| Semester 3, 2021 External | |
| Short Description: | Understand Learners & Learning |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | Faculty of Business, Education, Law and Arts |
| School or Department : | School of Education |
| Student contribution band : | Band 1 |
| ASCED code : | 070199 - Teacher Education not elsewher |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
Staffing
Examiner:
Requisites
Pre-requisite: EDM5000 or EDM5014
Other Requisites
Students are required to register and pay the test fee for LANTITE which is administered and managed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).
Satisfactory completion of both components of the LANTITE is required prior to enrolling in EDM8100 because it is the capstone course for the final supervised placement and the GTPA.
Students must be available for a prescribed period of time to undertake a placement in a school or other approved site as required in this course.
Before commencing this course students will be assumed to have read the full details of Professional Experience particulars and familiarised themselves with the requirements. Please see the Education Placement Professional Experience website and the Professional Experience Book for full details.
State law in Queensland (Australia) requires that all adults working/undertaking professional experience/researching with children under the age of 18, in the state of Queensland must hold a valid blue card OR exemption card .
If undertaking placement outside of Queensland you must ensure that all relevant checks are completed and evidence of this is provided to the Professional Experience office .
Students need to lodge their blue card application or renewal online . Students will need to register with blue card services and validate their identification online. If successful, the student will be provided an online account number to send to the Professional Experience Team to ensure there are no delays with their placement. Students will not be able to commence their placement without a current blue card. USQ recommends students lodge their renewal at least 28 days prior to the expiry of their current card.
Where a student is denied approval for a blue card, enrolment in any initial teacher education program will be withdrawn (refer to .
If undertaking Professional Experience outside of Queensland, students are advised to check the Working with Children requirements of the state within which Professional Experience will be undertaken (refer to .
Rationale
An understanding of student development and how the environment influences development, are critical for a professional teacher’s decision-making. Additionally, understanding the learning process will assist teachers to create effective and supportive educational environments. Familiarity with typical developmental milestones will assist educators to distinguish between individual differences and atypical developmental differences. Understanding developmental patterns, both typical and atypical, will assist teachers to create inclusive educational environments for diverse learners, as well as informing choice regarding differentiation strategies for use in classroom practice. To perform the ‘teacher as researcher’ role, teachers must develop the knowledge and skills to critically read contemporary and relevant literature related to learners and learning theory.
Synopsis
This course will provide an introduction to key concepts about learner development, specifically cognitive, physical and psychosocial development. The course will examine different explanations for learning, including the behaviourist, cognitive and social-learning perspectives. Individual differences (e.g. intelligence, motivation and social-cultural factors) and how they affect the learning process will also be examined. On the completion of this course, preservice teachers will have an understanding of learner development, which they will utilise to promote creativity, confidence and life-long learning through their professional practice (Alice Springs Education Declaration, 2019: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, 2019). Preservice teachers will also develop the critical literacy skills to analyse and evaluate research literature. Embedded within the course is a 20 day Professional Experience under the supervision of a registered teacher. Preservice teachers in the Early Years (MELT) program will attend professional experience in a primary school (Foundation - Year 3) The professional experience for preservice teachers in the Primary (MPLT) program will require a placement in a primary school (Foundation - Year 6). The professional experience for preservice teachers in the Secondary (MSLT) program will require placement in year levels from Year 7 to Year 12. which is guided by, but not limited to, their nominated teaching areas.
Objectives
On successful completion of this course preservice teachers should be able to:
- demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies that support participation and learning of students with disability and apply reflective understanding of research into how students learn and advanced knowledge of learner development (eg. physical, cognitive and psychosocial development) and its effect on learning, to critically analyse professional practice and suggest strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 1.1, 1,2, 1.6, 4.1);
- use assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning (e.g. information, processing, student engagement), and propose a range of appropriate teaching approaches, focused on differentiation and the setting of challenging and achievable learning goals to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities and with varying characteristics (APST 1.5, 3.1, 3.3, 5.1);
- demonstrate a range of communication strategies (verbal and non-verbal) to support student engagement in learning and knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour (APST 3.5, 4.3);
- apply credible research to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, cognitive and psychosocial development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning and the implications for teaching with specific focus on teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds (APST 1.1, 1.2, 1.3);
- use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge and student assessment data to design learning sequences and lesson plans into an effective learning and teaching sequence with learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics, and then implement classroom activities that provide clear directions and evaluate the teaching program to improve student learning (APST 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.6, 4.2);
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critically reflect on their own practice demonstrating an understanding of the:
- purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning;
- role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying their professional learning needs;
- the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning (APST 6.2);
- and demonstrate their ability to seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices (APST 5.2, 6.1, 6.3);
- apply advanced cognitive, literacy and communication skills, including spelling, grammar, punctuation and bibliographic referencing.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Broad knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies that support participation and learning of students with disability and advanced knowledge of learner development including perspectives in Educational Psychology and their influence on pedagogy (behaviourism, cognitive, social and systems theories of learning) and the understanding of inclusive student participation and engagement | 10.00 |
| 2. | Physical development over time and the influence on learning (growth, critical periods, motor skills and coordination, sensory systems) and the understanding of inclusive student participation and engagement | 15.00 |
| 3. | Cognitive development over time and the influence on learning (language, attention, working memory, perceptual processing, intelligence, creativity, problem-solving, motivation) and the use of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning (e.g., information processing, student engagement) | 15.00 |
| 4. | Psychosocial development over time and influence on learning (self-concept and self-esteem, personality, identity, moral development, theory of mind, empathy) and the implications for teaching with specific focus on strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds and ways to provide appropriate and timely feedback to students | 15.00 |
| 5. | Organise learning environments including classroom management and activities to accommodate individual differences (student engagement and motivation, consideration of socio-cultural factors, varying ability levels) and propose a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement, informed by teaching strategies that focus on differentiation and the setting of challenging and achievable learning goals to meet the specific learning needs across the full range of abilities and, including practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour | 20.00 |
| 6. | Purposes and processes for reading, synthesising from the relevant research, and its application to their role as a teacher researcher focused on the Professional Standards for Teachers and the individual’s professional learning needs to improve teaching practices and evaluate the teaching program to improve student learning | 15.00 |
| 7. | Professional experience preparation using curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge and student assessment data to design learning sequences and lesson plans and critical reflection (planning, teaching and assessment expectations; collection of feedback from supervisors and teachers for professional reflection used to improve teaching practices; evaluation of practice with respect to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers; developing a plan for professional development) | 10.00 |
Text and Materials
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2021&sem=03&subject1=EDM5001)
Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)
Reference Materials
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Student Workload Expectations
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Directed Study | 80.00 |
| Independent Study | 85.00 |
Assessment Details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Objectives Assessed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE | 1 | 1 | 15 Nov 2021 | 5,7 | (see note 1) |
| ASSIGNMENT 1 | 49 | 49 | 21 Dec 2021 | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 | (see note 2) |
| ASSIGNMENT 2 | 50 | 50 | 17 Jan 2022 | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 | (see note 3) |
Notes
- Preservice Teachers must successfully complete the Professional Experience to be eligible for a passing grade for this course. A mark of one (1) indicates you have passed the Professional Experience component. A mark of zero (0) indicates you have not passed the Professional Experience component. Professional Experience should be conducted as per the Professional Experience Calendar unless alternative arrangements have been approved or advised by USQ.
- Scholarly Report
- Lesson Sequence Analysis
Important assessment information
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Attendance requirements:
There are no weekly attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students’ responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. Students must attend Professional Experience. -
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item students must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item in addition to the successful completion (mark of 1) of the Professional Experience component. Professional Experience is assessed by the supervising teacher against the Australian Professional Standards for Graduate Teachers. -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4) -
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a pass grade in this course students must submit each assessment item, achieve an aggregate of 50% of the marks available for the summative assessments (Assignment 1, Assignment 2) and satisfactorily complete (mark of 1) Professional Experience. -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative items for the course. -
Examination information:
There is no examination in this course. -
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
Deferred and Supplementary examinations will be held in accordance with the Assessment Procedure . -
University Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These policies can be found at .
Assessment Notes
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Referencing in assignments must comply with the APA referencing system. This system should be used by students to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The APA style to be used is defined by the USQ library's referencing guide. This guide can be found at .
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Students are required to demonstrate competence in and appropriate use of academic language and literacy, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and referencing in all assessment responses. Marks allocated to the aforementioned criteria will be specified in the criteria for assessment of all assessment items.
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Students are required to submit ALL assignments to evidence meeting or exceeding the mandatory requirements of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APSTs).
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Professional Experience is a compulsory component of this course and integral to completion of the assessment tasks. Dates for each Professional Experience course are selected to support students’ capacity to apply the theory of the coursework in the Professional Experience placement. Students are advised not to select a course that includes Professional Experience in a semester where they are unable to meet the specified requirements of Professional Experience. Any application for a ‘change of dates’ for Professional Experience placement must qualify for consideration under the conditions of the USQ Assessment Extension Policy. An unsupported application will delay program completion.
Evaluation and Benchmarking
In meeting the University’s aims to establish quality learning and teaching for all programs, this course monitors and ensures quality assurance and improvements in at least two ways. This course:
- conforms to the USQ Policy on Evaluation of Teaching, Courses and Programs to ensure ongoing monitoring and systematic improvement.
- forms part of the Master of Learning and Teaching and is benchmarked against the
- internal USQ accreditation/reaccreditation processes which include (i) stringent standards in the independent accreditation of its academic programs, (ii) close integration between business and academic planning, and (iii) regular and rigorous review.
- professional accreditation standards of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST), Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) and Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
Other Requirements
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Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at .
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IMPORTANT NOTE: Working with Children: State law in Queensland requires that all adults (including university students, preservice teachers, trainers, vocational teachers, industry educators) working with children under the age of 18, in the State of Queensland*, obtain approval before commencing such work. Many education courses include a practical component (professional experience, project work, research, assessment, etc.) that may require engagement with children under the age of 18. It is your responsibility to ensure that you possess a current suitability card (Blue Card or Exemption Card) before commencing any practical components of this course. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WITH CHILDREN UNDER 18 UNLESS YOU POSSESS A CURRENT 'BLUE CARD' or ‘EXEMPTION CARD’. For further information: .
- If you are undertaking practical experience outside the State of Queensland, Australia you should check local requirements.