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

The professional practice of educators is becoming ever more complex as newly emerging forms of governance, expertise and subjectivity impact upon and reconfigure teaching, schooling and education. Educators need to develop a knowledge and understanding of these processes if they are to respond in an informed, ethical and professional manner. This unit, informed by a socio-cultural studies approach to education, seeks to provide Early, Middle and Senior Years educators with such professional awareness. The unit is offered as an Education Studies unit in both the graduate preservice and the in-service teacher education programs in the Faculty of Education.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to build your professional, ethical and practical capacities as an Early, Middle or Senior Years Educator. You will gain a knowledge of the social, cultural and political forms of governance, expertise and subjectivity shaping education today and an understanding of their specific implications for professional practice.

Objectives

On completion of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate a professional knowledge and understanding, informed by contemporary evidence-based theories and research in the sociology of education, of the socio-economic, cultural and political forms of governance and expertise shaping education today and their impact on diverse subjectivities including social class, ethnicity and Indigeneity [QCT Standards 4 & 8]

2. Design a practical pedagogical initiative that is both equitable for students and values their diverse backgrounds and characteristics in response to a socio-cultural pedagogical situation [QCT Standards 1, 3, 4 & 6]

3. Demonstrate acceptable standards of communication and professional responsibility and commit to reflective practice and professional renewal [QCT Standards 2, 9 & 10]

Content

This unit will cover the following topics and will contribute to your developing Professional Learning Profile:

• 'Diagrams of Governance and Expertise in Education', examines contemporary and historical processes impacting upon education such as social governance, globalisation, cyber learning and advanced liberalism.



• 'Subjectivities, Students and Educators', examines the implications of governmental, social and global processes for subjectivities, students and educators in terms of social dimensions such as indigeneity, ethnicity, race, gender and childhood and youth.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning approaches in the unit build on graduates' capacities for self-directed learning and self-responsibility through interactive, problem-solving and problem-finding pedagogies in both the Internal and External modes in which the unit is offered. Internal students will participate in a series of interactive keynote lectures and tutorials. External students will participate in interactive and problem-based learning experiences provided on the unit's online learning site. All students will access the unit's online learning site for necessary resources and discussion. Online readings and a set text book constitute key learning resources in the unit. Assessment items in the unit are designed as learning experiences and are intended to help build your professional capacities as a teacher.

Assessment

Assessment in the unit is both formative and summative and will be viewed in terms of the principle of 'assessment as learning'. Summative assessment consists of the following two items. ( Internal students will complete assessment 1 and 3 only, whilst external students will complete assessment 2 and 3 only).You will be provided with formative feedback on your assessment through verbal and online feedback, comprehensive assessment criteria sheets and through written comments on assignment work. You will be provided with summative feedback on your assessment via formal criteria sheets.

Assessment name: Presentation/Critique
Description: This assessment is for Internal students only:
Presentation: Team-led Discussion examining key concepts and ideas encountered in the unit and their implications for educational and pedagogical practice. This assessment is due during semester.
Group (Internal)
Length: 45-50 minutes per team plus audio-visual and written material (300 - 400 words)

This assessment is for External students only:
Critique: Individual written task examining key concepts and ideas encountered in the unit and their implications for educational and pedagogical practice. This assessment is due mid-semester There is no group component for external students.
Individual (External)
Length: 1000-1200 words
Relates to objectives: 1 & 3.
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Group with Individual Component
Due date: During-Semester

Assessment name: Problem Solving Task
Description: This assessment is for both Internal and External students:
A practical Pedagogical Initiative in response to a Socio-cultural Pedagogical Situation derived from the unit content. The task response is to include a theoretically-informed Rationale for the Initiative and Situation.

Length: 2000-2500 words
Relates to objectives: 1 & 3.
Weight: 60%
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

Connell, R., Campbell, C., Vickers, M., Welch, A., Foley, D. & Bagnall, N. (2007). Education, change and society. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press.

Hargreaves, A. (2003). Teaching in the knowledge society: Education in the age of insecurity. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press.

Meadmore, D., Burnett, B., & Tait, G. (Eds.). (2004). New questions for contemporary teachers. Sydney: Pearson Prentice Hall.

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

Wadham, B., Pudsey, J. & Boyd, R. (2007). Culture and education. Frenchs Forrest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia.

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 the use of computers 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: 31-Oct-2012