Unit rationale, description and aim
The content of this unit provides preservice teachers with a substantial block of extended reflective professional experience that approximates the realities of everyday teaching; and extends preservice teachers’ repertoire of pedagogical skills in the observation, assessment, planning, implementing and evaluation using Approved Learning Frameworks, and develops preservice teachers’ understanding of the teacher’s role within the educational service and broader educational community.
Preservice teachers will use practitioner inquiry capacities in the alignment of curriculum, assessment, learning, teaching and research. They will collect and interpret data to support quality teaching practices. They will reflect on their development as teachers the impact of their teaching on learners and their engagement with the National Quality Framework (NQF)
This unit aims to provide preservice teachers with a substantial block of extended reflective professional experience whilst extending the pre-service teachers’ repertoire of pedagogical skills in the planning and delivery of appropriate teaching and learning programs. This experience allows the preservice teacher to develop an appreciation of the teacher’s role within the early childhood education and care service as well as the broader educational community through taking responsibility similar to that of an early childhood teacher.
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.
Describe the importance of teacher reflection, pra...
Learning Outcome 01
Analyse contemporary research literature and apply...
Learning Outcome 02
Evaluate multiple sources of evidence, including a...
Learning Outcome 03
Demonstrate a sound knowledge of and ability to ob...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Establishing and maintaining an engaging learning environment cognizant of current teaching and learning theories in early childhood settings
- Management of the full range of teacher’s responsibilities including routines, transitions, supervision, pastoral care of children and relationships within the centre community
- Development and consolidation of pedagogical skills in the observation, assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation using approved learning frameworks of appropriate teaching and learning programs.
- Development of educational programs for diverse learners that reflect the Approved Learning Framework.
- Analysing the particular centre and group of learners' contexts to formulate contextualised pedagogical decision-making
- Strategies for evaluating educational programs and assessment data to extend learning outcomes for learners
- Ethical professional practice for engaging with data and evidence for practitioner inquiry and critical reflection of teaching and learning in ECEC settings.
- Critical reflection and collaborative interaction with other educators, teachers, leadership, and other professionals to improve teaching, assessment and support consistent and comparable professional judgement.
- Seeking and applying constructive feedback from supervisors, mentors and teachers to reflect on and improve teaching practices
- Developing leadership capabilities in early childhood contexts, including leading practice within rooms, contributing to whole-centre decision making, and supporting a shared vision for teaching and learning
- Working collaboratively within teams to build positive professional relationships, engage in shared planning and problem-solving, and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement
- Understanding the role of the teacher as both a team member and emerging leader, including effective communication, mentoring practices, and supporting colleagues in implementing high-quality pedagogical approaches
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment tasks in this unit are designed to ensure preservice teachers meet course learning outcomes by demonstrating academic and professional standards. The Education Studies units emphasise the development of skills in professional knowledge, practice, and engagement, aligned with ACECQA criteria and the APST: Graduate level.
The unit incorporates both assessment of learning and assessment for learning. A critical reading of the literature informs the Capstone Assessment Task (CAT), the central component of the unit. The CAT is conducted in a practical teaching context and is integral to the Professional Experience Assessment.
To pass this unit, students must complete all assessment tasks, meet the learning outcomes, and achieve a minimum overall passing grade of 50%. Students must pass the CAT, as well as the Professional Experience Placement (PEP).
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Capstone Assessment Task (CAT)...
Assessment Task 1: Capstone Assessment Task (CAT).
Critical Task
The Capstone Assessment Task is a Critical Task completed during the final professional experience placement. It requires preservice teachers to demonstrate competence in the full teaching, learning and assessment cycle following the five stages of the planning cycle. Preservice teachers connect theory, research and practice, demonstrating effective curriculum decision-making and provide evidence of children's learning, development and wellbeing, as well as their own professional growth.
Pass/Fail
Assessment Task 2: Hurdle Requirement: Profession...
Assessment Task 2: Hurdle Requirement: Professional Experience Assessment
The summative Professional Experience is assessed in collaboration with a supervising teacher and a university academic throughout the placement. The pre-service teacher must demonstrate achievement of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate within the context of early childhood centre practices.
Note that this hurdle task can only be attempted once, in accordance with the professional experience guidelines. For detailed information, please refer to the Unit Professional Experience Guidebook for interim and final reports.
Pass/Fail
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit employs practitioner inquiry-based learning in an Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) setting. It includes a 20-day placement in an early learning centre. Students will engage in the Capstone Assessment Task (CAT).
Students will participate in various activities, including online engagement, lectures, tutorials, seminar presentations, group discussions (both synchronous and asynchronous), self-directed study, and assessment tasks. Some participation in educational settings may be required. The unit involves students engaging with materials for at least two hours weekly, and around 12 hours of directed teaching, readings, and online support before, during, and after the placement.
In this unit, preservice teachers will take on the role of a teacher in an early childhood setting, including planning, teaching, assessment, differentiated engagement with children, collaborative planning, supervision, and other necessary duties. They will also conduct self-audits against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate level, creating a professional learning plan. The CAT is supported through mentorship, feedback discussions, and proactive planning with supervising teachers and university academics.
Assessment procedures, including reading, reflection, discussion, webinars, podcasts, and videos, will be used to meet learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes.
ACECQA Curriculum Specifications
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) standards:
Relating to
Learning, development and care
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating to
Diversity, difference and inclusivity
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating to
Learners with special/additional needs
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating to
Alternative pedagogies and curriculum approaches
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Relating to
Play based pedagogies
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating to
Guiding behaviour/engaging young learners
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Teaching methods and strategies
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating to
Children with diverse needs and backgrounds
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating to
Working with children who speak languages other than, or in addition to, English
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Contemporary society and pedagogy
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating to
Educational leadership
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating to
Management and administration
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4
Relating to
Professional identity and development
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating to
Advocacy
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating to
Research
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating to
Contemporary theories and practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating to
Ethics and professional practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Relating to
Developing family and community partnerships
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Multicultural education
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Socially inclusive practice
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Culture, diversity and inclusion
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to Early Years Learning Framework
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating to
Australian curriculum
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Relating to
Numeracy, science and technology
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Language and literacy
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toEnglish as an additional language
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating to
Social and environmental education
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating to
Creative arts and music
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Physical and health education
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating to
Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level
In connection to the learning outcomes, 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:
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toKnow and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toImplement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toPlan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating toDemonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toIdentify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDescribe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
Relating toSeek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toUnderstand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4