Unit rationale, description and aim
Includes: a specified number of placement days in an educational setting
Teaching is a multi-faceted profession and teachers need to have a practical understanding of the complexities of the teacher’s role in order to inform their teaching practice and meet the challenges of teaching in a rapidly changing world.
For various reasons, pre-service teachers may be required to undertake days of professional experience placement that are in addition to the total number of days normally specified in their course. These additional days must be undertaken in defined settings (e.g., early childhood centre, primary or secondary school) to meet jurisdictional teacher registration requirements. This unit provides pre-service teachers with a means to meet these requirements with the number of placement days and setting being specified by the lecturer-in-charge on a case-by-case basis.
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.
Demonstrate an understanding of key factors that i...
Learning Outcome 01
Demonstrate knowledge of the legal and ethical req...
Learning Outcome 02
Apply introductory knowledge of curriculum, commun...
Learning Outcome 03
Complete a successful professional experience in a...
Learning Outcome 04
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.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks and their weighting for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, pre-service teachers are required to submit all assessment tasks, meet the learning outcomes of the unit and achieve an overall Pass grade.
In addition, pre-service teachers must attain a Pass in the two hurdle tasks. These are the preparation for the Professional Experience Placement (PEP) and the Professional Experience Assessment.
The first hurdle task comprises a collection of preparatory tasks that must be completed to a high standard prior to commencement of the placement. The second comprises a placement – which is assessed on a pass/fail basis.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Critical Reflection Part A: ...
Assessment Task 1: Critical Reflection
Part A: Critically reflect on your journey towards teaching. What has led to you to this profession? Discuss your aspirations, role models, and goals. What skills/attributes do you possess that are relevant for the type of teaching you wish to pursue (early childhood, primary, secondary)? How have your recent educational experiences informed your trajectory towards teaching and where you see yourself in 3-5 years’ time? Include links to theories (e.g., teacher identity, professional learning, philosophy of teaching).
Part B: Demonstrate your knowledge of the relevant curriculum, policies and jurisdictional requirements associated with the type of teaching you wish to pursue (early childhood, primary, secondary).
50%
Assessment Task 2: Observation and Targeted Lesso...
Assessment Task 2: Observation and Targeted Lesson Plan
Based on observations during the placement, describe the physical, social and intellectual development characteristics of a learner, a small group or a class within the placement setting.
Design a learning activity (lesson plan) to cater to the identified strengths and needs of the learner/s. Set learning goals and include teaching strategy/ies that provide achievable challenges for the identified learner/s and are linked to the content and learning outcomes of a specific curriculum/learning area. Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities including the provision of clear directions on the implementation of the learning activity.
50%
Hurdle Requirement: Preparation for the Professio...
Hurdle Requirement: Preparation for the Professional Experience Placement
1.Prior to commencing the Professional Experience placement, pre-service teachers must provide evidence that they have completed a series of compulsory online preparation modules (attaining a score of 95% or above in each module) in the same calendar year as this placement. The modules may include:
- Professional Standards;
- Professional expectations and codes of conduct;
- Legal requirements, including Duty of Care, Child Protection and Mandatory Reporting; and
- Professional relationships.
2. Pre-service teachers must also complete (or provide evidence of having completed) the mandatory requirements as specified by the pre-service teacher's state/territory.
Pass/Fail
Professional Experience Assessment Professional ...
Professional Experience Assessment
Professional Experience requirements include compilation of evidence as required. (Refer to Professional Experience Handbook and Report). Compilation of evidence will include:
- structured observation and analysis of educational setting and classroom contexts
- preparation for all teaching episodes including the setting of goals, outcomes, content, assessment criteria catering for a variety of abilities and characteristics
- relevant teaching resources
- critical reflection on own teaching experiences
- feedback from supervising teacher/s and university staff.
This evidence must be compiled into a well-presented and well-organised Professional Experience folder, which must be updated on a daily basis throughout the placement. Artefacts and reflections may provide evidence of attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate and can be included in the ePortfolio.
A pass or fail grade will be awarded for completion of the professional experience days
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
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, LO3
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1
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 OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4
Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toPlan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toDescribe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, 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 OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toSeek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toUnderstand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4
Relating toUnderstand the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
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
Arthur et al. (2020). Programming and planning in early childhood (8th edition)
ACECQA. (2022). Belonging, being, becoming: Early learning years framework v2.0
Churchill, R., Shaw, K., Godinho, S., Johnson, N., Keddie, A., Letts, W., Lowe, K., Mackay, J., McGill, M., & Moss, J. (2016[KM1] ). Teaching: Making a difference (5th ed.). Milton, Qld: John Wiley & Son Australia.