checkpoints or self-check activities are available at the end of each topic to help you to check your understanding of the content covered
• 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

Too much knowledge is never enough. Your trainers have a wealth of experience in the animal care and management sector and are always enthusiastic to share what they know with you.

Your trainers will inform you of the details for any upcoming webinars during 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 where possible to connect with trainers and other students. This will add to your learning experience and help you stay motivated, grow and progress in your course.

The links to the webinar recordings will be provided for you to access online.

There will be times throughout your studies when you 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 to interact with others, it is important you know the correct person to contact for your type of query. Have a look at the different people that you can turn to and the best way to reach them:

• 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.

  Feedback: Trainers and assessors will provide formal and informal feedback to the student at regular intervals. They can help clarify any uncertainties and give you 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 attend live webinars. Just like the trainers, you can contact other peers by using the messaging system on 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

  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 going 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 events may include a range of the following:

Online quizzes

Online quizzes 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 will provide you with immediate feedback after you’ve completed them. 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 (SAQs)

For this type of assessment, you are expected to provide written answers. Often, a word count range is specified in the question. Some questions would require you to:

• simply list your answers in point form
• provide brief explanations
• fill-in a table format with written answers
• provide answers based on a given scenario.

These assessments are provided to you as Word documents, which you can download from the online learning platform.

Structured Workplace Learning Assessment (SWLA)

This includes evidence collected through portfolio assessments and assessor-guided interview processes. 

Although all units in this course have SWLA components, you will not commence SWLA until Module 7. This ensures that you will successfully complete the theoretical components of learning and assessment in the first 7 online modules prior to attending an approved facility. 

The portfolio assessments in the SWLA may:

• include a simulated work environment in the form of a scenario with a narrative surrounding a fictitious workplace named Bray’s K9 Rescue & Rehabilitation, where you are an employee of the company being given specific instructions and tasks to complete for the assessment
• include roleplays and practical demonstrations where you will submit the evidence in the form of audio and video recordings
• require the use of materials, tools and equipment to complete specific animal care activities according to their brief. This includes equipment and materials that are typically used in an animal care workplace, technology and software programs for drafting workplace documentation (e.g. Microsoft Word) and electronic communication (e.g. Microsoft Outlook).

More information on the Structured Workplace Learning and Assessment (SWLA) can be found in:

• the Course Overview page
• Structured Workplace Learning and Assessment | Swinburne Open.