Student Essay Competition

SPA’s Ethics Board is pleased to
announce the 3rd annual student
ethics essay competition:

 

Competition criteria

To be eligible to participate in this competition, you must be:

  • Enrolled in an undergraduate or post graduate speech pathology degree program in Australia
  • Enrolled part-time or full-time during the 2025 academic year
  • You do not need to be a member of Speech Pathology Australia to enter the competition

Essay Question

How might speech pathologists use ethical principles to address risks associated with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) so that their professional practice supports safe, high quality, person-centered care?

 

Background context

Technology is rapidly evolving which creates new opportunities and challenges for speech pathologists. Speech Pathology Australia supports the use of emerging and developing technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) by speech pathologists for a range of activities, including but not limited to delivery of safe, evidence based speech pathology services (SPA 2024). In response to this rapidly evolving area, Speech Pathology Australia published a new position statement in 2024: Artificial intelligence in speech pathology: Ethical considerations. The document provides information on Speech Pathology Australia's position and guiding principles in the creation and application of AI to speech pathology services. Appendix 1 provides a summary of the key ethical standards in the use of AI in speech pathology. In addition, to support the position statement Speech Pathology Australia published a FAQ on ethical considerations in the use of AI in speech pathology.

All members of Speech Pathology Australia make a commitment to uphold the professional values, principles and standards within the SPA Code of Ethics (2020). This includes the application of current and emerging technologies in a professional, safe and evidence-based manner. Speech pathologists must comply with relevant legislation, standards and procedures to protect the safety, wellbeing and confidentiality of the individual people and communities they serve. Speech pathologists must be aware of the digital environmental impact of using AI for and with the individuals and communities we serve.

Essay Requirements

Word count

A maximum of 2500 words (including tables and a maximum of 30 references), excluding the title and author's name.

Format and style

  • Submissions must be in a Word document (.doc/.docx).
  • All content including references must follow the American Psychological Association (APA-7th Edition) (2020) style.
  • A maximum of five levels of heading (preferable 2-3 levels) should be used.
  • Clear and concise writing is best. Use short sentences and plain English.
  • It is recommended that all submissions follow the JCPSLP publishing guidelines, which can be found here.
  • For further style and structure guidance, please read past editions of JCPSLP Ethical Conversations columns and past student winning essays here and here.

Originality

Material submitted must be your original work. Students are responsible for making clear attributions on the use or involvement of AI in the creation of the essay. Essays may be screened for AI use and will not be accepted if they are found to include content developed through use of AI that is not disclosed. All quotations and material drawn from other sources must be appropriately cited. If copyright clearance is required to use material included in your article, please supply evidence that this has been obtained. Papers already published or being considered for other publications cannot be accepted.

Other considerations:

Evaluation Criteria

Essays will be evaluated using the following criteria:

  • Reference to the SPA Code of Ethics and other relevant SPA documents
  • Clear, accurate and well-reasoned discussion, supported by appropriately chosen and cited evidence
  • Scope of discussion
  • Originality of thought
  • Clear strategies to address the discussion points proactively in your own practice
  • The use of your university's process guideline for the ethical use of AI in supporting the creation of the essay
  • Concise writing, free of spelling mistakes, grammatical and punctuation errors and typographic mistakes
  • Alignment with APA-7 style guidelines

Assessment rubric

Performance Levels
Adequate Inadequate
Criteria (based on learning outcomes) Advanced Sound Basic/Limited

1. Identify the ethical principles to support ethical decision-making in the creation, administration of and delivery of speech pathology services using AI.

Demonstrates solid understanding of the key ethical principles in the use of AI within professional services. Consistently relates ethical principles to literature and standards of practice.

Identifies the most significant ethical principles. Relates to some literature and standards of practice.

Identifies one pertinent ethical principle but not key relevant issues. Occasionally relates to standards of practice but displays limited awareness.

2. Identify how the principles relate to the identification and management of the risks of using AI within speech pathology services.

Provides thorough demonstration and application of how ethical principles can be used within a risk management framework to guide and ensure ethical decision making.

Provides information on how ethical principles can be used within a risk management framework to explore the main issues.

Provides basic identification and description of how ethical principles can be used within a risk management framework.

3. Discuss opportunities and challenges of the use of AI in supporting a speech pathologist to uphold their commitment to providing safe, culturally responsive, person centered care.

Comprehensively discusses opportunities and challenges relating to safe, person centered care, including referencing relevant literature. Explores strengths and limitations of AI use to support the delivery of safe, person centered care. Proposes methods to evaluate safe, quality and effective health care.

Incorporates concepts of culture and cultural responsiveness practice in the context of person centered care.

Sound discussion of the main opportunities and challenges relating to person centered care, including referencing relevant literature. Explores the main strengths and limitations of AI use in the delivery of safe, person centered care. Suggests one method of evaluation.

Acknowledges concepts of culture and cultural responsiveness are a part of person centered care.

Basic discussion of the opportunities and challenges of using AI to deliver safe, person centered care, some references to relevant literature. Some strengths and limitations of AI use to support safe, person centered care are described.

4. Reasoning

Describes detailed integrated approach to planning the management of the issues identified. Identifies long term and short term actions, roles and responsibilities.

Describes a sound approach to planning the management of the issues identified. Identifies long term and short term actions, roles and responsibilities.

Describes a basic approach to planning the management of the issues identified. Limited identification of long term and short term actions, roles and responsibilities.

5. Communication

Thorough consideration of key stakeholders and relationships pertinent to identified ethical opportunities and challenges.

Identification of main stakeholders and relationships pertinent to identified ethical opportunities and challenges.

Limited identification of some stakeholders and relationships pertinent to identified ethical opportunities and challenges.

6. Lifelong learning

Comprehensively describes utilisation of ethical decision making and benefits of an AI ethical framework to manage the opportunities and challenges. Demonstrates insight into the need for reflective practice.

Describes utilisation of ethical decision making and most benefits of an AI ethical framework to manage the opportunities and challenges. Discusses the need for reflective practice.

Limited description of utilisation of ethical decision making and identifies only basic benefits of an AI ethical framework to manage the opportunities and challenges. Limited discussion regarding reflective practice.

Submission details

Submit your essay by email to Kelly, SPA Ethics Advisor on [email protected] by 29 August 2025.

 

We look forward to receiving your entry!