Unit rationale, description and aim
Primary teachers are required to demonstrate content knowledge, pedagogical expertise, and the capacity to lead teaching and assessment within a safe and supportive learning environment. Preservice teachers will complete a 15-day professional experience placement in a school-based educational setting with primary aged learners. They will demonstrate professional and ethical practice, effective communication, and the creation and management of safe, engaging learning environments. Ongoing reflection on feedback from colleagues and supervisors will support the development of future professional practice.
Preservice teachers will build knowledge, skills, and reflective capacities required to design, implement, and evaluate inclusive, evidence-informed teaching and assessment that promotes learning for diverse student populations. They will critically examine and apply various teaching strategies including explicit teaching, modelling and scaffolding, and feedback and assessment that support how the brain learns, are aligned with curriculum requirements and responsive to learner needs. Through a situational analysis of their placement school context, preservice teachers will consider how quality teaching practices underpin classroom management and the development of safe and supportive environments.
The unit aims to prepare preservice teachers to take on leadership of their own professional learning, contributing to improved teaching practice and student learning outcomes within their school communities.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.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.
Examine contemporary pedagogical theory, research ...
Learning Outcome 01
Integrate pedagogical and assessment theory, resea...
Learning Outcome 02
Critically analyse contemporary research and profe...
Learning Outcome 03
Synthesise their professional learning needs using...
Learning Outcome 04
Complete an intermediary professional experience i...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Contemporary theories of learning and development for pedagogical decision making in primary contexts
- Planning for coherent learning sequences built on the Australian Curriculum and state jurisdictional documentation
- Developing and differentiating learning goals, including the use of learning intentions and success criteria
- Designing contextually responsive teaching strategies, including differentiation for learner diversity for support and extension
- Implementing evidence-informed pedagogical approaches to promote engagement, learning and wellbeing
- Designing formative and summative assessments to monitor learning and inform teaching decisions
- The role of timely, constructive feedback in supporting student learning and progress
- Interpreting assessment data and evidence to evaluate learning and adjust practice
- Establishing and maintaining safe, supportive and predictable learning environments
- Applying proactive classroom management strategies, including routines, transitions and effective use of learning time
- Understanding the multi-tiered framework for supporting learners in schools and classrooms
- Engaging professionally and ethically with colleagues, students, families and carers
- Using feedback from supervising teachers to critically reflect on practice
- The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate) and their role in professional learning and development
- Developing reflective practice through targeted professional learning plans, including research, data, and evidence from placement experiences
- Demonstrating increasing responsibility, professional judgement and independence during professional experience placement
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment strategy focuses on deepening knowledge in and of primary schools and classrooms. The unit includes two hurdle tasks related to the professional experience placement. These hurdles must be met within the study period for the unit. Assessments are scaffolded through weekly classes, with opportunities for peer discussion and formative feedback. These support preservice teachers to engage meaningfully with professional standards while developing pedagogical skills for effective classroom practice.
Task 1 develops research, analysis, and critical thinking skills to support quality pedagogical decision-making. It builds preservice teachers’ understanding of current theories and innovations in pedagogy and professional learning for teachers in primary contexts based on Core Content. Task 2 fosters critical reflection and goal-setting for professional growth. It draws on data and feedback collected during professional experience placements to reflect and develop targeted professional learning plan to support their own growth in creating safe and supportive learning environments.
To pass this unit, pre-service teachers must maintain 80% attendance to scheduled learning experiences, successfully complete both hurdle tasks, and submit both weighted assessments, achieving a passing grade of 50% overall.
Overview of assessments
Hurdle Task 1: Preparation for Professional Exper...
Hurdle Task 1: Preparation for Professional Experience
Prior to commencing placement, you must finalise a logbook of actions to prepare for engaging in a school context. This includes: (1) obtaining a Working with Children Check or Police Check, where mandated; (2) completing a ‘fitness to teach’ review; (3) any mandatory requirements specified by your state/territory; (4) attaining a score of 95% or better in each online preparation module in the relevant calendar year; and (5) attending to unit learning experiences, including either attending a minimum of 80% of timetabled activities in scheduled units, or completing a minimum of 80% of learning activitie
Complete/
Incomplete
Hurdle Task 2: Professional Experience Placement ...
Hurdle Task 2: Professional Experience Placement
Submit the Professional Experience Assessment Report as completed by an experienced educator in your placement school context and your Attendance Record. The report must demonstrate successful completion of 15 professional experience days and satisfactory progress towards attainment of relevant Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate level. Refer to the Professional Experience Handbook and Assessment Report for detailed information about minimum standards of progress expected in this
Pass/Fail
Task 1: Presentation of a Literature Review Comp...
Task 1: Presentation of a Literature Review
Compose an annotated bibliography of theoretical and research literature that summarises high quality pedagogical and assessment approaches with reference to components of Core Content 2 Effective Pedagogical Practices, including core content 2.1 and 2.6. From the selected literature, develop a presentation that describes and critiques how the selected strategies can be successfully applied to two different teaching areas.
50%
Task 2: Classroom Management Plan Reflect on you...
Task 2: Classroom Management Plan
Reflect on your placement experiences to design a plan for your professional learning towards Core Content 3 Classroom Management, including 3.1 to 3.3, with alignment to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Explain your rationale for continued professional learning to improve your (1) teaching practice for enhanced student learning and (2) development as a classroom leader. Describe your practical plan for innovation and change informed by research and evidence gathered from placements, including a summary of potential strategies and activities for future professional practice.
50%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Informed by andragogical approaches, the unit recognises that sociocultural contexts shape learning and effective teaching builds on prior knowledge. Learning experiences develop preservice teachers’ understanding of curriculum and pedagogical decision-making, assessment design and classroom management. Preservice teachers will actively participate in learning and assessment to develop their knowledge, skills, and reflective capacity. This will focus on analysis of teaching and learning strategies that are responsive to diverse student needs and curriculum requirements. Digital resources further support the development of effective teaching practices. They will design, implement, and evaluate inclusive and effective teaching, planning, and assessment sequences aligned with the Australian Curriculum.
A 15-day professional experience placement enables preservice teachers to implement curriculum plans, demonstrate classroom management, and engage ethically and professionally in authentic classroom settings. Feedback from experienced educators supports ongoing reflection and growth. The placement must include a block of no less than 10 days. Activities will include observation, assisting with learning experiences, and planning and delivering 1–3 lessons per day. These should build towards managing extended periods of whole-class responsibility to support progress against the Graduate Teacher Standards.