Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Individuals within our society are constantly faced with law-related problems and situations and are expected to have a working knowledge of the law involved. Legal education endeavours to assist students to become active, informed citizens able to participate in the law-making process. This is the second in a suite of three complementary units which can be undertaken in either the Business Education or Social Education Streams. This unit has been designed to prepare you for a professional role as a teacher of secondary school Senior Legal Studies. It will build on the planning and teaching strategies developed in your first curriculum studies unit. The focus of this unit will be on curriculum development, teaching methodologies pertinent to legal studies, as well as on assessment principles in legal studies

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide you with opportunities to develop an understanding of teaching and learning and assessment in legal studies within the senior secondary school.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1. utilise teaching strategies, such as inquiry learning, that promote the active construction of personal knowledge about legal studies and the contribution that legal studies content can make to the education of young people [QCT Standard Three]

2. demonstrate an understanding of the curriculum frameworks and policies, including assessment, relevant to legal studies and of the central concepts, modes of inquiry and structures of the discipline area. [QCT Standard Three; QCT Standard Five]

3. identify and implement teaching and learning strategies, and resources that meet specified learning goals, syllabus requirements, learning needs and learning styles relevant to legal studies. [QCT Standard One]

4. identify the literacy and language demands and opportunities of legal studies (QCT Standard Two)

Content

This unit provides an introduction to the teaching of Legal Studies. It examines the spirit and purpose of legal education and provides an in-depth analysis of the Senior Legal Studies Syllabus. Teaching methodologies, strategies and learning experiences appropriate to the legal studies classroom, as well as the development of practical classroom resources will be explored. This will culminate in the development of units of work, the planning of assessment programs, and the designing of assessment instruments.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Depending on enrolment status (i.e. internal, I-Net) you will experience a range of teaching and learning approaches such as lectures, tutorials, workshops, seminars, group work, discussions, e mail, and self-directed learning through study guides. These are supported by the Blackboard site.

Assessment

Assessment in the unit is both formative and summative and will be viewed in terms of the principle of 'assessment as learning'. Formative assessment is provided through verbal and online feedback, and through written comments on assignment work.

Assessment name: Essay
Description: A reflective essay on legal education and the teaching of legal studies in the classroom.
Length: 2000 words
Relates to objectives: 1 & 2
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid semester

Assessment name: Curriculum development
Description: Design and develop a unit of work and an assessment instrument
Length: 3000 words
Due: End of teaching period
Relates to objectives: 2, 3, & 4
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid - Late semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Texts

Queensland Studies Authority (2013). Legal Studies Senior Syllabus. Available online http://pan.search.qld.gov.au/search/search.cgi?query=legal+studies+&num_ranks=10&tiers=off&collection=qld-gov&profile=queensland-studies-authority

Course Materials Database (CMD) Readings. Unit Online Learning and Teaching (Blackboard) site, QUT

Risk assessment statement

There is no out-of-the-ordinary risk associated with this unit. Workplace health and safety protocols in relation to computer use will apply.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 10-Jan-2013