Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
(EDET690 Effective Teaching 2: Engaging Learners AND LNTE100 LANTITE - Literacy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students AND LNTE101 LANTITE - Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students ) OR (EDET690 Effective Teaching 2: Engaging Learners AND LNTE511 Literacy and Numeracy Test ) OR (EDET690 Effective Teaching 2: Engaging Learners AND LNTE111 Literacy and Numeracy Test )
Incompatible
EDET603 Effective Teaching 3: Teacher Inquiry and Evidence-Based Practice , EDET669 Effective Teaching 3: Teacher Inquiry and Evidence-Based Practice (B-12) , EDFX624 Preparation for the Profession and Graduate Professional Experience 3
Unit rationale, description and aim
Includes: 25 days professional experience placement in a secondary school setting
Effective teaching is underpinned by reflection, enquiry and evidence-based practice. Teachers need skills that enable continual, self-regulated professional learning.
This unit facilitates readiness for the profession and provides the opportunity for school-based reflective enquiry into practice. It enables pre-service teachers to reinforce and expand professional knowledge, practice and engagement in the different roles and responsibilities of teachers in positively influencing student learning. The unit provides pre-service teachers with a substantial block of extended professional experience that approximates the realities of everyday teaching in a supportive classroom context and the related school and the broader community. The intention is to extend pre-service teachers’ repertoire of pedagogical skills and practices for planning, delivering and evaluating teaching and learning programs. Pre-service teachers will use a framework of enquiry to align curriculum, assessment, learning and teaching to provide effective and differentiated learning across the full range of learning needs. They will collect, interpret and use data to demonstrate quality teaching practices and to track learning progressions to evaluate the impact of their teaching on student learning.
The aim of this culminating unit is to synthesise learning from Education Studies, Effective Teaching and Curriculum Studies to ensure pre-service teachers’ readiness for the profession.
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 | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Profile achievement of the Australian Teacher Professional Standards at a graduate level and demonstrate readiness to transition into the profession based on multiple sources of evidence | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7, GC8, GC9 |
| LO2 | Demonstrate integrated knowledge of and ability to plan, implement and evaluate teaching and learning for selected curricula relevant to pre-service teachers’ areas of specialty | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7, GC8, GC9 |
| LO3 | Collect, examine, interpret and moderate multiple sources of evidence, including student data and feedback from professionals, to ensure consistent judgements of student learning and to modify teaching practices and programs | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC7, GC8, GC9 |
| LO4 | Demonstrate effective teaching practices that evidence readiness for entry to the profession | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12 |
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level standards:
| Industry Standard | Relating to | Relevant Learning Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| APST(GA)1.1 | Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)1.2 | Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. | LO1, LO2 |
| APST(GA)1.3 | Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)1.4 | Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds | LO1, LO2 |
| APST(GA)1.5 | Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)1.6 | Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies that support participation and learning of students with disability. | LO1, LO2 |
| APST(GA)2.1 | Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)2.2 | Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)2.3 | Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)2.4 | Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages. | LO1, LO2 |
| APST(GA)2.5 | Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)2.6 | Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)3.1 | Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)3.2 | Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)3.3 | Include a range of teaching strategies. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)3.4 | Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)3.5 | Demonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)3.6 | Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning. | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
| APST(GA)3.7 | Describe a broad range of strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process. | LO1, LO2 |
| APST(GA)4.1 | Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities. | LO1, LO4 |
| APST(GA)4.2 | Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions. | LO1, LO4 |
| APST(GA)4.3 | Demonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour. | LO1, LO4 |
| APST(GA)4.4 | Describe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements. | LO1, LO4 |
| APST(GA)4.5 | Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching. | LO1, LO4 |
| APST(GA)5.1 | Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning. | LO1, LO3, LO4 |
| APST(GA)5.2 | Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning. | LO1, LO3, LO4 |
| APST(GA)5.3 | Demonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning. | LO1, LO3, LO4 |
| APST(GA)5.4 | Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice. | LO1, LO3, LO4 |
| APST(GA)5.5 | Demonstrate understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement. | LO1, LO3, LO4 |
| APST(GA)6.1 | Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs. | LO1, LO4 |
| APST(GA)6.2 | Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers. | LO1, LO4 |
| APST(GA)6.3 | Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices. | LO1, LO3, LO4 |
| APST(GA)6.4 | Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning. | LO1, LO4 |
| APST(GA)7.1 | Understand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession. | LO1, LO3, LO4 |
| APST(GA)7.2 | Understand the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage. | LO1, LO4 |
| APST(GA)7.3 | Understand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers. | LO1, LO4 |
| APST(GA)7.4 | Understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice. | LO1 |
Content
Topics will include:
- Self-reflective professional learning: including goal setting, critical reflective practice and sources of professional learning and feedback
- Ethical professional practice for engaging with data and evidence for enquiry into and critical reflection of teaching and learning in school contexts
- Use of theory, practice and critical enquiry that informs teaching practices to impact on learners and learning
- Strategies for collecting and interpreting data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice to improve learning outcomes
- Seeking and applying constructive feedback from supervisors, colleagues, students and community to reflect on and improve teaching practices
- Establishing and maintaining an engaging learning environment cognizant of current teaching and learning theories in the classroom
- Management of the full range of teacher’s responsibilities, including routines, transitions, supervision, teaching and learning, assessment, pastoral care of school students and relationships within the school community
- Preparing to transition; including ethical, legal and professional responsibilities of teachers
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The key strategy of this unit will be inquiry-based learning, enacted predominantly in the classroom/school. The pre-service teacher engages in the GTPA as a capstone experience in the school context. Approximately 12 hours of directed teaching, readings and online support before, during and after the placement. Directed instruction will provide support for students in the completion of the GTPA within the context of a professional experience placement.
In this unit the pre-service teacher will engage in the sustained role of the teacher in a classroom/school setting undertaking the diverse duties of a practising teacher; including planning, teaching, assessment and moderation, differentiated engagement with students, department/year-level/school meetings, collaborative team planning sessions, supervision, and other duties required within the setting. This supports the pre-service teacher to undertake the capstone experience in the class/school setting. The pre-service teacher will work collegially with a mentor and/or supervising teacher and will actively participate in feedback discussions and proactive planning with both the supervising teacher and the university academic.
The unit is hosted on a Learning Management System (LMS) site with resources and online links, announcements, and a discussion board to post questions and reflections that promote connection between content and educational experiences.
Mode of delivery: This unit may be offered in different modes to cater to the learning needs and preferences of a range of participants.
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.
ACU Online
In ACU Online mode, this unit is delivered asynchronously, fully online using an active, guided learning approach. Pre-service teachers are encouraged to contribute to asynchronous weekly discussions and receive regular and timely feedback on their learning.
Professional Experience: teaching requirements
In the final professional experience, pre-service teachers must satisfactorily demonstrate attainment of the Australian Standards for Teachers: Graduate level in order to complete requirements and pass this unit.
The final professional experience placement consists of 25 days (6 weeks) of continuous school-based experience in the same classroom. A pre-service Secondary teacher will be placed in a secondary setting that will support practice teaching in at least one of their two secondary subject areas.
In this unit, pre-service teachers will be expected to undertake:
- 6 weeks of teaching, with a teaching load at 75-80% of normal load
- GTPA Project development, implementation and data collection. (Refer to Professional Experience Handbook for detailed guidelines regarding teaching and other requirements).
Recommended Teaching Experiences
The following engagements are recommended across the 25-day placement. They provide a scaffolded, praxis-oriented approach to building experience, competency and confidence, and are designed to align with on-campus content. These engagements are to be discussed, negotiated and planned with the supervising teacher/s
Proposed Teaching Expectations
2 Observation Days Prior to the Block:
- Orientation, observation and assisting the supervising and nominated teacher/s in the teaching and learning process.
- Initial planning/pre-assessing for GTPA.
Days 1 – 5
- Planning and implementation of one lesson to half day teaching per day. Building capacity to taking responsibility for whole day teaching.
- Continue planning or commence assessing/teaching GTPA.
- Professional experience reflection, self-auditing and evaluation.
Days 6 – 10:
- Planning and implementation of half to full day teaching and assessing per day including GTPA. Responsibility for most class transitions and routines.
- Professional experience reflection, self-auditing and evaluation.
Days 11 – 25
- Planning and implementation of all day teaching and assessing including GTPA. Responsibility for all class transitions and routines.
- Professional experience reflection, self-auditing and evaluation.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks allow pre-service teachers to demonstrate achievement against the course learning outcomes by demonstrating academic and professional standards. The Education Studies units in this course focus on developing an understanding of, and skills across the professional knowledge, practice and engagement needed to meet expectations of the APST: Graduate level. In this unit, assessments focus on skills of enquiry as means to enhance teaching practices and strategies. Performance in the professional experience placement is assessed in two ways. First, the Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA) is the centrepiece of this unit and its assessment. This praxis-oriented assessment is an externally validated, nationally moderated, inter-institutional task that must be completed holistically. Second, evidence of the pre-service teacher as observed in practice by other professionals, including at least the supervising teacher and a university academic, is used to confirm achievement of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST): Graduate level.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The professional experience included in this unit represents the culmination of the pre-service teacher’s development towards readiness for the profession. The assessment comprises two culminating pieces of evidence of professional readiness; i) the final report of the Professional Experience Assessment, and ii) the Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA). Pre-service teachers must achieve a pass in both assessments to satisfactorily complete this unit.
Pre-service teachers who fail this unit will be asked to ‘show cause’ and their enrolment in the course will be terminated if the unit is failed twice.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes | Graduate Capabilities | Standards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1: Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA) Critical Task The GTPA asks pre-service teachers to reflect critically on a teaching, learning and assessment cycle and its impact on student learning. It must be accompanied by documentary evidence of the teaching, learning and assessment cycle and of student learning. The GTPA is a common, culminating assessment used across multiple ITE programs and providers. Information about the specific requirements of the GTPA is detailed in the guideline materials supplied via the provided LMS site. | Pass/Fail | LO1, LO2, LO3 | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC7, GC8, GC9 | APST(GA)1.1, APST(GA)1.2, APST(GA)1.3, APST(GA)1.4, APST(GA)1.5, APST(GA)1.6, APST(GA)2.1, APST(GA)2.2, APST(GA)2.3, APST(GA)2.4, APST(GA)2.5, APST(GA)2.6, APST(GA)3.1, APST(GA)3.2, APST(GA)3.3, APST(GA)3.4, APST(GA)3.5, APST(GA)3.6, APST(GA)3.7, APST(GA)4.1, APST(GA)4.2, APST(GA)4.3, APST(GA)4.4, APST(GA)4.5, APST(GA)5.1, APST(GA)5.2, APST(GA)5.3, APST(GA)5.4, APST(GA)5.5, APST(GA)6.1, APST(GA)6.2, APST(GA)6.3, APST(GA)6.4, APST(GA)7.1, APST(GA)7.2, APST(GA)7.3, APST(GA)7.4 |
Professional Experience Assessment The summative Professional Experience is assessed in consultation with a supervising teacher and a university academic over the placement. The pre-service teacher must demonstrate attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate within the context of classroom/school setting practices. Refer to the Unit Professional Experience Report Book for interim and final reports. | Pass/Fail | LO4 | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12 | APST(GA)1.1, APST(GA)1.3, APST(GA)1.5, APST(GA)2.1, APST(GA)2.2, APST(GA)2.3, APST(GA)2.5, APST(GA)2.6, APST(GA)3.1, APST(GA)3.2, APST(GA)3.3, APST(GA)3.4, APST(GA)3.5, APST(GA)3.6, APST(GA)4.1, APST(GA)4.2, APST(GA)4.3, APST(GA)4.4, APST(GA)4.5, APST(GA)5.1, APST(GA)5.2, APST(GA)5.3, APST(GA)5.4, APST(GA)5.5, APST(GA)6.1, APST(GA)6.2, APST(GA)6.3, APST(GA)6.4, APST(GA)7.1, APST(GA)7.2, APST(GA)7.3 |
Representative texts and references
Required text(s)
Australian Curriculum https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) www.acara.edu.au
Relevant State and Territory curriculum documents.
Recommended references
Alexakos, K. (2015). Being a teacher/researcher: A primer on doing authentic inquiry research on teaching and learning. Sense Publishers.
Brady, L., & Kennedy K. (2018). Assessing and reporting: Celebrating student achievement (5th ed.). Pearson Australia.
Charteris, J., & Smardon, D. (2015). Teacher agency and dialogic feedback: Using classroom data for practitioner inquiry. Teaching and Teacher Education, 50, 114-123.
Dana, N. F., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2020). The reflective educator's guide to classroom research: Learning to teach and teaching to learn through practitioner inquiry (4th ed.). Corwin.
Deppeler, J. (2017). Navigating the Boundaries of Difference: Using Collaboration in Inquiry to Develop Teaching and Progress Student Learning. In L. Florian and N. Pantic. Teacher Education for the Changing Demographics of Schooling (pp. 149-165). Springer, Cham.
Leat, D., Reid, A., & Lofthouse, R. (2015). Teachers’ experiences of engagement with and in educational research: what can be learned from teachers’ views?. Oxford Review of Education, 41(2): 270-286.
Mills, G. E. (2018). Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher (6th ed.). Pearson.
Mor, Y., Ferguson, R., & Wasson, B. (2015). Learning design, teacher inquiry into student learning and learning analytics: A call for action. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(2), 221-229.
Posch, P. (2019). Action research - conceptual distinctions and confronting the theory-practice divide in Lesson and Learning Studies. Educational Action Research, 27(4), 496-510.
Taylor, L. A. (2017). How teachers become teacher-researchers: Narrative as a tool for teacher identity construction. Teaching and Teacher Education, 61, 16-25.
To, J., & Carless, D. (2016). Making productive use of exemplars: Peer discussion and teacher guidance for positive transfer of strategies. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 40(6), 746-764.
Wall, K., & Hall, E. (2017) The teacher in teacher-practitioner research: three principles of inquiry. In P. Boyd, and A. Szplit, International Perspectives: Teachers and Teacher Educators Learning Through Enquiry, KielceKrakow: 35-62