Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit examines the concepts and practices of the profession including: systems, structures, legislation and teacher standards that impact on teaching practice; current workforce demands and political and sociocultural trends in education that shape pre-service teachers’ understanding as they transition into the teaching profession. This unit critically investigates professional practice, roles and responsibilities, professional partnerships, and concepts of accountability in teachers’ work. A range of curriculum perspectives will be explored including, literacy, numeracy, ICT, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and intercultural understanding, sustainability, and gender practices. Pre-service teachers will consolidate evidence of their professional work practice in a substantive body of work and develop a critical investigation of their practice as a teacher.
The aim of this unit is to assist pre-service teachers to examine diverse aspects of the secondary teaching practice such as systems, structures, legislation and teacher standards, to better prepare them to transitioning into the teaching 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.
Identify and critically examine key influences tha...
Learning Outcome 01
Demonstrate an advanced understanding of workforce...
Learning Outcome 02
Critically reflect on collaborative strategies to ...
Learning Outcome 03
Critically examine the relationship between educat...
Learning Outcome 04
Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding o...
Learning Outcome 05
Collate a body of evidence of professional practic...
Learning Outcome 06
Content
Topics will include:
Key issues that form a platform for professional teaching:
- Key influences that impact on the graduates teacher identity and practices in relation to knowledge management, teaching, learning and assessment
- Advanced understanding of the roles and responsibilities of early career teachers related to learning engagement and the management of students (including relationship building, conflict resolution, non-violent crisis intervention, pastoral care and communication strategies)
- Commitment to principles of social justice and inclusive practices
- Collaborative strategies to engage with parents/carers, professional teaching networks and communities and knowledge of how these partnerships can add to professional knowledge and practice
- The relationship between education, curriculum change and teachers work to facilitate continual professional learning
- Knowledge and understanding of how to apply literacy, numeracy and ICT within their teaching and incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and intercultural understanding
- Accountability, duty of care, ethical behaviour and quality standards for practice
- International, national, state and local educational systems influences on curriculum decision-making
- Understand contemporary curriculum and pedagogical approaches, considering international, national, state influences on curriculum and recent curriculum reform including indigenous, cultural, assessment and ICT perspectives
- Major contemporary drivers of change in the educational environment and the implications of key reports and initiatives.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks and their weightings are designed to allow pre-service teachers to progressively demonstrate achievement against the unit learning outcomes and demonstrate attainment of professional standards.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome.
There will be two assessment tasks equivalent to 5,000 words.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Design an information session...
Assessment Task 1:
Design an information session which will engage parents in your teaching.
The program should address key issues that form a platform for professional teaching outlined in the Content Section of this outline.
50%
Assessment Task 2: (both options must address LOs...
Assessment Task 2: (both options must address LOs 1,3,4 & 6)
Collation of a body of evidence of pre-service teachers’ own professional practice to date and critically evaluated against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers-Graduate. Using this evaluation against the APSTs, pre-service teachers will identify gaps in their professional learning and provide evidence for future lifelong learning.
OR
Written critique of a key issue, perspectives or concept represented in the unit.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Pre-service teachers will be involved in a variety of teaching-learning strategies to progress and demonstrate their understandings in this unit. Participants will be involved in a variety of teaching-learning strategies to support learning, including: lectures, student presentations, and group work. Collaborative enquiries and critical approaches to learning will be used.
This is a 10-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 150 hours in total with a normal expectation of 36 hours of directed study and the total contact hours should not exceed 36 hours. Directed study might include lectures, tutorials, webinars, podcasts etc. The balance of the hours then become private study.
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to: