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

Using the lens of reflective practitioners, this unit will also investigate the principles that underpin curriculum, pedagogy and assessment and assist you in applying these principles in designing learning experiences that enhance the outcomes for primary school learners. Play based learning, productive pedagogies and classroom management principles will be introduced and synthesised into principles of effective practice. This unit will discuss appropriate pedagogies for use across the KLA's. The QCT Professional Standards for Teachers are used as a framework to discuss your knowledge, understanding and developing practice as a beginning primary teacher.


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.


EDP452: Reflective Practitioners 1 is the first field studies unit in the primary stream of the graduate pre-service teacher education program. It provides you with your first supervised professional experience in teaching. Through a combination of university-based professional learning and school-based supervised field experience, the unit provides the opportunity for you to develop the professional capacity to plan, implement and evaluate effective and inclusive teaching/learning programs. The unit closely articulates with your first Education Studies unit, SPP402 Primary Educational Perspectives, and with your first Curriculum Studies units. (22 days Field Studies).

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:
1. develop your skills as teacher researchers and reflective practitioners
2. build your professional and practical capacities as a primary educator.
3. introduce you to a number of productive pedagogies which will be presented with the opportunity to design and implement engaging and intellectually challenging learning experiences in a primary setting.

Objectives

1. Design and implement engaging, intellectually challenging and flexible learning experiences that promote the active construction of personal knowledge and support students' personal development and social participation by contributing to co-curricular school programs through participation in planned activities. (QCT Standards 1, 3, 6 & 8)
2. Create and maintain, through effective use of teaching time, materials, resources and physical space, safe, supportive and inclusive learning environments characterised by clear expectations for student learning and behaviour. (QCT Standard 7)
3. Outline and establish learning goals and learning plans that reflect relevant curriculum frameworks and plan for the establishment of learning environments in which individual and group differences are valued and respected and all students are treated equitably. (QCT Standards 1 & 4)
4. Reflect critically on professional practice and use professional standards to analyse professional strengths and weaknesses, set personal professional goals, and assess your capacity to meet Queensland College of Teachers' professional and ethical requirements. (QCT Standards 10)
5. Demonstrate acceptable standards of communication and professional responsibility. (QCT Standards 2 & 9)

Content

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

Topic One: Reflective Practitioners:
This topic introduces the idea of practitioner research. It focuses on the development of classroom-based research strategies and the importance of gaining an in-depth understanding of your own practice, of learners, and of classroom contexts as a way of functioning effectively as a teacher and bringing about positive changes in your practice. You begin a reflective practitioner project and time is spent in tutorials and workshops discussing, problem-posing and problem solving issues from practice.

Topic Two: Introduction to Education Principles
This topic introduces educational principles that shape current practices in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. Current curriculum approaches and documents will be examined to assist in making informed design decisions when planning for teaching.

Topic Three: Productive pedagogies and professional responsibilities in the primary years of learning
In this topic, you will be introduced to a number of fundamental strategies that include play based learning in the early years and the productive pedagogies in the primary years. This topic will cover instructional techniques, inclusivity and effective classroom management. It will explicitly discuss appropriate pedagogical approaches for HPE. The module also addresses the expectations and responsibilities of graduate pre-service teachers in primary settings.

Topic Four: Professional learning in the field
In this site-based module, you will be required to observe, design, implement and evaluate particular teaching strategies and programs that respond to the diverse nature of primary years' learners. To maximise learning outcomes for all students, you will participate in professional and collaborative relationships with primary students and the broader educational community associated with your school. Further, you will be required to demonstrate personal/professional orientations to curriculum, pedagogy and assessment practices that offer all primary students access to quality educational experiences.

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

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit is founded on an inquiry based approach to learning. This unit is delivered through series of lectures, tutorials and workshops, followed by a supervised experience in the field. The program is structured to scaffold your learning and teaching in the field experience. The three assessment tasks are designed to demonstrate and reflect your developing professional knowledge, philosophy, understanding and practice.

Assessment

Assessment in this unit is both formative and summative and is viewed as assessment of learning. Formative assessment will be provided through verbal and online feedback and through written comments on assignment work and field placement reports. Multiple opportunities are provided for reflection, discussion and feedback in tutorial sessions and both written and oral feedback from your host teacher while on the field experience. There are three items of summative assessment in the unit: the design for the Reflective Practitioner project, the PLP (phase 1 submission) and The Field Studies Report. Summative assessment will be based on a grade of Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. A grade of Satisfactory must be obtained in both summative assessment items to pass this unit. This unit comprises three assessment items that are linked to the content and underlying principles of the unit.

Assessment name: Placement Performance
Description: Supervised field experience in appropriate educational setting.
Length: 2 single days + 4 week block (20 consecutive days) of supervised field experience (22 days in total).
Relates to objectives: 1 - 5.
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End Field Studies

Assessment name: Reflective Journal
Description: The Professional Learning Profile provides evidence of your developing philosophy, values and beliefs about teaching as well as demonstrating your current learning across the QCTs' Professional Standards for Queensland Teachers. The PLP will include evidence of; your 10 days of wider field experience and your engagement in the Indigenous Perspectives program.
Relates to objectives: 1 - 5.
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week After FS

Assessment name: Project (research)
Description: Qualitative research design for data collection and analysis of educational issue.
Relates to objectives: 1 - 5.
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week Before FS

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

Text
Marsh, C. (2008). Becoming a Teacher. (4^th ed.) Frenchs Forest. NSW: Pearson

References
Dana, N.F. & Yendol-Silva, D. (2009). The reflective educator's guide to classroom research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Lankshear, C. & Knobel, M. (2004). A handbook for teacher research: From design to implementation. Buckingham: Open University Press.

A key resource for this unit is the Field Studies Handbook. Each supervising teacher and pre-service teacher will have access to the Handbook.

Risk assessment statement

There is 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.

Blue Card Requirement

Before undertaking any field studies activities involving contact with young children you will be required to hold a Blue Card, which is issued by the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian.

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