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 core unit acts as a 'gateway' to the M.Ed program. Professional Dialogues in Education offers you a systematic induction into Masters degree study and supports you in achieving the graduate capabilities of QUT. You are encouraged to undertake a disciplined inquiry into educational problems and issues through reflection on your professional learning journey. This unit supports the development of a learning agenda that will inform directions for your study in the course as you develop your personal area of interest and work collaboratively with others in the development of that agenda. The unit also provides opportunities for new approaches to learning through online technologies.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to develop your understandings of the values of scholarship and critical inquiry into your professional contexts.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. reflect critically on personal and professional theories about knowledge and learning in professional educational contexts. (GC-B, C)

2. demonstrate a critical understanding of current theoretical and research directions that are informing educational policy and practice. (GC: A, B, D, E, G)

3. develop an enhanced understanding of the use of skills such as questioning, analysing and critique in specific domains of knowledge. (GC: A, B, D, E, G)

4. Identify a learning agenda to refine competence and independence as an educational expert. (GC: A, B, D, E, G)

5. Participate in a learning community (involving other students, Faculty academics or external stakeholders). (GC: A, B, D, E, G).

Content

This unit adopts a transdisciplinary approach to the analysis of current issues in education and the identification of a personal learning agenda. The unit is futures-focussed, and applies the following foundational questions:

1. What is the purpose of education and learning in the 21st century? What big ideas and socio-cultural (both local and global) contexts have shaped educational theory and practice at societal and individual levels? Topics may include: liberal humanism; the cultural challenges of post-modernism; changing notions of inclusivity and childhood; adult learning theories; multicultural dimensions of learning; globalism and new communications technologies.

2. What are the big debates in education today? Topics may include: specific issues relating to national and international policy trends, the rise of the knowledge worker and the "creative class"; debates surrounding professional ethics for the workplace.

3. What does achieving mastery in a specific focus area of education mean and what is needed to identify a specific focus area and achieve such mastery?

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning strategies include on-campus seminars blended with online discussions and individual study. The unit is designed to be innovative, flexible, and to cater for diverse student needs by providing opportunities for students to engage deeply with intellectual theory pertinent to their professional workand to develop competencies in the use of online learning technologies.

Assessment

There are two items of assessment in this unit: i) An essay connecting the past to future learnings through a critical change analysis and ii) an essay with directions for ongoing study within the master's degree.Formative Assessment
Students are provided support through individual or group face-to-face consultation with staff, email, online discussion forums and tutorials, peer feedback, and engagement with professional networks and mentors.

Summative Assessment
Written feedback will be provided to students through constructive, critical commentary using track changes and/or handwritten comments on hard copy of assignments.

Assessment name: Essay
Description: This task requires you to reflect critically on the ways that particular educational, social, historical, cultural, and economic experiences and events have shaped your personal and professional learning.
Length: Approx 2500 words
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 & 5
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid-Semester

Assessment name: Essay
Description: Conduct a series of at least three conversations in order to clarify the framing of your educational field, identify the big issues within that particular academic and professional context that are likely to impinge on your future professional role and development and to develop a learning plan that will guide you in your chosen study area.
Length: Approx 2500 words
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 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

It is not anticipated that students will need to purchase reference materials for this unit. All learning resources are available through the Course Materials Database on the Blackboard website, or alternatively from the library.

Risk assessment statement

Standard workplace health and safety protocols will be followed. There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with this unit.

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