Course Outline
EDU380 Professional Experience: Transitioning to School
Course Coordinator:Vicki Schriever (vschriev@usc.edu.au) School:School of Education and Tertiary Access
2026Trimester 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
In this course you will determine the abilities, interests, and needs of young children as they prepare for formal schooling. You will use transitioning statements relevant to the sector and schools, to strengthen strategies that support families and promote positive experiences for children as they prepare for the challenges of a school environment. To develop knowledge about the early years school context, you will complete a 15-day Professional Experience (PEx) placement in a school, engaging with teachers and students in Prep to identify the details and complexities of being school ready.
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Blended learning | |||
| Learning materials – Students independently access course learning materials in Canvas. Learning materials include course learning content, activities, readings and resources for active engagement with EDU380 course learning outcomes | 1hr | Week 1 | 9 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Tutorials are on-campus synchronous tutorials, including technology-enabled blended learning. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 10 times |
| Placement – To fully prepare for the 15 day PEx, you are required to make an initial site visit to meet with your Supervising Teacher, and familiarise yourself with the school site. You will undertake 7.25 hours each day for the 15 day PEx. The PEx Handbook and additional requirements for the PEx can be accessed at UniSC Sonia | 108.75hrs | Week 11 | Once Only |
Course Topics
- Accommodating individual students needs through appropriate adjustments
- Australian Curriculum (Prep)
- Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) at Graduate stage
- Building Partnerships: Transition Statements
- Comply with ethical and legislative responsibilities- Code of Conduct
- Engaging in Professional Learning
- Explicit Instruction as a pedagogical approach
- Data for use with Transitioning Statements
- Diversity and inclusive and culturally sensitive practice
- Foundation for Success
- Managing behaviours in schools
- QCAA: Supporting children’s transition to school resources
- Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guidelines (QKLG)
- Reflection-for -action for improving practice
- The teaching cycle in schools
What level is this course?
300 Level (Graduate)
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 attributes and competencies for smooth transitioning and school readiness | Empowered |
1, 2 |
| 2 | Reflect on professional knowledge, professional practice and professional engagement to strengthen emerging teacher identity | Engaged |
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| 3 | Understand the complexities of prior to school and formal school contexts | Knowledgeable |
3, 4, 5 |
| 4 | Contribute as an effective member of the school community, and meeting legislative and ethical responsibilities | Ethical |
6, 7 |
| 5 | Understand, enact, and comply with the professional practices as outlined in the SETA Code of Conduct. | Ethical |
7.1, 7.2 |
* Competencies by Professional Body
| CODE | COMPETENCY |
| Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership | |
| 1 | PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE: Know students and how they learn |
| 2 | PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE: Know the content and how to teach it |
| 3 | PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning |
| 4 | PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments |
| 5 | PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning |
| 6 | PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT: Engage in professional learning |
| 7 | PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT: Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community |
| 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. |
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
EDU208 and enrolled in Program UB009
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
EDU339
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
In Week 4 students will bring to the tutorial their Transition to School Portfolio and give and receive peer feedback.
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? |
| Blended learning | 1 | Activity Participation | Individual | Throughout semester of enrolment. |
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) | In Class |
| Blended learning | 2 | Code of Conduct | Individual | Throughout trimester of enrolment |
Week 3 | SONIA |
| Blended learning | 3 | Portfolio | Individual | 3000 word equivalent |
Week 6 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| Blended learning | 4 | Oral and Written Piece | Individual | 15 minute oral presentation Transition to School Parent Information Session written piece 1000 words equivalent 500 word reflection |
Refer to Format | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check and in class |
| Blended learning - Assessment Task 1:Activity Participation | |||||||||||||
| Goal: | You will engage in preparation for learning by familiarising yourself with the online learning materials and modules each week. You will engage in self-directed learning through deep engagement with course materials and contribute actively and cooperatively to discussions, learning materials and tutorials. There are also focused participation tasks in weeks 2, 4, 9, and 10. In week 2 you will bring in your PEx file and documentation from your previous PEx and reflect on and share your learnings from the previous semester. You will also engage in peer review of your APST Portfolio and share the evidence you have collected and collated to date. Following this reflection and self-assessment of your portfolios and evidence you will identify your professional learning needs, goals and plans for EDU380. In Week 4 you will bring in your Transition to School Portfolio, that you are developing for Task 3. You will give and receive peer feedback on your Transition to School Portfolio and identify how you will continue to engage with and progress this task. In Week 9 you will actively participate in discussions and EDU380 preparation and use this information discussed to plan for your PEx including familiarising yourself with the PEx Handbook and Final Report, sharing your PEx folder, and identifying possible APSTs to evidence in your APST Portfolio. In Week 10 you will engage in discussion and reflection about your learning in the course and identify your personal and professional learning goals for your upcoming PEx and beyond. You will share resources and ideas for a successful PEx in Prep context. |
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| Product: | Activity Participation | ||||||||||||
| Format: | In class |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Organisation |
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| Blended learning - Assessment Task 2:Code of Conduct | ||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to demonstrate understanding of, compliance and adherence to the Code of Conduct for the School of Education and Tertiary Access (SETA). |
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| Product: | Code of Conduct | |||||||||
| Format: | You will complete the Code of Conduct to demonstrate understanding of the content and expectations. You must conduct yourself in accordance with the SETA Code of Conduct for the duration of the course and operate within its guidelines for the duration of the course. This period of time includes university based activities (workshops, tutorials, Zoom sessions and discussion board) and the site-based components of the course. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy |
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| Blended learning - Assessment Task 3:Transition to School Portfolio | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to source, gather and reflect on transition to school resources. |
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| Product: | Portfolio | |||||||||||||||
| Format: | You will create a digital portfolio of transition to school resources and reflect on how you will use each resource to support children and families, to successfully transition from kindergarten to formal schooling contexts. You will also write a position statement on the value and importance of supporting children's successful transition from kindergarten to school. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Problem solving, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
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| Blended learning - Assessment Task 4:Transition to School Parent Information Session | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to prepare and present a Transition to School Parent Information Session that support children and families to transition from prior-to-school to formal schooling contexts. |
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| Product: | Oral and Written Piece | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Format: | You will take on the role of the Early Childhood Teacher to develop and present a 15-minute information session in the tutorial of Week 8 that is suitable for parents of kindergarten children who will be transitioning to school. During this presentation you will acknowledge the complexities of prior to school and formal school contexts and identify the attributes and competences that support children to make a smooth transition from prior-to-school to formal schooling contexts and foster children’s school readiness. You will respond to questions posed by the tutor, that could be asked by a parent during a Transition to School Parent Information Session. Following your oral presentation, you will write a 500-word reflection considering your professional knowledge, professional practice, professional engagement and emerging teacher identity. You will submit your reflection by 4pm on Friday of Week 9. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Assessment to competency mapping
| Programme Delivery Mode | Assessment Type | Title | Competency | Teaching Methods |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Australian Professional Standards for Teachers | ||||
| Blended learning | Code of Conduct | Code of Conduct | 7.1 | Assessed |
| 7.2 | Assessed | |||
| Placement performance | PEx: Transitioning to School | 1.2 | Assessed | |
| 2.1 | Assessed | |||
| 2.2 | Assessed | |||
| 2.3 | Assessed | |||
| 2.5 | Assessed | |||
| 3.1 | Assessed | |||
| 3.2 | Assessed | |||
| 3.3 | Assessed | |||
| 3.4 | Assessed | |||
| 3.5 | Assessed | |||
| 4.1 | Assessed | |||
| 4.2 | Assessed | |||
| Portfolio | Transition to School Portfolio | 1.2 | Assessed | |
| 2.1 | Assessed | |||
| 3.7 | Assessed | |||
| 7.3 | Assessed | |||
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
Not applicable
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
This course will be graded as Pass in a Limited Grade Course (PU) or Fail in a Limited Grade Course (UF) as per clause 5.1.1.3 and 5.1.1.4 of the Grades and Grade Point Average (GPA) - Academic Policy.
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.
Refer to the Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs – Procedures.
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
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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