Units

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Sample subject outline - 6 Week Teaching Period - 4 2013

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

Rationale

Numerous government reports and ongoing discussions about reconciliation have called for an increased commitment to Indigenous education in Australia. As teachers, you are increasingly being asked to improve your skills, knowledge and understanding in order to teach Indigenous students, and to teach curricula which incorporates Indigenous viewpoints on social, cultural and historical matters. This unit is about understanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives on history and contemporary issues, and why Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students continue to be disadvantaged by education systems.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to increase your awareness of your own cultural positioning in Australia, and understand how it affects your experiences as a student, and how it will affect your future as an educator. The conceptual, ethical and critical frameworks developed in this unit will carry over into the learning you do throughout your program of study and throughout your teaching career. You will be better prepared to both work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners, and to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander perspectives in your own teaching for all students.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1. Understand the socially, culturally, historically constructed nature of knowledge. [QCT Standard 1]
2. Gather information from a range of sources to evaluate learning activities and how to use this information to improve teaching, learning and assessment strategies and resources. [QCT Standard 1]
3. Design and implement learning experiences that develop language and literacy and that demonstrate a sound fundamental knowledge of language forms and features and textual structures of spoken/ written/ visual multimodal texts; provide evidence of attaining acceptable standards of academic, professional and personal spoken and written English language literacies relating to this unit. [QCT Standard 2]
4. Have a sound fundamental knowledge of Australian Indigenous culture and history. [QCT Standard 4]
5. Reflect critically on personal professional practice. [QCT Standard 10]

Content

This unit will cover the following topics:

• examines theoretical positions about identity and culture as a way to understand invisible and taken-for-granted values and assumptions in Australia;



• explores how we are shaped by history, the media and popular press in order to critically analyse Australia's social, political and historical contexts;



• explores knowledge about Australia, its history and issues experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples particularly in relation to schooling is a key component of this unit. This includes and exploration of what schools should be like, issues of inclusion and exclusion and a clarification of teaching beliefs and practices.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit is designed to make you think and engage with selected topics. It encourages you to take responsibility for, and develop a clear approach to your own learning. It is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials and on-line discussions. The assessment items require you to reflect critically on presented materials and use specific criteria to apply this to educational contexts. First Year Experience Principles will be applied as appropriate.

Assessment

Assessment is both formative and summative. Formative assessment is provided through feedback in tutorial sessions, on the Blackboard site Discussion Board and in responses and feedback on Assessment Tasks.
Summative assessment consists of:

Assessment name: Critique (written)
Description: Analysis of two media articles.
Length: 700 words
Relates to objectives: 1, 4 & 5
Weight: 20%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Early-Semester

Assessment name: Essay
Description: Academic analysis; Students can choose to complete an essay OR rationale and creative presentation.
Length: 1500 words or equivalent
Relates to objectives: 1 - 5
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid-Semester

Assessment name: Professional Plans
Description: Write a detailed rationale and develop a lesson plan for embedding Indigenous perspectives in your teaching area.
Length: 2500 words
Relates to objectives: 1 - 5
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End-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

Text

Phillips, J., & Lampert, J. (2005). Introductory Indigenous studies in education: The importance of knowing. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson.

References

MCEETYA (2006) Australian directions in Indigenous education 2005-2008 http://www.mceetya.edu.au/verve/_resources/Australian_Directions_in_Indigenous_Education_2005-2008.pdf

McConaghy, C. (2000). Rethinking Indigenous education: Culturalism, colonialism and the politics of knowing. Flaxton: Post Press.

Taylor, L (et al). (2005). The power of knowledge, the resonance of tradition. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with the general conduct of 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: 30-Oct-2012