Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitPrerequisites
NilIncompatible
EDSS322 Studies of Society and Environment
Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit will focus on development of pre-service teachers’ knowledge and skills related to teaching of humanities in primary and early childhood educational contexts. Particular focus will be given to appropriate and relevant curriculum documents/frameworks related to history, geography and civics and citizenship. Emphasis is placed on particular strategies and techniques such as inquiry learning and the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to support learning opportunities. Pre-service teachers will develop an enhanced knowledge and broad range of skills to plan, implement, assess and report on social science humanities learning and teaching in primary and early childhood settings as applicable. This will include an understanding of the importance of using knowledge of students to evaluate their learning and implementing appropriate adjustments to planning and teaching.
The aim of this unit is to provide pre-service teachers with opportunities to enhance their capacity to make connections between and apply critical analysis to the various elements of society that contribute to an informed humanities curriculum, such as environments, time, change and continuity, culture, identity, and systems, resources and power.
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.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Display an in-depth understanding of the conceptual knowledge and rationales of history, geography and civics and citizenship curricula and relevant elements of national and state/territory curriculum documents/frameworks for early childhood and primary contexts, as applicable (APST 2.1; ACECQA B1, B2, B6) |
| LO2 | Research, evaluate and critically analyse a range of pedagogical approaches and teaching resources (including inquiry based learning and the use of ICTs), and how these connect to history, geography and civics and citizenship curricula (APST 2.1, 2.6, 3.3, 3.4; ACECQA B6, C4) |
| LO3 | Demonstrate broad knowledge and skill to implement and modify content and teaching strategies, and effectively and consistently assess and report on student learning in early childhood and primary contexts, as applicable. (APST 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.3, 5.1, 5.4, 5.5; ACECQA B6, B9, C1, C4, C5, D4, D5) |
| LO4 | Plan well sequenced developmentally, culturally appropriate units of work which are inclusive in the selection of content and resources and which take account of students’ different abilities, learning styles and needs (APST 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2; ACECQA B6, B9, C4, C5) |
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
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. |
2.6 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. |
5.1 Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess 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. |
ACECQA CRITERIA
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following specific knowledge:
B. Education and curriculum studies B1 Early Years Learning Framework B2 The Australian curriculum B6 Social and environmental education B9 Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation |
C. Early childhood pedagogies C1 Alternative pedagogies and curriculum approaches C4 Teaching methods and strategies C5 Catering to children with diverse needs and backgrounds |
D. Families and community partnerships D4 Socially inclusive practice D5 Culture, diversity and inclusion |
Content
Topics will include:
- Core rationales for Social Science/Humanities education in the primary school and early childhood settings within the context of the Australian Goals for Schooling and Young Australians and the National Quality Framework
- The skills, values, attitudes and behaviours central to living as members of society such as cultural and social literacy
- Indigenous perspectives about the past, present and future
- Studies of Asia perspectives that examines concepts of global interdependence, cultural identity and economic relationships
- Global perspectives, identity, interdependence, equity and cultural understanding
- Civics and citizenship education and social justice in a democratic society
- Integrative curriculum approaches to teaching Social Science/Humanities (particularly) within current and relevant curriculum documents and frameworks. This would include:
- History
- Geography
- Civics and Citizenship
- Sustainability – economic, environment and social
- Use of ICT pedagogies to support student learning
- Planning, implementation, assessment, evaluation and reporting strategies
- The appropriate selection, usage and evaluation of resources and inquiry based models for teaching Social Science/Humanities education – in primary school and early childhood contexts, as applicable
- Strategies to access and effectively use community resources for authentic learning
- Relevant national, state and territory curriculum documents and assessment.
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: online engagement, lectures, tutorials, seminar presentations and group discussions, both online and face-to-face, self-directed study activities and assessment tasks. Some participation in appropriate educational settings may be required.
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 24 hours of directed study and the total contact hours should not exceed 24 hours. Directed study might include lectures, tutorials, webinars, podcasts etc. The balance of the hours then become private study.
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.
In order to pass this unit, you are required to complete two major assessable tasks. Total assessment is the equivalent of 5,000 words.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1 A unit of work developed by groups and presented in written format. The unit of work must cover all key elements of this unit. a. Part A Unit Plan (Group) b. Part B Lesson Plan (Individual – each member of the group prepares a different lesson that relates to the Unit of Work developed by the group, demonstrating competence in all the LOs for this unit) Equivalent to 2500 words | 50% (A 30%, B 20%) | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Assessment Task 2: 1. Critical discussion paper in which students consider
OR 2. Examination – short answer and essay questions addressing the points in option 1. OR 3. Tutorial presentation of content and rationale for unit of work developed in Assessment Task 1. Providing articulation of and written reflection covering each of the Learning Outcomes. OR 4. Create a digital learning resource (e.g. website) or a community resource with links to current and relevant curriculum documents. Providing a reflective response to the resource that demonstrates evidence of each of the elements of the unit. Equivalent to 2500 words | 50% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Representative texts and references
Relevant national, state and territory curriculum documents for early childhood primary settings
Bowes, J. M. & Grace, R. (2012). Children, families and communities: Contexts and consequences (4th ed.). South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press.
Browett, J., & Ashman, G. (2008). Thinking globally: Global perspectives in the early years classroom. Carlton South, Vic: Education Services Australia.
Gilbert, R. (Ed.). (2012). Studying society and environment. Melbourne: Macmillan Education.
Gilbert, R., & Hoepper, B. (Eds) (2014). Teaching humanities and social sciences: History, geography, economics and citizenship in the Australian curriculum (5th ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning.
Marsh, C., & Hart, C. (2011). Teaching the social sciences and humanities in an Australian curriculum (6th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson.
Munn, K. (2005). Focus on Australian topics: Ages 8-10. South Yarra Vic: Macmillan Education Australia.
Reynolds, R. (2012). Teaching history, geography and SOSE in the primary school (2nd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford, University Press.
Seefeldt, C., Castle, S., & Falconer R.C. (2010). Social studies for the preschool/primary child (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Taylor, T., Fahey, C., Kriewaldt, J., & Boon, D. (2012). Place and time: Explorations in teaching geography and history. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Australia.
Zajda, J. (2009). Society and the environment: Teaching SOSE. Albert Park, Vic: James Nicholas PublishersRelevant national, state and territory curriculum documents for early childhood primary settings
Bowes, J. M. & Grace, R. (2012). Children, families and communities: Contexts and consequences (4th ed.). South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press.
Browett, J., & Ashman, G. (2008). Thinking globally: Global perspectives in the early years classroom. Carlton South, Vic: Education Services Australia.
Gilbert, R. (Ed.). (2012). Studying society and environment. Melbourne: Macmillan Education.
Gilbert, R., & Hoepper, B. (Eds) (2014). Teaching humanities and social sciences: History, geography, economics and citizenship in the Australian curriculum (5th ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning.
Marsh, C., & Hart, C. (2011). Teaching the social sciences and humanities in an Australian curriculum (6th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson.
Munn, K. (2005). Focus on Australian topics: Ages 8-10. South Yarra Vic: Macmillan Education Australia.
Reynolds, R. (2012). Teaching history, geography and SOSE in the primary school (2nd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford, University Press.
Seefeldt, C., Castle, S., & Falconer R.C. (2010). Social studies for the preschool/primary child (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Taylor, T., Fahey, C., Kriewaldt, J., & Boon, D. (2012). Place and time: Explorations in teaching geography and history. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Australia.
Zajda, J. (2009). Society and the environment: Teaching SOSE. Albert Park, Vic: James Nicholas Publishers