Unit rationale, description and aim
In order to plan and deliver lessons that promote learner engagement and enhance student learning, intending secondary teachers need a knowledge and understanding of the junior secondary curriculum, along with theoretical frameworks and pedagogical approaches that are emblematic of teaching in their chosen teaching areas.
Pre-service teachers will study the senior secondary Engineering Systems curriculum, including general capabilities, cross-curriculum priorities, and other allied materials. They will critique their prior knowledge and experience in the field and how these connect with the scope of the curriculum, identifying opportunities, challenges, and responsibilities of Engineering Systems teaching. Pre-service teachers will explore theoretical frameworks associated with teaching and learning in Engineering Systems education. They will learn evidence-based approaches to plan for effective teaching and learning, including embedded literacy and numeracy, and the use of digital technologies. They will learn approaches for engaging learners and to meet the learning needs of diverse students. They will learn to compose good questions, to assemble productive assessment tasks and develop skills to shape the dialogic talk of the classroom. Focussing on the detailed planning of a short series of lessons, pre-service teachers will learn to structure lesson sequences within units of work to demonstrate a knowledge of curriculum and learning theory. They will engage in microteaching to practice engaging students and guiding the classroom discourse.
The aim of this unit is for the pre-service teacher to develop their pedagogical content knowledge through becoming familiar with the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary for teaching Engineering Systems at a senior secondary level
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.
Plan and devise a structured learning program in s...
Learning Outcome 01
Critically analyse and develop a range of approach...
Learning Outcome 02
Describe, design, implement, and evaluate a variet...
Learning Outcome 03
Identify and explain the use of linguistic resourc...
Learning Outcome 04
Analyse the relationships between curriculum desig...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- The pre-service teachers’ prior experience of, and engagement with, Engineering Systems education
- The Australian senior secondary Engineering Systems curriculum, including general capabilities and cross curriculum priorities, focussing on appropriate state/jurisdictional expectations, syllabi and guidelines
- Theoretical frameworks associated with Engineering Systems teaching and learning
- Pedagogical approaches emblematic of Engineering Systems teaching and learning
- Planning and curriculum alignment
- Planning for effective teaching and learning in senior secondary Engineering Systems education
- Differentiated teaching in Engineering Systems
- Needs of learners from diverse cognitive, physical, social, cultural backgrounds
- Needs of learners from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds
- Incorporating literacy and numeracy in Engineering Systems teaching
- Digital technologies for teaching/learning in Engineering Systems education
- Conversational, questioning, and scaffolding techniques to shape dialogic classroom talk in Engineering Systems education
- Teacher-presented explanations
- Assessment in senior secondary Engineering Systems education
- Learning beyond the classroom
- Student welfare and safety in Engineering Systems education classrooms and typical Engineering Systems teaching/learning environments
- Professional responsibilities and relationships
- Professional associations and continued professional learning
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 for that knowledge to inform skills that will be applied in practice.
The three assessment tasks are sequenced to allow feedback and progressive development. Through completing Task 1, the pre-service teacher will analyse and reflect on his/her prior knowledge of the senior Engineering Systems curriculum and perform a skills audit to develop a professional learning plan. Through completing Task 2, the pre-service teacher will create a folio of learning activities for the senior curriculum which meets the needs of a diverse range of learners. In Task 3 the pre-service teacher will develop her/his communication and teamwork skills and apply knowledge of curriculum planning and teaching and assessment strategies in the development of assessments for a range of content. These tasks reflect ‘real world’ school contexts and teaching responsibilities, thereby preparing the pre-service teacher for professional experience placement and one’s role as a teacher.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, pre-service teachers are required to demonstrate achievement of all learning outcomes by submitting all assessment tasks and obtaining a combined score of at least 50%.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Curriculum Review and Research...
Assessment Task 1: Curriculum Review and Research Report
Compile a research report that make evidence-based recommendations on approaches to teaching, learning and assessing students in a particular topics/areas of Engineering Systems in senior secondary that would be considered complex and typically difficult for students to grasp. The report should include:
- Foundation knowledge
- Misunderstandings
- Teaching and learnings strategies to improve student knowledge, skills and understanding
- Strategies to support the participation of students from diverse backgrounds
Present a professional learning plan to address potential gaps or weaknesses in personal knowledge for teaching Engineering Systems Identify relevant professional learning opportunities.
30%
Assessment Task 2: Folio of learning activities &...
Assessment Task 2: Folio of learning activities
Create a folio of 6 – 10 engaging learning activities across a range of curriculum topics and skills relevant to senior secondary Engineering Studies education, including strategies and resources to support the development of literacy and numeracy for and through Engineering Systems education. The following requirements need to be addressed across multiple learning activities:
- learning outcomes for the students at respective stages
- pedagogical approaches to teaching writing skills
- explicit development of writing skills
- catering to the diversity of student learning needs
- ways of differentiating the learning experiences to provide challenge for all students
- at least one activity in which ICT is employed to develop student skills in senior Engineering Studies
- promoting higher order thinking
- cross-curriculum capabilities
30%
Assessment Task 3: Formative and Summative Assess...
Assessment Task 3: Formative and Summative Assessment (Group task)
Critical Task
Choose 3 – 4 activities developed in Assessment Task 2. Develop a range of quality teaching resources to extend each activity including formative and summative assessments. The teaching resources for each activity will include:
- a rationale which accounts for the choice of content
- outcomes/achievement standards linked to the curriculum
- assessments
- marking guidelines/criteria
- source material as appropriate
- moderation processes for making judgements on student learning
- strategies for providing feedback
- samples of student work with annotated feedback
- plan for evaluating teaching to improve student learning
40%
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. It is designed to build the pre-service teacher’s 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 activities and culminating in micro-teaching opportunities. Her/his teaching skills of planning and assessing, and his/her ability to locate and synthesise information, will be developed through designing Engineering Systems lessons. The pre-service teacher will continue to gather and reflect upon evidence of attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate.
The teaching and learning strategy described above will use an appropriate selection of approaches, 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
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 research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
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 OutcomeLO3, LO4, LO5
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 OutcomeLO2, LO3
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 OutcomeLO3, LO5
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, LO5
Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO5
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4
Relating toKnow and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toImplement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO5
Relating toPlan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toDemonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4
Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO5
Relating toIdentify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4
Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO5
Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3
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, LO5
Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO5
Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.
Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, 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
Australian Capital Territory Senior Secondary http://www.bsss.act.edu.au/asset_lists/atmcv_courses
New South Wales K – 10 Syllabuses https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-the-curriculum/syllabuses-a-z
New South Wales Stage 6 Syllabuses https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/Understanding-the-curriculum/syllabuses-a-z
Relevant jurisdictional curriculum documents
Queensland Senior subjects https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/senior-subjects
The Victorian Curriculum F-10 https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/
Victoria Senior Curriculum: VCE Study Designs https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/vce/vce-study-designs/Pages/vce-study-designs.aspx
Relevant State and Territory Curriculum Authority
ACT Education Directorate: https://www.education.act.gov.au/public-school-life/Our-Curriculum
New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA): https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/home
Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (CAA): https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA): https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/HomePage.aspx
Extended Reading
Norman, E., Cubbit, J., Urry, S. A., & Whittaker, M. (2000). Advanced design and technology (3rd ed.). Longman.
Rochford, J. (2017). Engineering studies – A student’s workbook. KJS Publications.
Resources
Engineers Australia VIMEO video modules Stage 6 Engineering Studies: https://vimeo.com/516917212
I Teach STEM (The Institute of Technology Education): https://iteachstem.com.au/resources/900-engineering-studies-multi-topic-resources/
NSW Department of Education HSC HUB – Engineering Studies https://www.hschub.nsw.edu.au/tas-courses/engineering-studies-hsc