Course Outline
EDU412 Diversity and Inclusion
Course Coordinator:Aruna Devi (adevi@usc.edu.au) School:School of Education and Tertiary Access
2024Session 5
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. |
Online |
Online | You can do this course without coming onto campus. |
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
Every learner in your class is diverse and has particular needs based on gender, ethnicity, language, culture, religion and/or socio-economic background. You will apply specialised knowledge to develop advanced and integrated understanding of socio-cultural theories and professional skills to respond to and support students in your care, to foster a strong sense of personal wellbeing. You will research socially just and equitable practices that support learners, investigate theories and policies and interrogate resources and current issues pertinent to your future professional role.
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. | 3hrs | Week 1 | 5 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – There will be a scheduled daily on-campus tutorial during the one week intensive. Tutorial notes will be available to accompany all tutorials to support your learning. | 10hrs | Week 2 | Once Only |
| Tutorial/Workshop 2 – A zoom session each week post intensive. | 2hrs | Week 3 | 4 times |
| Online | |||
| Learning materials – You are required to engage and interact with asynchronous materials and activities accessed through Canvas modules, course readings and required texts. | 3hrs | Week 1 | 5 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – There will be a scheduled daily Zoom tutorial. Tutorial notes will be available to accompany all tutorials to support your learning. | 10hrs | Week 2 | Once Only |
| Tutorial/Workshop 2 – A zoom session each week post intensive. | 2hrs | Week 3 | 4 times |
Course Topics
Student diversity in classrooms – gender, linguistic, cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
Inclusivity and equity
Education for peace – wellbeing, respect, tolerance, community cohesion, including domestic violence awareness
Differentiation of the curriculum, teaching and learning strategies and assessment practices for students from diverse backgrounds.
What level is this course?
400 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 | Apply knowledge and understanding of ethical and inclusive practices to adjust your existing teaching and learning activities to support diverse learner needs, giving consideration to students' physical, social and intellectual development. Create practical applications to demonstrate inclusive learning experiences. |
Ethical Engaged |
1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.4, 3, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 4, 4.1, 7.1, 7.2 |
| 2 | Demonstrate knowledge of how students learn (physically, socially and intellectually) and the implication for teaching through undertaking research into inclusive teaching and learning practices |
Knowledgeable Empowered |
1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.7, 4, 6.1, 6.4, 7.1, 7.2 |
| 3 | Design and create teaching resources that incorporate and promote inclusive practices and diversity | Empowered |
1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 3, 3.1, 3.4, 4, 4.1, 6.4, 7, 7.1, 7.2 |
| 4 | Justify your professional decisions to effectively engage diverse learners. Including strategies to support student well-being and safety, legislative requirements and policy. | Empowered |
1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 3, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 4, 4.1, 6.3, 6.4, 7, 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 |
| 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. |
| 2.4 | Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians: Demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages. |
| 3 | PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning |
| 3.1 | Establish challenging learning goals: Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics. |
| 3.2 | Plan, structure and sequence learning programs: Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies. |
| 3.3 | Use teaching strategies: Include a range of teaching strategies. |
| 3.4 | Select and use resources: Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning. |
| 3.6 | Evaluate and improve teaching programs: Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning. |
| 3.7 | Engage parents/carers in the educative process: Describe a broad range of strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process. |
| 4 | PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments |
| 4.1 | Support student participation: Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities. |
| 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. |
| 6.3 | 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 | 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
Enrolled in Program ED304, ED306, ED305, AE304, SE303, ED315
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
During workshops throughout the course students will be given feedback on their progress through group and individual discussion activities.
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 | Quiz/zes | Individual | 10% | 1 x 30 mins |
Week 1 | Online Test (Quiz) |
| All | 2a | Written Piece | Individual | 30% | 2500 words |
Week 3 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 2b | Artefact - Creative | Individual | 30% | 8 mins multimedia presentation |
Week 5 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 3 | Creative Performance, and Written Piece | Group | 30% | 2000 words or 8 mins |
Week 8 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Presentation: Today’s Diverse Learners | |
| Goal: | You will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the course topics. |
| Product: | Quiz/zes |
| Format: | You will undertake one quiz in order to determine your depth of knowledge and understanding of classroom diversity and inclusion practices. |
| Criteria: |
|
| All - Assessment Task 2a:Assignment - Scenario response | |
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to respond to a scenario evidencing knowledge and understanding about a range of diverse learners. Write a thoughtful response to a given scenario whilst professionally justifying your approaches and decisions to optimise learning for all students. Justify your personal pedagogy for diversity and your proposed interventions for the benefit of a diverse student cohort. |
| Product: | Written Piece |
| Format: | You will choose a scenario and adapt to include the age and key learning area that aligns with your teaching context (That is, early childhood, primary or secondary and your subject specialisation if relevant). You will consider the socio-cultural impacts on the learner, and their diverse needs that may arise as a result. Your response to this scenario will require you to apply knowledge and understanding of: child development, effective ways to identify diverse learning needs; strategies that can be used to improve student learning and participation; learning engagement to promote respectful behaviour; ways of enhancing student well-being and safety; strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers and relevant communities; and your professional responsibility in catering for a diverse class of students. |
| Criteria: |
|
| All - Assessment Task 2b:Teaching Strategy Scenario | |
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to create a multimedia presentation of a specific teaching and learning experience showcasing a chosen strategy to demonstrate how you will differentiate for your chosen learner in your chosen context and key learning area. Evaluate your approach by identifying the benefits and limitations of your strategy in terms of inclusive classroom practices. |
| Product: | Artefact - Creative |
| Format: | You will develop a multi-media presentation that will showcase a specific strategy for teaching and learning to support your chosen learner in your chosen context and key learning area from your Scenario Response in Task 2a. Your presentation will include a justification for your choice and an evaluation of how your approach has the potential to contribute to well-being, respect, tolerance, and class cohesion and harmony. |
| Criteria: |
|
| All - Assessment Task 3:Diversity Teaching Script Making Connections for Inclusive Teaching | |
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to apply your knowledge and understanding of socio-cultural determinants contributing to student diversity to analyse and critically evaluate differentiation and inclusion in education. In the scripted dialogue scenario the role of the graduate teacher is to gain a greater understanding through the use of questioning to demonstrate understanding of theoretical theories and frameworks to support inclusive teaching and learning practices. This is demonstrated through a professional dialogue scenario and must adhere to professional language. |
| Product: | Creative Performance, and Written Piece |
| Format: | You will work in small groups to demonstrate your analysis of a situation through critical discussion within a scripted dialogue. Your dialogue should demonstrate research into factors which impact on student learning and the implications for teachers in terms of promoting diversity, respect and community cohesion amongst school students in Australia (noted in legislative requirements). You must consider differences in gender, ethnicity, language, culture (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures), religion and/or socio-economic backgrounds. You must consider the physical, social and intellectual development of students and their well-being and safety. Your group may choose to submit a role play video or a written script for this task. |
| 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.
Schedule
| Period and Topic | Activities |
Module 1: Seeing and Listening to Learner Diversity |
Legislation and requirements Understanding sociocultural determinants impacting on the learning and teaching environment for learners: • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural diversity • Multicultural, religious and linguistic diversity • Socio-economic diversity • Gender and familial diversity including domestic violence awareness |
Module 2: Responding through Pedagogy to Promote Inclusion |
• Creating positive learning environments • Differentiating curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment • Motivation and engagement • Education for peace – well-being, respect, tolerance and community cohesion |
Module 3: Thinking about the need for Equity in Education |
School and teacher responsibility regarding equity, inclusivity and learning engagement for all students from a diverse range of backgrounds throughout their schooling Theoretical frameworks relating to diversity and inclusion Impact on teaching philosophies and resulting practices Collaborating and connecting to walk the talk |
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 |
| Recommended | Eric H. Frangenheim | 2018 | Reflections on Classroom Thinking Strategies | 11 | Rodin |
Specific requirements
Nil
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
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
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