Unit rationale, description and aim
Includes: 35 days placement in an educational setting
Effective teaching is underpinned by reflection, enquiry and evidenced based practice. It is necessary for pre-service teachers to develop skills that enable continual, self–regulated professional development.
This unit facilitates 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. The unit provides 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 to evaluate the impact of their teaching on student learning to support quality teaching practices. They will reflect on their development as teacher, analyse their attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and construct a professional learning plan.
The aim of this culminating unit is to synthesise learning from Education Studies, Effective Teaching and Curriculum Studies to ensure pre-service teachers are ‘classroom ready’.
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.
Profile achievement of the Australian Teacher Prof...
Learning Outcome 01
Demonstrate integrated knowledge of and ability to...
Learning Outcome 02
Collect, examine, interpret and moderate multiple ...
Learning Outcome 03
Demonstrate effective teaching that evidence readi...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Pre-service teachers will have the opportunity to apply some or all of the content of this unit in the particular context of their teaching specialisation (refer to the section on ‘Professional Experience: Teaching Requirements’, below)
Topics will include:
- Establishing and maintaining an engaging learning environment cognizant of current teaching and learning theories in the classroom
- Management of the full range of teacher’s responsibilities including routines, transitions, supervision, pastoral care of school students and relationships within the school community
- Analysing the particular school and class context for the identification of issues and problems to formulate a pedagogical intervention
- Strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning
- Strategies for interpreting student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice to improve learning outcomes
- 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 support consistent and comparable 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.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures are used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes and professional standards and criteria consistent with University assessment requirements.
The assessment tasks allow pre-service teachers to demonstrate achievement against the course learning outcomes by demonstrating academic and professional standards. The Education Studies units in this course focus on developing understanding of, and skills across the professional knowledge, practice and engagement needed to meet expectations of the Graduate Attributes, the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) curriculum specifications and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) - Graduate level. In this unit assessments focus on the effectiveness of research and skills of inquiry as means to enhance teaching practices and strategies. An informed reading of the literature about issues that would form the basis of a classroom intervention (which is the GTPA) is critical for improving teaching practice.
The Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA) is the centerpiece of this unit and its assessment. The GTPA must be conducted in a practical teaching context, and this is acknowledged in the Professional Experience Assessment.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, students are required to submit all assessment tasks, meet the learning outcomes of the unit and achieve a minimum overall passing grade of 50%.
Pre-service teachers must attain a Pass in both assessment tasks and the Professional Experience Placement (PEP).
Assessment in EDET401 includes a Critical Task, Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA). Observation and Targeted Lesson Plan. Pre-service teachers must pass the Critical task and pas the Professional Experience Assessment in order to pass this unit.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Graduate Teacher Performance A...
Assessment Task 1: Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA)
Critical Task
The GTPA asks pre-service teachers 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 LMS site of this unit.
Pass/Fail
Professional Experience Assessment The summative ...
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. Refer to the Unit Professional Experience Guidebook for interim and final reports.
Pass/Fail
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The key strategy of this unit will be enquiry-based learning, enacted predominantly in the classroom/school. The pre-service teacher engages in the GTPA as a capstone experience in the school context. Pre-service teachers will engage in approximately 12 hours of directed teaching (lectures or workshops or asynchronous learning), readings and online support before, during and after the placement Directed instruction will provide support for pre-service teachers in the completion of that task. 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 this unit the pre-service teacher will engage in the sustained role of teacher in a classroom/school setting undertaking the diverse duties of a practising teacher, including planning, teaching, assessment and moderation, differentiated engagement with students, department/year-level/school meetings, collaborative team planning sessions, supervision, and other duties required within the setting. Further, the pre-service teacher will engage in a capstone experience in the class/school setting. They will undertake self-auditing activities against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate level. The pre-service teacher will engage in the activities collegially with a mentor and/or supervising teacher and will engage in feedback discussions and proactive planning with both the supervising teacher and the university academic.
Teaching and learning strategies may include, but are not limited to:
- Discussions that promote peer learning
- Self-directed reading and research
- Collaborative learning opportunities
- Reflection
- Engagement with webinars, podcasts and video resources.
Differentiated instruction will be provided so that pre-service teachers will have the opportunity to study some or all of the content of this unit in the particular context of their teaching specialisation.
The unit is hosted on a Learning Management System (LMS) site with resources and online links, announcements, and a discussion board to post questions and reflections that promote connection between content and educational experiences.
Mode of delivery: This unit may be offered in different modes to cater to the learning needs and preferences of a range of participants.
Multi-mode
Learning activities are delivered through a planned mix of online and in-person classes, which may include full-day sessions and/or placements, to enable interaction. Activities that require attendance will appear in a student’s timetable.
Online scheduled
All learning activities are held online, at scheduled times, and will require some attendance to enable online interaction. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.
ACU Online
In ACU Online mode, this unit is delivered asynchronously, fully online using an active, guided learning approach. Pre-service teachers are encouraged to contribute to asynchronous weekly discussions and receive regular and timely feedback on their learning.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: TEACHING REQUIREMENTS
In the final professional experience, pre-service teachers must satisfactorily demonstrate attainment of the Australian Standards for Teachers: Graduate level in order to complete requirements and pass this unit.
Within this final Effective Teaching unit pre-service teachers will undertake, individually, a professional experience placement comprising 35 continuous days in a mainstream school.
The final professional experience placement consists of 35 days (7 weeks) of continuous school-based experience in the same classroom. In this unit, pre-service teachers will be expected to undertake:
- 7 weeks of teaching, with a teaching load at 75-80% of normal load.
- GTPA Project development, implementation and data collection. (Refer to Professional Experience Handbook for detailed guidelines regarding teaching and other requirements).
The professional experience will usually be in the area of the teaching specialisation of the pre-service teacher. The GTPA will usually be conducted in that area of teaching specialisation.
- Each Primary pre-service teacher will have a nominated primary subject specialisation (such as English, Mathematics, Religious Education, Science/Technology, Health and Physical Education, Creative Arts and Languages). The placement must allow the pre-service primary teacher to consolidate the content of this unit in the particular context of the primary teaching specialisation. Where possible, the GTPA should be conducted in that area of teaching specialisation.
- Each Early Childhood and Primary (ECP) pre-service teacher will be placed in a lower (F-2) primary school setting. They similarly have a primary teaching specialisation of English, Mathematics OR Religious Education. The placement must allow the pre-service ECP teacher to consolidate the content of this unit in the particular context of primary teaching specialisation. Where possible, the GTPA should be conducted in that area of teaching specialisation.
- A pre-service teacher preparing to teach across Primary and Secondary has a ‘primary subject specialisation’ based on their secondary teaching area, and will be placed in a primary education setting. The placement must allow the pre-service primary teacher to consolidate the content of this unit in the particular context of the primary teaching specialisation. Where possible, the GTPA should be conducted in that area of teaching specialisation.
- A pre-service Secondary teacher will be placed in a secondary setting that will support practice teaching in at least one their two secondary subject areas. The GTPA will usually be conducted in one of the pre-service teacher's two teaching areas, preference should be given to their first teaching area.
ACECQA Curriculum Specifications
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) standards:
Relating to Early Years Learning Framework
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Relating to
The Australian curriculum
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Relating to
Curriculum planning, programming and evaluation
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2
Relating to
Alternative pedagogies and curriculum approaches
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Relating to
Teaching methods and strategies
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating to
Research
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level
In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level standards:
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies that support participation and learning of students with disability.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2
Relating toKnow and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toImplement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toPlan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2, LO4
Relating toDescribe a broad range of strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2
Relating toIdentify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating toDescribe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate 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.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating toUnderstand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating toSeek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating toUnderstand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4
Relating toUnderstand the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating toUnderstand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4
Relating toUnderstand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
Representative texts and references
Required text(s)
Australian Curriculum https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) www.acara.edu.au.
Relevant State and Territory curriculum documents.
Recommended references
Alexakos, K. (2015). Being a teacher/researcher: A primer on doing authentic inquiry research on teaching and learning. Sense Publishers.
Brady, L., & Kennedy K. (2018). Assessment and reporting: Celebrating student achievement (5th ed.). Pearson Australia.
Charteris, J., & Smardon, D. (2015). Teacher agency and dialogic feedback: Using classroom data for practitioner inquiry. Teaching and Teacher Education, 50, 114-123.
Dana, N. F., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2020). The reflective educator's guide to classroom research: Learning to teach and teaching to learn through practitioner inquiry (4th ed.). Corwin.
Deppeler, J. (2017). Navigating the Boundaries of Difference: Using Collaboration in Inquiry to Develop Teaching and Progress Student Learning. In L. Florian and N. Pantic. Teacher Education for the Changing Demographics of Schooling (pp. 149-165). Springer, Cham.
Leat, D., Reid, A., & Lofthouse, R. (2015). Teachers’ experiences of engagement with and in educational research: what can be learned from teachers’ views?. Oxford Review of Education, 41(2): 270-286.
Mills, G. E. (2018). Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher (6th ed.). Pearson.
Mor, Y., Ferguson, R., & Wasson, B. (2015). Learning design, teacher inquiry into student learning and learning analytics: A call for action. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(2), 221-229.
Posch, P. (2019). Action research - conceptual distinctions and confronting the theory-practice divide in Lesson and Learning Studies. Educational Action Research, 27(4), 496-510.
Taylor, L. A. (2017). How teachers become teacher researchers: Narrative as a tool for teacher identity construction. Teaching and Teacher Education, 61, 16-25.
To, J., & Carless, D. (2016). Making productive use of exemplars: Peer discussion and teacher guidance for positive transfer of strategies. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 40(6), 746-764.
Wall, K., & Hall, E. (2017) The teacher in teacher-practitioner research: three principles of inquiry. In Boyd, P. and Szplit, A., International Perspectives: Teachers and Teacher Educators Learning Through Enquiry, KielceKrakow: 35-62.