Course Outline

EDU206 Sustainability Through Play and Pedagogy

Course Coordinator:Alison Black (ablack1@usc.edu.au) School:School of Education and Tertiary Access

2024Semester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

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 examines how early education can contribute to sustainable living and learning. Inspired by the textbook and initiatives that connect children to nature, community and environments, you consider strategies for working collaboratively with children, family and community towards connectedness, wellbeing and sustainability. Positioning children as active informed citizens, you explore current research and curriculum emphases in relation to sustainability, place, and environment to identify the rich contributions children can make to sustainable futures.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Learning materials offer options/opportunities for learner choice. You will engage and interact with an array of 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 interactive tutorials/workshops, and synchronous and asynchronous materials and activities accessed through Canvas. This course will be supported by technology-enabled learning and teaching. Additional modalities may support learning in this course. 2hrs Week 1 10 times

Course Topics

  • Defining early education for sustainability and examining why sustainability matters
  • Connecting to current research & curriculum emphases in relation to sustainability
  • Attending to key concepts such as place, environment, interconnection, sustainability, and change 
  • Local to global initiatives and projects that promote child friendly environments and connectedness for children and families 
  • Ethical, theoretical and pedagogical approaches to working with children, families and community 
  • Ethical, theoretical and pedagogical approaches to Education for Sustainability
  • Supporting and enhancing holistic health, well-being, learning and development  
  • Active citizenship, leadership and community participation

What level is this course?

200 Level (Developing)

Building on and expanding the scope of introductory knowledge and skills, developing breadth or depth and applying knowledge and skills in a new context. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally, undertaken in the second or third full-time year of an undergraduate programs.

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 the importance of social and natural environments for healthy development in the early years Knowledgeable
Sustainability-focussed
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 3.3, 4.1, 4.4, 6.2, 7.4
2 Propose strategies which promote connectedness for young children and families and build environments in which young children can develop and flourish Knowledgeable
Sustainability-focussed
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 3.3, 4.1, 4.4, 6.2, 7.4
3 Articulate a theorised and personalised professional commitment to creating responsive and healthy early childhood environments which contribute to personal, social, environmental and community sustainability Empowered
Sustainability-focussed
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 3.3, 4.1, 4.4, 6.2, 7.4
4 Use authoritative sources and relevant literature to analyse and evaluate ideas about early education for sustainability Creative and critical thinker
Sustainability-focussed
1.1, 2.1, 3.3, 4.1, 4.4, 6.2, 7.4
5 Demonstrate an ability to use and apply effective communication strategies in a variety of contexts to produce and present quality and professional work. Engaged

                                    

* 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.
2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
3.3 Use teaching strategies: Include a range of teaching strategies.
4.1 Support student participation: Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
4.4 Maintain student safety: Describe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice: Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers
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 ED303

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

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Early feedback mechanisms will be embedded in weekly tutorial activities to support your success with this task. You can also use Canvas Discussions to engage in conversation about the focus and progress of your reflection and your guiding principles as an educator. In Week 3 there is opportunity to share your current draft with peers and gain formative feedback. In Week 6 you will share your completed narrative/creative work with your peers.

Assessment tasks

Delivery mode Task No. Assessment Product Individual or Group Weighting % What is the duration / length? When should I submit? Where should I submit it?
All 1 Artefact - Creative Individual 50%
2000 words or equivalent
Week 6 Online Submission
All 2 Written Piece Individual 50%
2000 words or equivalent
Week 10 Online Submission
All - Assessment Task 1:Sustainability focused narrative or creative work (and sharing of this work with peers)
Goal:
The goal of this task is to consider your own experiences with nature, how these have influenced you, and will enhance your role as an educator.
Product: Artefact - Creative
Format:
* Please refer to the Canvas site for this course for more detail.

This assessment is founded on your reflection on your experiences with nature. It will be helpful to use the textbook, current research, & relevant early childhood curriculum framework emphases about sustainability, belonging and wellbeing as you reflect on your own childhood and adult encounters with nature and natural play spaces. Consider the significance of the concept of place and the environment your encountered as a child as you explore your connection with the environment (perhaps aesthetically, emotionally and spiritually). Did place have meaning for you? (Australian Curriculum: how places give meaning to people and are important to identity, belonging, wellbeing; the significance of the concept of environment; why some places are special; the important interrelationships and interactions between humans and the environment; and the significance of the concept of sustainability.) 

This task invites you to create a narrative or creative work to capture the connections, interconnections, and disconnections of your personal experiences with nature and the natural world, as well as your holistic thinking in relation to values, commitments, learning, living and wellbeing. You might consider how your experiences and relationships with nature and the natural world have supported your own experiences of belonging, wellbeing and connectedness, and any new educator inspirations arising from engagement with this task..
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Reflection on personal experiences in nature and identification of the importance of social and natural environments for healthy development in the early years
1
2
Identification of strategies to promote connectedness for young children, families and community
2
3
Written and visual/storied communication skills and academic literacies such as English expression, grammar, spelling, punctuation, APA referencing conventions
5
All - Assessment Task 2:Personal and Professional Position Paper
Goal:
The goal of this task is to articulate a personal and professional position about the importance of 'early education for sustainability' through discussion of a sustainability issue of your choice
Product: Written Piece
Format:
* Please refer to the Canvas site for this course for more detail.

This task invites you to create a persuasive research-informed personal/professional position statement on an ‘early education for sustainability’ issue of your choice. This issue should be one you find meaningful and relevant for your work as an early childhood educator and be linked to your short-term and long-term commitments for children and early childhood education. Your textbook has a range of topics and provocations which could be used as starting points. 

You could continue your exploration of the contribution of nature and the natural world to children’s health and wellbeing. Or, you could build upon course learning, such as promoting child-friendly communities or child-centred change movements in response to contemporary sustainability issues.

Whatever your chosen topic, your textbook, current research, and relevant curriculum sustainability emphases and concepts will support you in identifying the rich contributions children can make to sustainable futures. Use this task as an opportunity to consider your educator values of care, respect and responsibility, and your roles and strategies for working collaboratively with children, family and community to engage with contemporary sustainabillity issues. Your teaching strategies may be responsive to learning opportunities that are planned and also to ‘in-the-moment’ teaching opportunities that might arise during classroom conversations and interactions.

This task offers an opportunity for you to develop your information literacy skills and dispositions, recognise that information has value, and value the skills, time and effort needed to produce knowledge.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Knowledge of contemporary sustainability issues
1 3 4
2
Articulation of a theorised and personalised set of strategies for promoting responsive and healthy early childhood environments; for encouraging reflection and awareness of positive actions
2 3 4
3
Written communication skills and academic literacies including English expression, grammar, spelling, punctuation, APA referencing conventions
5

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.

Schedule

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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

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Julie M. Davis and Sue Elliott 2024 Young Children and the Environment 3rd Edition Cambridge University Press

Specific requirements

Not applicable

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

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

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:

The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%
The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct

Assessment: Submission penalties

All assessment extension requests must be made prior to the assessment submission deadline using the online EDU206 Extension Request Form. Evidence must be provided and be in one of the recognized forms as per clause 7.9.2 of the USC Assessment Policies and Procedures document.

Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: 
- 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. 

To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.

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