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.

Content

Students in this unit will choose content topics that are relevant to the type of teaching they wish to pursue (early childhood, primary, secondary).

Topics will include:

The profession of teaching:

• Teacher identity
• Teacher self-care: physical and mental wellbeing and building resilience;
• Australian Professional Standards for Teachers; organisational policies and processes; principles and codes of ethics and conduct; legal and professional responsibilities including Duty of Care, Child Protection and Mandatory reporting
• Personal philosophies of teaching

Professional communication in educational contexts:

• Characteristics of effective teachers,
• Teacher behaviours to promote positive engagement - setting achievable and challenging learning goals, giving clear directions, with-it-ness (whole class awareness); attention-getting moves, establishing rules.
• Building positive, safe and supportive learning environments, getting to know your learners, appropriate teacher-student communication

Introduction to teaching strategies:

• Explicit strategies such as demonstrating and explaining
• Strategies for teaching small groups
• Introduction to technology and teaching: multi-modal communication

Introduction to planning:

• The structure of Australian schooling and curriculum: stages of education and authorities (Federal, State, Catholic, Independent, and home schooling)
• Setting clear and appropriate learning goals
• Planning and implementing learning activities linked to curriculum content and learning outcomes
• Formal and informal assessment strategies and strategies for providing appropriate feedback

The Professional Experience:

• Observation, reflection and applying constructive feedback as strategies that guide professional learning and growth;
• Prior to commencing the Professional Experience placement, pre-service teachers must complete a series of compulsory online preparation modules that includes a mandatory module on working with children and young people that focuses on responding to concerns and strategies to keep ourselves and others safe and support children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

The learning and teaching strategies will include:

1.             Online activities

2.             Placement in a relevant educational setting

The unit includes a Learning Management System site that may include resources such as online links, announcements, discussion board(s), video illustrations of teaching practice and focused readings to address a wide spectrum of teaching contexts, practices and competencies.  

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: TEACHING REQUIREMENTS

Within this unit pre-service teachers will undertake a professional experience placement comprising of a specified number of days in a defined educational setting (either early childhood centre, primary or secondary school) as determined by the  lecturer-in-charge.

Pre-service teachers will develop the habit of critically reflective practice through guided reflection upon their observations of their class and the educational setting. In collaboration with their supervising teachers and other professional colleagues, they will develop basic teaching skills through assisting in the delivery of high-quality teaching episodes and teaching small groups and whole classes. They will critically reflect upon their teaching, and self-audit their progression and attainment of key teaching skills and standards.

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL

On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to: