Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

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

Rationale

Internship is the experience that bridges preservice teaching and beginning teaching. The Early Childhood Professional Internship differs from field studies conducted earlier in your degree and is undertaken after the successful completion of all other course requirements. The internship provides an enriched and authentic set of learning experiences for you, as the preservice teacher, and for teachers and other personnel at the internship site. The internship offers a learning experience which promotes life-long, professional learning as a teacher. As an intern, you will take on the status and position of an Associate Teacher, registered with the Queensland College of Teachers.

Designated Unit
This is a designated unit. Designated units are field experience units deemed to be critical to progress in your course. At the end of each semester, if you fail to achieve a satisfactory level of performance in a designated unit you may be eligible for a period of probation or exclusion.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to induct you, as a graduate preservice teacher, into the professional work of early childhood teachers. It aims to have you apply the knowledge, skills and understandings of teaching and learning that you have acquired throughout your course to an authentic workplace setting.

Objectives

Work in the real world of the early childhood settings is aligned to the following objectives so that on successful completion of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and appreciation of the totality of teachers' work within a learning and teaching community; [QCT Standard Nine; QCT Standard Ten]
2. Autonomously and interdependently work to make decisions to manage, implement and assess quality teaching and learning experiences for all individuals within your responsibility. [QCT Standard One; QCT Standard Three; QCT Standard Five]
3. Critically reflect on a range of professional experiences, challenges and realities of teaching, making explicit links between theory and practice; [QCT Standard Nine: QCT Standard Ten]
4. Collaborate with professional peers in order to enhance your on going professional growth; [QCT Standard Ten]
5. Articulate a professional identity reflecting the transition from pre-service to the next induction phase. [QCT Standard Six; QCT Standard Nine; QCT Standard Ten]
6. Demonstrate acceptable standards of communication and professional responsibility. [QCT Standard Two; QCT Standard Nine]

Content

The content of the internship is directly related to the roles and responsibilities of a registered teacher and to the specific internship model which fits within the context of your site. The models reflect the diversity of ways in which professional learning can be developed and knowledge acquired.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Approaches to teaching and learning in this unit have been designed to facilitate your induction into the teaching field as an early childhood professional. The major teaching and learning strategy will be the on-site experience of the internship itself. Other teaching and learning activities in the unit include internship briefing sessions, internship de-briefing sessions and guest speaker presentations from a range of teaching professionals.

Assessment

Assessment in this unit is both formative and summative. Formative assessment is provided in the internship setting through feedback from both the mentor-teacher and university-liason academic. Summative assessment in the unit is on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. It requires the successful completion of 20 days (4 weeks) of Professional Internship. It also entails joint development of an Internship Report by you as Intern and by your Mentor teacher. Both Items of assessment must be completed at a satisfactory level to meet the requirements of this unit. Summative assessment comprises the following items.

Assessment name: Internship Report.
Description: Report completed by you, in conjunction with your mentor, towards the end of your internship.
Length: Up to 1000 words and/or artifacts.
Due Date: End of week 4 of the Internship block.
Relates to objectives: 1 - 5
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End W-4 Internship

Assessment name: Internship
Description: 20 days internship in an early childhood setting.
Satisfactory completion of all outcomes of the internship
Relates to objectives: 1 - 5
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: See description

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

References

Barry, K., & King, L. (2005). Beginning teaching and beyond (4th ed). Tuggerah, NSW: Social Science Press.
Groundwater-Smith, S., Ewing, R., & Le Cornu, R. (2007). Teaching: Challenges & dilemmas (2nd ed.). Southbank:Thomson Learning.
Marsh, C. (2004). Becoming a teacher: Knowledge, skills and issues. (3rd ed.). French's Forest, NSW: Pearson Education.
Morgan, P. L., Hertzog, C. J., & Gibbs, A. S. (2002). Educational leadership: Performance standards, portfolio assessment, and the internship. Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Press.

Risk assessment statement

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

Blue Card Requirement - Before undertaking any field studies activities involving contact with young children you will be required to hold a Blue Card issued by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian. As soon as you enter your enrolment program for the course, you must submit your Blue Card application to the QUT Student Centre immediately.

The partnership between QUT, the Queensland College of Teachers, Queensland Teachers Union and Employing Agencies should ensure the rights and the responsibilities of all teachers and student teachers are clearly stated with regard to the legal responsibilities of all parties concerned whilst students are undertaking their internship.

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