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

Field studies units provide a range of highly-focused professional learning experiences including supervised field experiences in school settings. They provide the opportunity for university studies in education, curriculum and the disciplines to be translated into the design and implementation of engaging and intellectually challenging learning experiences for learners in school settings. As such, field studies units are integral to any program of teacher education.

'Senior Years Field Studies 2' is the second field studies unit in the senior years' stream of the graduate preservice teacher education program. It provides you with your final supervised professional experience in teaching and, as such, builds upon the professional knowledge and skills developed in the first field studies unit. Through a combination of university-based learning and school-based supervised field experience, the unit provides the opportunity for you to enhance your capacities as a professional educator and positively contribute to professional teams and communities of practice. The unit closely articulates with your second Education Studies unit, 'The Professional Practice of Educators', and Curriculum Studies units.

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 aims of this unit are to:

• Enhance your professional and practical capacities as a senior years' educator.



• Introduce you to the contemporary professional contexts of teaching so that you are professionally prepared to plan, implement and evaluate learning programs tailored to your students, their needs and their setting in at least one of your curriculum areas.



• Enable you to contribute effectively to professional teams and the broader learning community.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1. Design and implement engaging, intellectually challenging and assessment-based learning experiences that value diverse ideas and opinions and support students' personal development and social participation by contributing to co-curricular school programs through participation in planned activities which reflect relevant curriculum frameworks; [QCT Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7]

2. Demonstrate a knowledge of the fundamental principles and strategies of behaviour management and identify and know how to apply key policies and procedures from your field experience school in relation to behaviour management and student safety in order to create and maintain safe and supportive learning environments while taking account of the diversity of student background characteristics and learning styles; [QCT Standards 4 & 7]

3. Reflect critically on professional practice and use professional standards to analyse professional strengths and weaknesses, set personal professional goals for beginning teaching and assess your capacity to meet Queensland College of Teachers' professional and ethical requirements; [QCT Standard 10]

4. 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:

Module 1: Contemporary professional contexts and the transition to beginning teaching

In this university module, you will be introduced to the contemporary professional contexts of teaching including ethical, policy and industrial dimensions. You will also explore professional expectations and responsibilities for beginning teachers. Advanced strategies from productive pedagogies on effective classroom management will also be examined.

Module 2: Professional learning in the field

In this site-based module, you will be required to plan, implement and evaluate learning programs tailored to your students, their needs and their setting in at least one of your curriculum areas. To maximise learning outcomes for all students, you will participate in professional and collaborative relationships with senior years' students and the broader learning community. Further, you will be required to demonstrate personal/professional orientations to curriculum, pedagogy and assessment practices that offer all senior years' students access to quality educational experiences.

The Professional Standards for Teachers will be investigated in this unit and used as a tool to reflect on your professional knowledge, philosophy, understanding and practice. The unit content contributes to your Professional Learning Profile.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Authentic and practice-oriented approaches to teaching and learning are utilized in both the university and site-based modules within the unit. In the university module, internal students will participate in a series of campus-based, interactive lecture-workshops. External students will participate in online, interactive and problem-based learning experiences provided on the unit's online learning site. All students will be required to access the unit's online learning site for necessary resources and discussion. In the site-based module, you will be required to participate in supervised field experience. A set text, field experience manual and online readings will constitute additional learning resources in the unit. All 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'. Formative assessment is provided through verbal and online feedback and through feedback in response to teaching episodes. Summative assessment will be based on a grade of Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.

This is a designated unit. If you do not achieve a grade of Satisfactory you will have your progress in the course reviewed. Failure to pass a designated unit may result in exclusion from the course.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: Demonstration
Description: Supervised field experience in an appropriate educational setting
Length: 33 days comprising three single days and a six week block (30 consecutive days)
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 & 4
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End-Semester

Assessment name: Portfolio
Description: Building on from your learning goals identified from FS1 (which are mapped against the Professional Standards for Teachers) you are to develop and refine a Professional Learning Profile that provides evidence of your emergent philosophy, values and beliefs about teaching as well as demonstrating your learning across the QCT's Professional Standards for Queensland Teachers
Length: 1200-1500 words.
Relates to objectives: 3 & 4
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

Barry, K. & King, L. (2002). Beginning teaching and beyond (3,^rd ed.). Tuggerah, NSW: Social Science Press.

Fetherston, T. (2007). Becoming an effective teacher. South Melbourne, Victoria: Thomson.

Groundwater-Smith, S., Ewing, R., & Le Cornu, R. (2003). Teaching: Challenges and dilemmas (2^nd ed.). Southbank: Thomson Learning.

Latham, G., Blaise, M., Dole, S., Faulkner, J., Lang, J. & Malone, K. (Eds.). (2006). Learning to teach: New times, new practices. South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press.

Marsh, C. (2004). Becoming a teacher: Knowledge, skills and issues. (3^rd ed.). Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education.

Risk assessment statement

There are 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.

The Commission for Children and Young People Act 2000 (Qld) requires that all students undertaking a field experience as part of this unit will need a valid suitability card or Blue Card which has been registered with QUT before they can commence their placement.

Please refer to http://www.studentservices.qut.edu.au/enrol/course/spec_req/bluecard.jsp for full details and appropriate forms.

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