Course Outline
EDU114 Professional Experience: Orientation to the Profession
Course Coordinator:Rachael Dwyer (rdwyer@usc.edu.au) School:School of Education and Tertiary Access
2024Semester 1
UniSC Sunshine CoastUniSC Moreton Bay |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
What is this course about?
Description
This course is designed to facilitate your successful transition into secondary teaching through a 5 day Supervised Professional Experience (SPE) placement. This safe early immersion into teaching allows you to develop initial understandings of learning theories in secondary contexts including ethical and professional requirements. This course prepares you with important literacy and numeracy skills awareness, experience of simulated professional conversations, lesson observation skills and professional reflection that will be applied within the 5 day SPE and throughout your secondary program.
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Blended learning | |||
| Learning materials – You are required to engage and interact with asynchronous materials and activities accessed through Canvas modules, course readings and required texts. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 9 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – A blended learning approach is used to deliver this course, including a mix of synchronous and asynchronous materials and activities accessed through Canvas. This course will be supported by face-to-face on-campus tutorials. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 10 times |
| Placement – 5 days of school placement. Placement is in O Week of Semester 2 | 36.25hrs | Orientation week | Once Only |
Course Topics
Topics in this course include:
- Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
- History of the teaching profession in Australia
- Schools and schooling in Australia
- The Essential Skills of Classroom Management
- Lesson Planning
- Professional ethics
- Student Protection Policy
- Professional Experience Placement
What level is this course?
100 Level (Introductory)
What is the unit value of this course?
12 units
How does this course contribute to my learning?
| Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership | |
| 1 | Identify and evaluate teacher professional requirements including Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, literacy and numeracy, Code of Conduct, and reflective practice. | Knowledgeable |
6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4 |
| 2 | Demonstrate knowledge of theories of learning and physical, intellectual, social and emotional dimensions of learners and how to observe these within professional contexts and apply to own lesson planning. | Knowledgeable |
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 |
| 3 | Apply knowledge and understanding of personal literacy and numeracy needs to develop coherent plans to identify and achieve personal learning goals. | Empowered |
6.1, 6.2 |
| 4 | Utilise knowledge of professional ethics, observation and reflective practice to collaborate with peers, academic staff and supervising teachers. Accept and respond to feedback professionally in all communication to consolidate learning. | Empowered |
6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4 |
| 5 | Communicate to present a clear coherent and individual expression of knowledge and ideas. Use of verbal and nonverbal communication to maintain student engagement. | Empowered | |
* Competencies by Professional Body
| CODE | COMPETENCY |
| Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership | |
| 1.1 | Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning. |
| 1.2 | Understand how students learn: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. |
| 1.3 | Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds: Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. |
| 1.4 | Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students: Demonstrate 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. |
| 1.5 | Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. |
| 1.6 | Strategies to support full participation of students with disability: Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies that support participation and learning of students with disability. |
| 6.1 | Identify and plan professional learning needs: Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs. |
| 6.2 | Engage in professional learning and improve practice: Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers |
| 6.3 | Engage with colleagues and improve practice: Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices. |
| 6.4 | Apply professional learning and improve student learning: Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning. |
| 7.1 | Meet professional ethics and responsibilities: Understand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession. |
| 7.2 | Comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements: Understand the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage. |
| 7.3 | Engage with the parents/carers: Understand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers. |
| 7.4 | Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities: Understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice. |
Am I eligible to enrol in this course?
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Pre-requisites
Enrolled in Program AE304, ED315 or SE303
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
Not applicable
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)
Not applicable
How am I going to be assessed?
Grading Scale
Limited Grading (PNP)
Details of early feedback on progress
This course will provide feedback via discussion, practice activities, and exemplars in tutorials prior to submission of assessment tasks. This feedback can guide your understanding of the tasks and the content required.
Assessment tasks
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Code of Conduct | Individual | Semester of Study |
Week 3 | Online Submission |
| All | 2 | Plan | Individual | 750 words Reflection |
Week 4 | Online Submission |
| All | 3 | Written Piece | Individual | 500 words |
Week 7 | Online Submission |
| All | 4 | Oral and Written Piece | Individual | 5 minutes |
Week 10 | Online Submission |
| All | 5 | Placement performance | Individual | 5 days |
Refer to Format | SONIA |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Code of Conduct | |
| Goal: | The goal of this task is for you to become familiar with the Code of Conduct for the School of Education and work within its guidelines during a Professional Experience (PEx) placement. |
| Product: | Code of Conduct |
| Format: | After studying the Code of Conduct in class and independently, you sign the Code of Conduct provided. Your signed document must be uploaded to Canvas by the due date and prior to going onto a school site on your first PEx. During your PEx placement, you are required to complete 5 days of work experience. To be eligible to pass, you are required to complete the Professional Experience placement satisfactorily according to the criteria below. See Canvas for your discipline specific Code of Conduct. N.B. This task must receive a PASS grade to enable progression to PEx. |
| Criteria: |
|
| All - Assessment Task 2:Literacy and Numeracy Personal Development Plan | |
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to reflect on your own personal literacy and numeracy skills and to devise a Personal Development Plan. |
| Product: | Plan |
| Format: | Section 1: In order to complete the Personal Development Plan, you will undertake online literacy and numeracy tests in Week 2. (Full details of how to do this will be available in the tutorials and through Canvas). Section 2: You will critically analyse the results of the online literacy and numeracy tests, clearly outlining strengths and areas for development. An overview of the test results will be attached as Appendix to the Personal Development Plan. Section 3: You will synthesise test results and formulate a Personal Development Plan which clearly guides your future literacy & numeracy skills development, intervention & a time-line. Formative feedback will be provided prior to submission. N.B. This task must receive a PASS grade to enable progression to SPE. |
| Criteria: |
|
| All - Assessment Task 3:Lesson Observation and Reflection | |
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to provide you with a simulated experience of undertaking a lesson observation and reflection that will also be used as a format for doing this during Professional Experience (PEx) to examine professional practice in action. |
| Product: | Written Piece |
| Format: | The Lesson Observation and Reflection includes the following components: 1. Goal: Identify the goal for student learning 2. Lesson Objectives: Identify the specific objectives for the students 3. Differentiation and social and emotional dimensions of learners. 4. Procedures (activities listed in sequence including accessing prior knowledge of students) 5. Teaching Strategies 6. Open and Closure (how the teacher opened the lesson, and how and when the teacher or students make the final summary/review of the main points of the lesson) 7. Materials/resources used 8. Other observations of the lesson, including identification of the APST 9. Reflect on the theories of learning evident within the lesson and how the teacher responded to the physical, social and emotional dimensions of learners to design lesson sequence. N.B. This task must receive a PASS grade to enable progression to PEx. |
| Criteria: |
|
| All - Assessment Task 4:Professional Conversation | |
| Goal: | The goal of this task is for you to participate in a simulated conversation with a teacher at your Professional Experience site to further refine your skills and confidence to engage in professional discourse in a school context. |
| Product: | Oral and Written Piece |
| Format: | As a beginning teacher you will be involved in numerous professional conversations. In this task you will engage in a simulated first meeting at your PEx site. For this activity you need to present as you would on the first day of your PEx. You should be prepared to discuss and negotiate your aims and goals for the professional experience, demonstrate your current knowledge of professional ethics and legislation, explain and discuss professional experience documentation and reporting processes and demonstrate your readiness to receive and engage with professional feedback as a learner. N.B. This task must receive a PASS grade to enable progression to PEx. |
| Criteria: |
|
| All - Assessment Task 5:Professional Experience Report | |
| Goal: | The goal of this task is for you to professionally and ethically engage in observations and reflective practice in secondary school contexts to develop your own professional practice as an educator. |
| Product: | Placement performance |
| Format: | Submit: PEx Report: You will engage in 5 days of Professional Experience (PEx). During this time you will undertake observations and reflections of learning and teaching, and engage with the school community to explore professional practice (specifically the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST)). |
| Criteria: |
|
Directed study hours
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
What resources do I need to undertake this course?
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Prescribed text(s) or course reader
Specific requirements
You will need to have a Blue Card, and wear professional attire suitable for supervised professional experience. You need to access suitable transport to supervised professional experience venues for the duration of your supervised professional experience.
How are risks managed in this course?
What administrative information is relevant to this course?
Assessment: Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Assessment: Additional Requirements
Limited Graded Course: This course will be graded as Pass in a Limited Grade Course (PU) or Fail in a Limited Grade Course (UF) as per clause 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 of the Grades and Grade Point Average (GPA) - Institutional Operating Policy of the USC. In a course eligible to use Limited Grades, all assessment items in that course are marked on a Pass/Fail basis and all assessment tasks are required to be passed for a student to successfully complete the course. Supplementary assessment is not available in courses using Limited Grades.
Assessment: Submission penalties
You must contact your Course Coordinator and provide the required documentation if you require an extension or alternate assessment.
SafeUniSC
UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.
The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.
Study help
For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.
If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.
Wellbeing Services
Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.
To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.
AccessAbility Services
Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.
To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.
Links to relevant University policy and procedures
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
- Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
- Review of Assessment and Final Grades
- Supplementary Assessment
- Central Examinations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Conduct
- Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
Student Charter
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.
General Enquiries
-
In person:
- UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
- UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
- UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
- UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
- UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
- UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
- Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
- Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au