Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit enables pre-service teachers to draw on broad and specific knowledge of early childhood and primary education to consider the form and nature of collaborative partnership within schools, early childhood education settings and the broader community. Strategies that support effective communication, conflict management, relationship building and pastoral care will be covered. Consideration of partnerships will include opportunities for pre-service teachers to investigate and critically reflect on the complex nature of teachers’ work to effectively support families and promote continuity of learning for children. Students will apply critical thinking and judgement to analyse issues related to ethical and professional responsibilities of teachers, including inclusive practice and advocacy for children and families. Diverse and dynamic contexts of family life will be examined. Appreciative framework approaches will be used to develop awareness of principles and concepts informing service provision, appropriate intervention, inclusion, partnerships with and support strategies for a diverse range of families.
This unit aims to provide pre-service teachers with the knowledge and skills to enable establishment and maintenance of collaborative partnerships with children, parents, families, colleagues, other professionals, medical specialists and community members, including skills associated with the development of Individualised Planning Documents [i.e. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Individual Learning Plans (ILPs)].
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.
Reflect on and critically analyse ethical, profess...
Learning Outcome 01
Examine the form and nature of collaborative partn...
Learning Outcome 02
Identify the diverse and dynamic nature of family ...
Learning Outcome 03
Develop awareness of principles and concepts infor...
Learning Outcome 04
Reflectively synthesise ideas and present work in ...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
The content of this unit will include the following areas of investigation:
- the form and nature of collaborative partnership within schools, early childhood education settings and the broader community.
- Investigation of various opportunities for teachers in the early years to effectively support families and promote continuity of learning for children.
- Ethical and professional responsibilities of teachers
- Examples of inclusive practice and advocacy for children, families and the teaching profession.
- Experiences of collaboration with peers and participation in group-based tasks
- The diverse and dynamic nature of family life across the life cycle
- Particular attention will be given to families in which there is a member with diverse support requirements.
- principles and concepts informing service provision, inclusion, and support strategies for a diverse range of families
- application of legislative requirements for inclusion
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. Such procedures may include, but are not limited to, essays, reports, examinations, student presentations or case studies.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. Assessment tasks will amount to the equivalent of 5,000 words
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 Partnership artefact and refle...
Assessment Task 1
Partnership artefact and reflection:
Artefact
This assessment task requires the development of a communication package that draws on a range of communication strategies and communicates to families an important aspect of their child’s education and care.
The package is to be designed so that it can be used with parents in the infants and toddler program at an early childhood centre to encourage open two way communication between the parents and Early Childhood professionals.
The aim of this package is that it could be used by an early childhood context to create partnerships with parents and provide key advice and information on their child’s education and care program with reference to how it applies to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF).
Reflection on the process of creating the communication package and what the expected outcomes of using such an artefact with the parents would be.
Indicate ways in which this artefact could be adapted to be used within the early years of school.
Equivalent to 1,500 words (600 word reflection and 900 words for artefact)
30%
Assessment Task 2: Group task/presentation Folio...
Assessment Task 2:
Group task/presentation
Folio: As a group, present a folio of resources that indicate the form and nature of inclusive community collaborative partnerships. Present an analysis of how these resources could:
- promote effective learning for children,
- demonstrate awareness of principles and concepts informing service provision, inclusion, early intervention, and
- support a diverse range of families.
OR
Newsletter: As a group, prepare a parent newsletter for an advocacy support group. Articles and notices within the newsletter should demonstrate acknowledgment of the diverse and dynamic nature of family life, support strategies for a diverse range of families, awareness of principles and concepts informing service provision, early intervention, and inclusion.
Equivalent to 1,500 words (300-word articles in the newsletter)
30%
Assessment Task 3: Research-informed critical a...
Assessment Task 3:
Research-informed critical analysis paper
Critical analysis of chosen issue or topic within the area of partnerships and family studies that support inclusive and diverse learning, drawing on the literature relevant to this unit. Give consideration to ethical and professional responsibilities of teachers and how these can be applied to practices of educators. The critical analysis should synthesis the importance of partnerships in the following elements of teaching:
· Effective provision of learning opportunities
· Inclusion and support strategies for families and individuals with disabilities and/or special support needs.
· Use of a range of strategies to enhance communication.
Equivalent to 2,000 words
40%
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 maybe 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 36 hours of directed study and the total contact hours should not exceed 36 hours. Directed study might include lectures, tutorials, webinars, podcasts etc. The balance of the hours then become private study.
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
ACECQA CRITERIA
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following specific knowledge: