EDFX205 - EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

None

Unit rationale, description and aim

The Educational Community Engagement Program aims to assist pre-service teachers to gain experience in an educational setting that offers legitimate and authentic experiences of working with education practitioners and children. The placement involves pre-service teachers working in a learning support role in the assigned setting, contributing to the functions of that setting, and enhancing the development of their understanding of the contextual factors that impact on the way in which educational settings operate and how children learn. Pre-service teachers will work with individual and small groups of children to support the work set by the educational practitioner in the assigned setting. To enhance critical examination and challenge established beliefs, pre-service teachers are engaged in critical reflective practice on their experiences, assisting them in making important links with the theoretical aspects of their course and growing their personal and professional knowledge, understanding, and skills with 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.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Expose pre-service teachers to diverse contexts that will challenge their knowledge, skills and beliefs about the teaching profession (GA1, GA2, GA4)

LO2 - Encourage the development of open and flexible thinking and responsiveness to change (GA5)

LO3 - Promote an awareness of the concept of life-long learning through participation in experiences that cater for a range of individual developmental stages (GA4, GA5)

LO4 - work with education practitioners to facilitate the development of cognitive strengths, including specific intelligence, preferred learning styles, and higher-order thinking skills (GA5, GA7)

LO5 - Provide opportunities for pre-service teachers to contribute to the life of the education community through the sharing of personal expertise and time (GA1, GA2)

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity

GA2 - recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society 

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

Content

Placement in an educational setting (e.g., early learning centre, kindergarten, special school, mainstream school) provides the opportunity for preservice teachers to:

•  understand different education contexts through observation, discussion, and participation in an education setting
• support children’s in informal ways (individually and in small group work) 
• explore and observe ways in which individual learners’ differences are catered for
• develop strategies to aid critical examination and reflection that challenge established beliefs in unfamiliar, problematic experiences
•  consider approaches and participate in social justice and inclusive education

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

A variety of teaching and learning strategies will be used, including:

• Pre-service teachers work with the University and educational settings to undertake at least 10 days (or equivalent hours) of professional experience in an assigned educational setting.
• A reflective journal will aid preservice teachers to reflect on their experiences
• Use of the information and communication technologies, including online discussion, will be utilised to facilitate the formation of a network of preservice teachers who remain connected to each other, and University representatives/mentors while participating in their professional experiences.

Assessment strategy and rationale

Assessment is through a Pass/Fail grade for a reflective journal based on a one-day per week experience in an education setting.. The journal will be used to record critical reflections based on insights gained through experiences and activities; analysis of episodes; identification of issues/concerns and plans to action what has been learned; responses from stakeholders; and to show evidence of participation in the program.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Department of Education and Training Victoria. (2020). Practice principals for excellence in learning and teaching. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/teachers/support/practiceprinciples.pdf

Department of Education and Training Victoria. (2020). The pedagogical model. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/teachers/teachingresources/practice/pedagogicalmodel.docx

Loughran, J. (2010). What expert teachers do: Enhancing professional knowledge for classroom practice. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203851470

Appropriate Journals and Websites

Australian Catholic University: Community Engagement: https://www.acu.edu.au/about-acu/community-engagement

Department of Education and Training Victoria: COVID-19 advice: https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/department/Pages/coronavirus.aspx

Department of Education and Training Victoria: Resources to support work in schools: https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/Pages/default.aspx

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/Pages/default.aspx