Units

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Sample subject outline - 5 Week Teaching Period - 3 2013

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

Rationale

Internship is a professional transition experience that bridges preservice teaching and beginning teaching. The Internship differs from the practice sessions of field studies conducted earlier in the degree and is undertaken after the successful completion of all other course requirements. Scaffolded by a 'teacher-teacher mentor' learning partnership, the internship offers a quality learning experience. Internship establishes the collegial partnerships and practices that will support the preservice teacher's life-long, professional learning. The internship mentor will in all instances be a registered teacher. The preservice teacher will take on the status and position of an associate teacher. This role, in Queensland, includes associate teacher registration with Queensland College of Teachers (thereby authorisation to teach) and associate teacher union membership.

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 into the professional work of teachers. You will be required to apply the knowledge, skills and understandings of teaching and learning that have been acquired throughout the course for an extended time in an authentic workplace setting.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to

1. demonstrate your professional competence by autonomously and independently designing, managing, implementing and assessing quality teaching and learning experiences in an educational setting [QCT Standards 1 to 10]
2. critically reflect on a range of professional experiences, challenges and realities of teaching, making explicit links between theory and practice [QCT Standard 10]
3. demonstrate appropriate communication skills and literacy in a range of professional teams and contexts [QCT Standards 2 & 9]

Content

This unit will cover the following topics: The content of the internship is directly related to the roles and responsibilities of a registered teacher and a specific internship model. The models reflect a 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 as professionals. The major teaching and learning strategy will be the on-site experience of the internship itself, other teaching and learning activities may be included in the unit. These include internship briefing sessions, internship de-briefing sessions, and colloquia. As an associate teacher undertaking the secondary Internship, you will work 50% of a teacher's load in a school across 20 continuous days. The model of internship undertaken will be based on your level of competence and need, and selected by the mentor, yourself and university support personnel. The models of internship are as follows:

Model 1: Mentor + Associate Teacher for 20 continuous days
Model 2: Mentor + 1 Associate Teacher (cooperative teaching) for 20 continuous days.
Model 3: Mentor + 2 Associate Teachers for 20 continuous days.
Model 4: Site coordinator + up to 6 Associate Teachers on a site-based, community integrated project.

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-advisor.

Summative assessment in the unit will be on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. It is based on the completion of 20 days (4 weeks) of Internship and on the degree to which you meet the objectives of the Internship unit. Summative assessment is composed of the following two items. Both items must receive a satisfactory rating to pass the unit.

Assessment name: Demonstration
Description: Satisfactory performance of field experience with minimal supervision in an educational setting, working 50% of a teacher's load
Length: 20 consecutive days
Relates to objectives: 1 - 4
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End-Internship

Assessment name: Reflective Journal
Description: An essay in which you reflect on your professional experiences and your course of study
Length: 1000 - 1200 words
Relates to objectives: 2 & 3
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

References

Barry, K., & King, L. (2002). Beginning teaching and beyond. . Tuggrah, NSW: Social Science Press.
Bullough, R., & Gitlin, A. (1995). Becoming a student of teaching:Methodologies for exploring self and school context. New York: Garland Publishers
Groundwater-Smith, S., Ewing, R., & Le Cornu, R. (2003). Teaching: challenges & dilemmas (2^nd Edit.). .Southbank:Thomson Learning.
Knowles, J. G., Cole, A. L., & Presswood, C. S. (1994). Through preservice teachers' eyes: Exploring field experiences through narrative and inquiry. New York: Macmillan.
Marsh, C. (2004). Becoming a teacher:Knowledge, skills and issues.(3^rd Ed). Frenchs Forest: 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.
Queensland Board of Teacher Registration (1994). Learning to Teach: Report of the working party on the practicum in pre-service teacher education. Toowong: Queensland Board of Teacher Registration.

Risk assessment statement

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. In other states and countries investigation into relevant registration will have to be made before placement in an internship is accepted.

Workplace health and safety protocols in relation to computer use apply.

>strong>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: 17-Jan-2013