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

This unit may use the SafeAssign tool in BlackBoard. SafeAssign is a text matching tool that assists students to develop the academic skills required to correctly use and cite reference material as well as to check citations and determine possible instances of plagiarism. You may be asked to use SafeAssign, in which case you will be expected to submit draft and final versions of one or more assignments and to answer a short online survey about the tool. If this is the case, your Unit Coordinator will provide detailed information on how the software will be used for individual assignments. The use of the tool is for educative purposes and is entirely voluntary.

Educational policies across all sectors reflect a commitment to providing quality educational experiences for all learners. As a final year teacher education student you will actively engage with the challenges and practices of designing education that incorporates a range of literacies and diversities in the classroom and the broader educational setting. This field experience is designed for you to engage in developing assessment and reporting strategies in teaching and learning within in your field. You will be required to design, implement and evaluate teaching strategies and assessment tasks that value diversity in a critically reflective way and in a manner that is responsive to the range of the multiliteracies exhibited by students in your classes.

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 enable you to engage in field experiences that will develop orientations to design, implement and assess constructive learning experiences that critically responds to language, literacy and numeracy needs of a diverse range of students.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1. demonstrate teaching and professional conduct appropriate to an enhanced level for a preservice teacher (QCT Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 7]
2. demonstrate your understanding of QCT Standards 4 and 5 through written reflections [QCT Standards 4 & 5]
3. demonstrate appropriate communication skills and literacy in a range of professional teams and contexts [QCT Standards 2 & 9]
4. commit to reflective practice and ongoing professional renewal [QCT Standard 10]

Content

This unit includes the following topics:

- The content of this unit is responsive to the professional practice in which you engage during field studies, and is built around the key areas of assessment, multi-literacies and diversity. Field Studies Three is central to the synthesis of your previous studies and the application of your learning in the field.
- You will work cooperatively with your professional classroom teachers taking a leadership role in the final stages of this field experience through planning, teaching and assessment programs in an ongoing and continuous manner throughout the twenty days.
- You will also engage with teams of teachers and other significant stakeholders such as the Learning Support Team, Guidance Officers, Parents, Advisory Visiting Teachers, Community Liaison Officers and members of the Leadership Team so as to fully interrogate the nature of inclusive education in a specific context.
- You will do so in critically reflective ways through individual, collaborative team discussions, active teaching and fulfilling the duties of a teacher across the school sector.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit will be offered using a combination of lectures and the completion of a field studies placement. Emphasis will be placed on an inquiry-orientated discursive approach. Lecture notes and resources will be posted on Blackboard to support your learning.

Assessment

Assessment in this unit is both formative and summative. Formative assessment is provided through feedback and written comments from field supervisors and specifically through the interim report issued after the first 10 days of the field experience. Summative assessment in the unit is based on a grade of Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. It comprises the following two items:

Assessment name: Demonstration
Description: Field Experience: Supervised field experience in an appropriate educational setting.
Relates to objectives: 1, 3 & 4
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End-field experience

Assessment name: Portfolio
Description: Portfolio task providing evidence of developmental progress in selected QCT Standards
Length: 400 words
Relates to objectives: 2,3 & 4
Internal or external: Internal
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

Queensland College of Teachers (2007). Professional Standards for Queensland Teachers. Brisbane: QCT.
Queensland University of Technology (2001). Professional practice 3 workbook: Immersion in inclusive education. Brisbane: Author.

Risk assessment statement

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

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 field studies experience.

Criminal History Check - working with children
The Commission for Children and Young People Act 2000 (Qld) contains a law to help ensure that people seeking to work with children are suitable. This is called 'the working with children check'. Those who are found to be suitable by the Commission are issued a suitability card, or blue card, which they must be able to produce to work with children. QUT students are categorised as volunteers and must complete and submit a Student Placement Application Form (S Form) to obtain a criminal history check.

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