Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit is designed to establish a knowledge base for pre-service teachers in the areas of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment in Design and Technologies Education for secondary students in the junior and middle years of schooling (Years 7-10). An understanding of the national curricula which is specific to Catholic, State and Independent schools will provide the focus of this unit. The unit is also designed to develop pre-service teachers’ understanding of contemporary theory, concepts and skills in Design and Technologies Education studies as applied in the junior secondary classroom context. A range of curriculum perspectives will be explored, including literacy, numeracy, ICT, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education, students with special needs and effective teaching. There is a focus on effective teaching and classroom management, including student engagement, participation and inclusion. 

2025 10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.

Prerequisites

Nil

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.

Generate and critically evaluate a Design and Tech...

Learning Outcome 01

Generate and critically evaluate a Design and Technologies curriculum program for senior students which involves a variety of pedagogical approaches and resources appropriate to these year levels, assessment tasks and curriculum content (APST 2.1, 2.2, 2.6, 3.2, 3.4)

Critically analyse a variety of classroom strategi...

Learning Outcome 02

Critically analyse a variety of classroom strategies which differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning strengths and needs of students across the full range of abilities in the Design and Technologies classroom and to cater for the needs of learners from diverse backgrounds (e.g. cognitive, physical, social, cultural backgrounds, and including students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds) and integrate general capabilities and cross curriculum priorities (APST 1.3, 1.5, 2.4, 3.1, 3.3)

Demonstrate an understanding of the literacy and n...

Learning Outcome 03

Demonstrate an understanding of the literacy and numeracy strategies applicable to teaching and learning in Design and Technologies Education and analyse a variety of classroom strategies which differentiate teaching to meet the variety of student needs in this respect (APST 1.5, 2.4, 2.5, 3.3)

Examine the relationships between student learning...

Learning Outcome 04

Examine the relationships between student learning and expertise, higher order thinking, learning task design, assessment, feedback, reporting and evaluation in Design and Technologies Education (APST 2.3, 3.6, 5.1, 5.4, 5.5)

Interpret and explain the relationship of assessme...

Learning Outcome 05

Interpret and explain the relationship of assessment to intervention strategies, student learning and high stakes examination practices in Design and Technologies (APST 2.1, 2.3, 3.6,5.1, 5.4)

Articulate the relationship between Design and Tec...

Learning Outcome 06

Articulate the relationship between Design and Technologies Education, legislation, relevant community and professional agencies and the professional responsibilities of Design and Technologies teachers (APST 6.2, 7.1, 7.4)

Analyse and apply a variety of skills and techniqu...

Learning Outcome 07

Analyse and apply a variety of skills and techniques including aspects of general and mandatory safety requirements in the workshop and thus demonstrate expertise in the field of Design and Technology Education to meet relevant professional requirements (APST 4.3)

Demonstrate understanding of sociocultural influen...

Learning Outcome 08

Demonstrate understanding of sociocultural influences of Design and Technologies Education within society, at individual, interpersonal, institutional, social and cultural levels (APST 2.1).

Content

The topics will include:

  •         factors in the educational context (international, national, state, territory and local levels) including curriculum policies and perspectives that shape the identity of Design and Technologies in years 11-12.
  •         coverage of resources relevant to jurisdictional syllabus documents
  •         specific professional practices related to teaching and learning in Design and Technologies (eg. OHS, safe practices, management of workshop and practical environments)
  •         behavior management in Design and Technologies teaching/learning environments
  •         an understanding of how effective teaching, including curriculum rigour, engagement, participation and inclusion, is a key factor in effective classroom management
  •         general capabilities and cross curriculum priorities including the integration of literacy and numeracy, and local, state, territory and national perspectives in the Design and Technologies classroom
  •         alignment and coherence in content, learning outcomes, pedagogy in curriculum programming in Design and Technologies Education
  •         the relationship between reflexive learning and effective concept formation to build higher order thinking in Design and Technologies Education
  •         catering for a diverse range of learners in Design and Technologies Education
  •         discipline specific teaching strategies and issues related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Design and Technologies Education
  •         effective use of resources for teaching, including ICT’s and technologies specific to Design and Technologies Education
  • literacy and numeracy teaching strategies applicable to teaching and learning within Design and Technologies Education
  •         pedagogical strategies to promote problem solving and critical thinking in Design and Technologies Education
  •         school-based assessment, external examinations in Design and Technologies Education
  •         interpreting assessment data, intervention, feedback, and reporting in the Design and Technologies Education
  •         extending and challenging learners in Design and Technologies Education.

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment tasks and their weightings are designed so that the pre-service teacher can progressively achieve the course learning outcomes and the professional standards. The Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment units in this course focus on pre-service teachers acquiring content knowledge and developing the skills to assimilate conceptual knowledge in order for that knowledge to inform skills that will be applied in practice.

The two assessment tasks are sequenced to allow feedback and progressive development. By completing Task 1 the pre-service teacher will apply knowledge of assessment strategies. In Task 2 pre-service teachers develop a program of work for senior students over a period of time.

Overview of assessments

Assessment Task 1: Formative and Summative Asse...

Assessment Task 1:

Formative and Summative Assessment Practice: An assessment plan of two or more tasks designed for senior students. Each task designed will include:

  •           a rationale which accounts for the choice of content in relation to how the demand of each task supports the development of higher order thinking
  •           outcomes/achievement standards
  •           marking guidelines/criteria
  •           strategies for providing feedback
  •           source material as appropriate
    • <

Weighting

50%
Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment Task 2: All relevant Learning Outcome...

Assessment Task 2: All relevant Learning Outcomes must be addressed in both assessment task choices.

Curriculum, assessment and evaluation practice: A program of work or scope and sequence statement constructed for senior students over a nominated period of time (eg. term/ semester/ year). The curriculum will be designed to address:

  •           a current issue or innovation in the subject area or a particular context/scenario
  •           nominated curriculum content represented in a learning and teaching sequence
  •           differentiation of assessment for learning tasks to suit the needs of diverse learners
  •           learning outcomes/levels of achievement
  •           the integration of assessment in a learning and teaching sequence tasks
  •           nominated pedagogical strategies to support higher order learning
  •           pedagogical strategies to support differentiated learning with respect to literacy and numeracy
  •           resources, including a field trip or excursion
  •           a proposal for curriculum evaluation.

OR

An essay or position paper that addresses current issues and debates in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment in the teaching subject.

Weighting

50%
Learning Outcomes LO1, LO3, LO4, LO5, LO6, LO7, LO8

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit applies a social constructivist approach to develop the pre-service teacher’s understanding of effective pedagogies through active engagement and collaborative learning. The pre-service teacher will build an understanding of teaching strategies through critical reading, lecturer modelling, discussion, and practice in tutorials. The pre-service teacher’s skills of professional communication and ability to work collaboratively will be practised through group work. The pre-service teacher’s teaching skills of planning and assessing, and his/her ability to locate and synthesise information, will be developed through designing curriculum appropriate for a Design and Technologies Education context. The pre-service teacher will continue to gather and reflect upon evidence of attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate.

Teaching and learning strategy described above will use an appropriate selection of approach, including, for example:

  •         Weekly face-to-face lectures and / or online lectures (synchronous and asynchronous)
  •         Hands-on tutorials and discussions that promote peer learning
  •         Microteaching opportunities
  •         Self-directed reading and research
  •         Collaborative learning opportunities

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL

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

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL

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.

2.4 Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.

2.5 Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.

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.

3.6 Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.

4.3 Demonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour.

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.

6.2 Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.

7.1 Understand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.

7.4 Understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Australian, state and territory curriculum documents

Armstrong, G.D., Henson, T.K., & Savage, V.T. (2009). Teaching today. (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NY: Merrill/Pearson.

Atkinson, T., Claxton, G. (Eds). (2000). The intuitive practitioner: On the value of not always knowing what one is doing. Buckingham, Eng: Open University Press.

Ballanca, J., & Brandt, R. (Eds) (2010). 21st century skills: Rethinking how students learn. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Baldwin, M.D., Keating, J.F., & Bachman, K.J. (2006). Teaching in secondary schools: Meeting the challenges of today’s adolescents. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Beetlestone, F. (1998). Creative children, imaginative teaching. Buckingham, UK; Open University Press.

Bitter, G., & Pierson, M. (2008). Using technology in the classroom (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Cooper, J. (Ed) (2011). Classroom teaching skills (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Counts, L. (2004), Multimedia design and production for students and teachers. Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.

Eggleston, J. (2001). Teaching design and technology (3rd ed.). Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.

Fiell, C., & Fiell, P. (2003). Designing the 21st century. Germany: Taschen.

Finger, G., Russell, G., Jamieson-Proctor, R., & Russell, N. (2007). Transforming learning with ICT: Making IT happen. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia

Groundwater-Smith, S., Brennan, M., McFadden, M, Mitchell, J. (2000). Secondary schooling in a changing world (2nd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning.

Harriman, S. (1996). Design it, make it, appraise it: Lower secondary technology. Carlton, Vic: Curriculum Corporation.

Honore, C (2005). In praise of Slow. London: Orion Books Co UK

Jonassen, D., Howland, J., Moore, J., & Marra, R. (2008). Learning to solve problems with technology (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. 

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