Year
2024Credit points
20Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitPrerequisites
(EDIP550 Policy Informed Approaches to Contemporary Issues in the Inclusive Classroom AND EDIP651 Enabling Participation in the Inclusive Classroom: A Rights-based Approach AND EDIP652 Universal Interventions to Support All Learners in the Inclusive Classroom AND EDIP653 Supporting Complex Needs, Unique Attributes and Positive Behaviour in Inclusive Education ) OR (EDER550 Evidence-based Practice and Practice-based Evidence AND EDER651 How Children Learn and How Teachers can Meet the Needs of All Learners AND EDER652 From Phonemes to Phonics: Theory, Research, Differentiated Instruction and Assessment AND EDER653 Word Reading and Spelling: Theory, Research, Differentiated Instruction and Assessment ) OR (EDER554 Vocabulary: Theory, Research, Differentiated Instruction and Assessment AND EDER655 Reading Fluency: Theory, Research, Differentiated Instruction and Assessment AND EDER656 Reading Comprehension: Theory, Research, Differentiated Instruction and Assessment AND EDER657 Writing: Theory, Research, Differentiated Instruction and Assessment ) OR (EDLA550 A Multimodal Approach to Literacy AND EDLA651 Spoken Language for Literacy and Oracy AND EDLA652 A Functional Metalanguage for Literacy Teaching and Learning AND EDLA653 Literacies in the Learning Areas ) OR (EDAP610 Educational and Behavioural Functional Assessment AND EDAP611 School and Class Wide Evidence-based Interventions AND EDAP612 Learner Differences and Learner Needs AND EDAP613 Exceptional Children and Atypical Development ) OR (EDST550 Integrated STEM (Science and Mathematics) AND EDST651 Digital Technologies in STEM AND EDST652 Modelling and Big Data in STEM AND EDST653 Socioscientific Issues for Developing STEM Literacy ) OR (EDWB550 Teacher Wellbeing: Individual and Whole-school Approaches AND EDWB651 Understanding Student Wellbeing AND EDWB652 Fostering Student Wellbeing in the Classroom Environment AND EDWB653 Whole School Approaches to Family and Community Engagement for Wellbeing and Learning ) OR (EDLE650 Foundations: Vision and Mission of Catholic Education in the Contemporary World AND EDLE651 Leading Learning in Catholic Educational Communities and Cultures AND EDLE653 Integrating Capabilities for Renewal and Sustainability in Leadership AND EDLE654 Leadership in Context: Educational Narratives and Literacies for Learning Communities AND EDLE655 Data Information Systems: Using Research and Data for Learning )
Incompatible
EDCP651 Capstone Research Project in Education , EDCP601 Capstone
Unit rationale, description and aim
Educators are required to have the knowledge and skills to advise and support colleagues in the implementation of evidence-based strategies designed to improve education systems and student outcomes. For this reason, it is of critical importance that educators can read, interpret and apply findings from their analyses of research literature and data to develop projects that will address contemporary issues in education. Educators with expertise in producing advanced, research-informed responses to contemporary issues in Education will help ensure Australia’s education systems and practices can innovate effectively to meet current and future challenges.
In this final capstone unit, students will use specialised discipline-based and theoretical knowledge gained from their previous study in the discipline stream(s) of the Master of Education to undertake a scholarly endeavour (eg framework set of guidelines, resource for schools). The topic chosen for the project will be of relevance to their context. The knowledge generated from the chosen topic will have the potential to improve an aspect of contemporary education systems and practices.
The aim of this unit is to give students the opportunity to bring together and further strengthen the skills and knowledge they have developed throughout their course by producing an advanced research-informed project in Education.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Identify, critically analyse and synthesise quality educational research literature relevant to a contemporary topic in education (APST 6.1, 6.2, 6.3) |
| LO2 | Apply expert discipline knowledge of the literature to conceptualising and planning a research-informed project on the chosen topic (APST 6.2, 6.3) |
| LO3 | Use discipline knowledge and advanced writing and referencing skills to complete an advanced research-informed project (APST 6.2, 6.3) |
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED
On successful completion of this unit, students should have gained evidence towards the following standards:
6.1 Identify and plan professional learning needs Analyse the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to plan personal professional development goals, support colleagues to identify and achieve personal development goals and pre-service teachers to improve classroom practice. |
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice Plan for professional learning by accessing and critiquing relevant research, engage in high-quality targeted opportunities to improve practice and offer quality placements for pre-service teachers where applicable. |
6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice Initiate and engage in professional discussions with colleagues in a range of forums to evaluate practice directed at improving professional knowledge and practice, and the educational outcomes of students. |
Content
Topics will include:
- The role of research in informing professional practice
- Identifying a significant issue or need that can be appropriately addressed through a research-informed project
- The appropriate genre and form of presentation for the project
- The development of an extended project report that documents the implementation of the scholarly endeavour and presents, for example, the tool, framework or resource.
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
In this is unit, students will develop a proposal and project based on outcomes from a literature review, that will address an issue or topic of importance to their work in an educational context. Through participation in learning activities designed for the unit cohort as a whole, students will learn the necessary skills, theories, concepts and discipline expertise relevant to their topic chosen for the proposal and project. Learning activities and teaching strategies will give students the opportunity to draw on the knowledge of their discipline they have gained while completing their Master of Education course, and apply it to the completion of an advanced research-informed project.
The unit will be offered in multi-mode where students will be afforded opportunities to engage in sessions that include a range of approaches to support their learning such as reading, reflection, online discussion, case study podcasts, workshops, self-directed learning tasks and assignments.
This is a 20-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 300 hours in total across the period of study.
Mode of delivery: This unit will be offered in one or more of modes of delivery described below, chosen with the aim of providing flexible delivery of academic content.
- On Campus: Most learning activities or classes are delivered at a scheduled time, on campus, to enable in-person interactions. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
- Intensive: In an intensive mode, students require face-to-face attendance on weekends, or any block of time determined by the school. Students will have face-to-face interactions with lecturer(s) to further their achievement of the learning outcomes. This unit is structured with required upfront preparation before workshops. The online learning platforms used in this unit provide multiple forms of preparatory and practice opportunities for students to prepare and revise.
- Multi-mode: Learning activities are delivered through a planned mix of online and in-person classes, which may include full-day sessions and/or placements, to enable interaction. Activities that require attendance will appear in a student’s timetable.
- Online unscheduled: Learning activities are accessible anytime, anywhere. These units are normally delivered fully online and will not appear in a student’s timetable.
- Online scheduled: All learning activities are held online, at scheduled times, and will require some attendance to enable online interaction. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed for students to demonstrate achievement of each of the learning outcomes, and to align with the needs of students in their professional context. Students will define a contemporary issue relevant to their context and present a proposal for exploring the issue culminating in a project that presents the findings. Three pieces of assessment have been designed to support students as they work towards the completion of their final project. The first assessment task provides an opportunity to employ specific skills required in defining a topic for exploration based on identification, analysis and synthesis of the literature; the second builds on the first and requires the design of a proposal for a scholarly endeavour in a chosen educational context, so that students can receive feedback in preparation for their final assignment. The unit culminates in the third assessment, a summative assessment task that requires the use of discipline knowledge and advanced writing and referencing skills to complete an advanced research-informed project with findings.
In order to pass this unit, students are required to submit all assessment tasks, demonstrate they have achieved all of the Learning Outcomes for the unit, obtain a mark of at least 50% for their third assessment task, and obtain a mark of at least 50% for the unit as a whole.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1 – Literature Review A literature review that shows a critical understanding of the topic. The literature review will provide a broad foundation of the topic leading to a research-informed foundation for the chosen scholarly endeavour. | 30% | LO1 |
Assessment Task 2 – Proposal A detailed proposal for a research-informed scholarly endeavour in the discipline or professional practice. | 20% | LO1, LO2 |
Assessment Task 3 – Capstone Project An advanced research-informed project that responds to an issue relevant to the professional context. The project should demonstrate advanced research-informed knowledge of the issue and communicate the project’s findings in an appropriate format. | 50% | LO1, LO2, LO3 |
Representative texts and references
Australian Catholic University Library. (2022). Library: Evaluating resources – CAARP. https://library.acu.edu.au/help/guides/assessment-help/evaluate-resources
Dally, K., Dempsey, I., Ralston, M. M., Foggett, J., Duncan, J., Strnadova, I., Chambers, D., Paterson, D., & Sharma, U. (2019). Current Issues and Future Directions in Australian Special and Inclusive Education. The Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 44(8), 57–73. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2019v44n8.4
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2011). Handbook of qualitative research (4th ed.). SAGE.
Flores, M. A. (2018). Linking teaching and research in initial teacher education: Knowledge mobilisation and research-informed practice. Journal of Education for Teaching: International Research and Pedagogy, 44(5), 621–636. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2018.1516351
Frederiksen, L., & Phelps, S. F. (2018). Literature reviews for education and nursing graduate students. Rebus Community Press. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61ACU_INST/13lm7d8/alma991013199139902352
Hobson, C., & McCartan, K. (2015). Real world research (5th ed.). Wiley.
Johnson, B., & Christensen, L. (2009). Educational research quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method approaches (3rd ed.). Pearson Education.
McGregor, S. (2018). Understanding and evaluating research. SAGE. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781071802656
Morley-Warner, T. (2009). Academic writing is: A guide to writing in a university context (Rev. and updated ed.). Association for Academic Language and Learning. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61ACU_INST/qpf7hm/alma990019106690402352
Pantuso, T., LeMire, S., & Anders, K. (2019). Informed arguments: A guide to writing and research (Rev. 2nd ed.). Texas A&M University. https://acu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61ACU_INST/qpf7hm/alma991013020073102352