Year
2021Credit points
10Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitPrerequisites
EDFX535 Professional Practice Secondary 2 ; LNTE111 Literacy and Numeracy Test
Unit rationale, description and aim
Pre-service teachers need to develop their skills and knowledge for teaching in practical teaching contexts which are professionally supportive environment.
This professional experience comprises a minimum of 20 days placement and supervised teaching in a school context. It includes the Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA) as a capstone experience for the course. This unit facilitates the pre-service teacher’s induction into the profession and provides opportunities for school-based critical enquiry. It enables Pre-service teachers to reinforce and expand their professional knowledge and practice of the different roles of a teacher and their capacity to transform student learning. This unit aims to provide Pre-service teachers with a substantial block of extended reflective professional experience that approximates the realities of everyday teaching; extends Pre-service teachers’ repertoire of pedagogical skills in the planning, delivery and assessment of appropriate teaching and learning programs; and develops Pre-service teachers’ understanding of the teachers’ role within the school and broader educational community. Pre-service teachers will use a critical enquiry framework to further develop capacities in the alignment of curriculum, assessment, learning and teaching. They will collect and interpret data on their own teaching to support quality teaching practices.
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.
On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
LO1 - design and implement a critical enquiry, applying appropriate codes of ethics, into a pedagogical focus that promotes continued professional learning for improved student learning (GA3, GA4, GA6, GA7, GA9; APST 1.2, 3.6, 6.2, 6.4, 7.1)
LO2 - collect, examine and interpret multiple sources of evidence, including feedback from supervisors and student assessment data, to modify teaching practice (GA5, GA8; APST 5.1, 5.4, 6.3)
LO3 - critically self-reflect on the enquiry process and the collected evidence of learning and teaching for transforming and improving student learning and the pre-service teacher’s professional learning and practice (GA5, GA6, GA8; APST 1.2, 3.6)
LO4 - understand and critique the role of education systems, school philosophies and mission statements, strategic cross-sectorial policy developments, curriculum construction and management decisions in quality learning and teaching practices as a member of a collaborative learning community of professional educators (GA5, GA6; APST 6.2, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2)
LO5 - teach effectively to promote learning and illustrate achievement of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers at graduate level (GA4, GA5, GA7, GA9; APST 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 6.3, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3)
Graduate attributes
GA3 - apply ethical perspectives in informed decision making
GA4 - think critically and reflectively
GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession
GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account
GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively
GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information
GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
1.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning. |
1.2 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. |
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. |
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. |
2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area. |
2.2 Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence. |
2.3 Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans. |
2.5 Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas. |
2.6 Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students. |
3.1 Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics. |
3.2 Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies. |
3.3 Include a range of teaching strategies. |
3.4 Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning. |
3.5 Demonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement. |
3.6 Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning. |
3.7 Describe a broad range of strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process. |
4.1 Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities. |
4.2 Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions. |
4.3 Demonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour. |
4.4 Describe strategies that support students’ well-being and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements. |
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. |
5.1 Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning. |
5.2 Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning. |
5.3 Demonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning. |
5.4 Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice. |
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. |
6.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs. |
6.2 Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers. |
6.3 Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices. |
6.4 Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learnings. |
7.1 Understand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession. |
7.2 Understand the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage. |
7.3 Understand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers. |
Content
Topics will include:
- Establishing and maintaining an engaging learning environment cognizant of current teaching and learning theories in the classroom.
- Development of curriculum and class programs to enhance teaching and learning.
- Schools as learning communities and the teacher’s role as collaborative team member.
- Managing relationships within the school community.
- Analysing the particular school context for the impact of education systems, school philosophies, system, state, national and international policy developments and school structures on quality learning and teaching practices.
- Management of the full range of teacher’s responsibilities including routines, transitions, supervision and pastoral care of school students.
- Strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
- Assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess and moderate student learning.
- Strategies for collecting and interpreting student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice to improve learning outcomes, with a focus on the Secondary teaching area.
- Ethical professional practice for engaging with data and evidence for enquiry into and critical reflection of teaching and learning in school contexts.
- Critical reflection and collaborative interaction with other teachers and other professionals to improve teaching, assessment and professional judgement.
- Seeking and applying constructive feedback from supervisors, mentors and teachers to reflect on and improve teaching practices.
- Opportunities for continued professional learning within and beyond the school context and the implications for improved student learning.
- The writing and presentation of an enquiry-based capstone report.
- Self-auditing and reflective practices and their place in the authentication of attainment of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit applies a situated, practical approach to develop the pre-service teacher’s understanding of effective pedagogies and professional attributes. Relevant preparation for the school context will be provided in either on-campus or on-line modes, but the work/learning of the unit is that of being a teacher in a school, working with real students, colleagues and parents. The pre-service teacher engages in the Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA) as a capstone experience in the school context.
Refer to Professional Experience Handbook for detailed guidelines regarding teaching and other requirements.
Pre-service teachers in this phase of the Professional and Community Experience undertake a minimum of 20 days under agreed supervision arrangements. This experience will involve:
- Assisted immersion in school and class contexts to begin to experience aspects of the secondary school teacher’s role and responsibilities
- Participation and engagement, as a community of learners with peers, supervising teachers and university staff, in observation opportunities, team and small group teaching, and whole class teaching, observations and analysis of high-quality teaching episodes in both the major and the minor teaching areas
- Observation and analysis of high-quality teaching episodes in both the major and the minor teaching areas
A variety of learning-teaching strategies may be used including:
- Face-to-face lectures for briefing and debriefing
- Attendance at all Professional Experience briefing, and debriefing meetings is a unit requirement.
- Online delivery of content and online quizzes
- Seminars, tutorials, or workshops, which include pre-service teacher-led discussions and group work, provide opportunities for pre-service teachers to reflect on and build on their experiences in the field
- Information and communication technologies may be utilised to facilitate an understanding of an educational community of practice.
Professional Experience: Teaching Requirements
Through school-based experiences, pre-service teachers will examine the nexus between theory and practice as they analyse and reflect upon current practices, develop communication, planning and teaching skills and relate their experiences to the theoretical foundations introduced through lectures and tutorials at university. In partnership with the teachers and school communities, they will practice and develop the content and skills explicitly addressed in other units.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The unit is designed, within the context of the course as a whole, so that the pre-service teacher can progressively achieve the course learning outcomes and work towards the Australian Professional Standard for Professional Teachers (Graduate level) in an in-situ, practical context.
In this final professional experience pre-service teachers are required to demonstrate mastery of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate level) by completing two culminating assessments: Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA); and Final Professional Experience Report.
Pre-service teachers, the University and schools collaborate in co-ordinating the school-based experiences of the pre-service teachers as they develop further their appreciation and understanding of the role of teacher. The report completed at the end of this unit covers the following themes:
- Professionalism – in conduct, in the execution of teaching and learning and in relationships with all parties
- Detailed, clearly expressed, thoroughly prepared and well-presented lessons
- Organisation and implementation of a range of learning activities and assessment strategies
- Diversity of teaching approaches
- Development of knowledge, skills and effective classroom strategies, including ICT, to promote engaging learning environments
- Engagement in a range of activities around the teacher’s role, including assisting the class teacher, structured and critical reflection, as appropriate to the setting.
The University will award the final grade based on reports from relevant school personnel. Consistent with University regulations, pre-service teachers who fail this unit may be asked to ‘show cause’, and this may in turn lead to termination from the course.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes | Graduate Attributes |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1: Assessment (GTPA) Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA), undertaken in the teaching area; as described in national documentation for the year of study The GTPA asks Associates 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 LEO site of this unit. | Pass/Fail | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5 | GA3, GA4, GA5, GA6, GA7, GA8, GA9 |
Assessment Task 2: 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 of Teachers: Graduate within the context of classroom/school setting practices. | Pass/Fail | LO5 | GA3, GA4, GA5, GA6, GA7, GA8, GA9 |
Representative texts and references
Alber, S. (2011). A tool kit for action research. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Johnson, A.P. (2012). Short guide to action research. (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson
Kemmis, S., McTaggart, R., & Nixon, R. (2014). The action research planner: Doing critical participatory action research. Singapore: Springer Singapore.
Koshy, V. (2010). Action research for improving educational practice: A step-by-step guide (2nd ed.). London, England: Sage.
Macintyre, C. (2012). The art of action research in the classroom. London, England: David Fulton Publishers Ltd.
McMillan, J. and Schumacher, S. (2010). Research in Education Evidence-Based Inquiry (7th Edition). Boston: Pearson.
Nuttall, J., Kostogriz, A., Jones, M., & Martin, J. (Eds) (2017). Teacher Education Policy and Practice: Evidence of impact, impact of evidence. Singapore: Springer Science+Business Media. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-4133-4
Shagoury, R., & Miller-Power, B. (2012). Living the questions: A guide for teacher-researchers (2nd ed.). United States: Stenhouse Publishers.
Readman, K. and Allen, B. (2013). Practical planning and assessment. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Wilson, E. (2017). School-based research: A guide for education students (3rd ed.). Cannington, WA: SAGE.