| Semester 1, 2021 External | |
| Short Description: | Planning for Learning: CPP |
| 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 : | 070101 - Teacher Education: Early Child |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
Staffing
Examiner:
Other requisites
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Where a student is denied approval for a blue card, enrolment in any initial teacher education program will be withdrawn (refer to .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
The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and key early childhood curriculum documents and frameworks reiterate the right for all children, regardless of their background or abilities to have equitable opportunities to access, to participate, have input into and engage with others in learning. Within and across educational contexts, the curriculum and student development data guide educators in co-constructing learning environments, and designing effective teaching and learning sequences to support, enhance, extend on and assess children’s interests and learning. It is imperative that early childhood professionals have an awareness of key curriculum documents, early childhood and play-based pedagogy, contemporary research, and curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge in order to make informed and collaborative decisions on how best to support the learning potential of all children. They also need to be equipped with the theory for how play can offer an integrative and age-appropriate device for supporting children’s learning, as well as the skills for working with others, including families, to support successful transitions across learning contexts. As accountabilities around curriculum, play and the role of the educator become significant, it is essential that early childhood educators, teaching in the early years, can draw on a range of strategies to reflect on their practice in order to articulate and provide a strong rationale for their decision-making, and how these strategic efforts contribute to high impact teaching, learning and curriculum delivery.
Synopsis
This course equips educators with the knowledge and skills necessary for identifying, analysing and interpreting student data, as well as ways to communicate student learning and report clearly to key stakeholders the development capabilities, interests and strengths of young children. The course extends upon historical, contemporary and post-structuralist theories on play and draws from key curriculum documents, and student data, in order to equip educators with the skills to inform decision-making for co-constructing learning environments, designing effective teaching and learning sequences, selecting of meaningful resources. Educators will utilise age appropriate content and strategies to support children's meaning-making to enhance and extend on children's interests and identified learning goals. The course provides early childhood educators with the opportunity to develop an understanding and awareness of key features and themes of the Early Years Learning Framework, approved learning frameworks and early childhood curricula, and how these documents inform pedagogical decision-making. The course provides opportunities for educators to engage with and apply key learning to practice. Educators will participate in professional conversations and personal reflection as a way of improving practice. Educators will also investigate educative and interactive strategies required for the facilitation and support of successful transitions for children and families across learning contexts.
A professional experience placement is attached to this course. MELT preservice teachers will complete a 20 day professional experience to meet regulation requirements. For full details of the Professional Experience particulars, please refer to the Professional Experience website and the Professional Experience Book.
Objectives
On successful completion of this course preservice teachers should be able to:
- interpret student assessment data, modify teaching practice and apply a range of strategies for reporting to children and parents/carers founded on understandings of physical, social/emotional and intellectual development and characteristics of learners, the impact of these on learning and the importance of accurate, reliable records of student achievement (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 1.1, 5.4, 5.5);
- design engaging learning environments and a sequence of learning experiences inclusive of learning goal-setting that provides achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics using knowledge of student learning, play-based pedagogy, age appropriate curriculum content, a range of effective teaching strategies suitable for prior to school settings, literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas, verbal and non-verbal communication strategies and resource including ICT to engage students in their learning (APST 2.2, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5);
- identify strategies to support inclusive student participation in classroom activities through knowledge and understanding of the culture, cultural identity and linguistic needs of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, the use of the Early Years Learning Framework and approved learning frameworks assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans and providing clear directions and organising classroom activities (APST 1.4, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2);
- demonstrate and evaluate a broad knowledge of strategies and capacities to interpret student assessment data to modify teaching practice and improve student learning by seeking and applying constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers, accessing appropriate sources of professional learning, and engaging in critical reflection practices (APST 3.6, 5.4, 6.2, 6.3);
- appraise a range of strategies for the effective, sensitive and confidential involvement and engagement of parents/carers in the educative process to support successful transitions for children and families across early learning contexts (APST 3.7, 7.3);
- demonstrate professionalism during preservice teacher placements through observation, practice and assessment of preservice teacher professional practice (APST 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 5.1, 5.4, 6.3, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4);
- demonstrate competence in and appropriate use of language and literacy, including spelling, grammar, punctuation and bibliographic referencing.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Investigate children’s learning through play, the role of documenting, identifying, analysing and interpreting a variety of data and the importance of accurate, reliable records of student achievement to support children’s learning, interests, capacity and development | 15.00 |
| 2. | Apply a range of strategies for supporting inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities, reporting to children and parents/carers on children’s learning and development in a timely and appropriate manner and teaching strategies including organising classroom activities and providing clear directions | 10.00 |
| 3. | Defining, reimagining and using knowledge of the Early Years Learning Framework and other approved learning frameworks and guidelines to identify, justify and support learning goal-setting, inform teaching and learning sequences and support learning through play | 15.00 |
| 4. | Planning for and co-constructing learning - using student development data, knowledge of curriculum, knowledge and understanding of the culture, cultural identity and linguistic needs of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds and children’s input to identify and set learning goals and co-construct organised engaging learning environments, support play based learning and develop effective teaching and learning sequences based on individual children’s interests, with a focus on prior to school | 10.00 |
| 5. | Planning for and co-constructing learning – draw upon knowledge of curriculum contemporary research and research on how children learn to design play and other age-appropriate strategies, a variety of resources, including ICT, to support children’s learning goals and interests while authentically embedding inclusive and agentic practices (children’s involvement in learning) | 15.00 |
| 6. | Evaluating teaching practice to improve children’s learning using evidence from student data and student feedback, engagement in professional conversations with supervising teachers, appropriate sources of professional learning and, critical reflection of personal teaching and learning sequences, to improve and modify teaching practices | 20.00 |
| 7. | Strategies that support the ethical and sensitive communication and involvement with parents and carers. Sharing and articulating early childhood pedagogy and intentional teaching as a strategic, interactive and educative process for supporting successful transitions for children and families across early learning contexts | 15.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2021&sem=01&subject1=EDM5014)
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 | 85.00 |
| Independent Study | 80.00 |
Assessment details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Objectives Assessed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE | 1 | 1 | 23 Feb 2021 | 6 | (see note 1) |
| ASSIGNMENT 1 | 35 | 35 | 23 Mar 2021 | 1,7 | (see note 2) |
| ASSIGNMENT 2 | 65 | 64 | 01 Jun 2021 | 2,3,4,5,7 | (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.
- Inquiry Task
- Portfolio of Tasks
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:
There is no examination in this course, there will be no deferred or supplementary examinations. -
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:
1. conforms to the USQ Policy on Evaluation of Teaching, Courses and Programs to ensure ongoing monitoring and systematic improvement.
2. 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.