Unit rationale, description and aim
Pre-service teachers must develop an awareness of the increasingly complex contexts in which they will work as well as be conscious of, sensitive to and skilled in responding to sociocultural diversity and the unique family, community and societal experiences children bring to their learning.
This unit develops pre-service teacher knowledge and understanding of the historical context, policy frameworks, legislation and sociocultural factors influencing the experiences of learners in Australian educational settings. Pre-service teachers will draw on recent scholarly literature, educational policies and sociological theories to inform their knowledge and understanding of some of the key contemporary issues facing children, young people, schools, early learning settings and the broader community.
The overall aim of this unit is to develop the critical thinking skills required for researching, analysing, applying and reflecting on evidence-based strategies that support diverse school contexts and inclusive educational settings.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Describe the impact of economic, political, social...
Learning Outcome 01
Analyse the relationship between individual educat...
Learning Outcome 02
Analyse preconceived notions of schooling and educ...
Learning Outcome 03
Reflect, interpret and question underlying issues ...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- Social justice, diversity and inclusive education
- Values related to education, to self and others, human rights and civic responsibilities
- Multiculturalism, respect for diversity and related influences on policy and legislation
- Social class, ethnicity, linguistic and gender differences and their relationship to schooling and educational outcomes
- The work of teachers
- The role of research and its significance in education and to teachers
- Social theories contribution to understanding education
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ experience of Australian education
- Sociocultural impacts on community participation
- Political influences on education policy
- Economic imperatives and social policy
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks and their weightings are designed to allow pre-service teachers to progressively demonstrate achievement against the unit learning outcomes by demonstrating academic and professional standards. The Understanding Learners and Their Contexts unit will focus on developing understanding of, and skills across the professional knowledge, practice and engagement needed to meet expectations of the Graduate Attributes and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate level.
The assessment tasks:
- are sequenced to allow feedback and progressive development of content knowledge and skills
- allow pre-service teachers a chance to engage in early critical reflection on their local community and context
- enable the pre-service teacher to develop professional communication skills and present their understanding of sociocultural theories.
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks and their weighting for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, pre-service teachers are required to meet the learning outcomes of the unit and achieve a minimum overall passing grade of 50%.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Scholarly Response Pre-servi...
Assessment Task 1: Scholarly Response
Pre-service teachers analyse the issue of ‘social class (SES) and inequity’ using scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles and course content, and explain how an understanding of this issue will influence their own approach to teaching and learning.
Responses should cover assigned and extended readings and be based on an analysis of issues/ideas raised (not a summary of the readings).
30%
Assessment Task 2: Presentation Pre-service teac...
Assessment Task 2: Presentation
Pre-service teachers present on an allocated social issue that is aligned to a unit topic. They will analyse the issue in relation to current social contexts, and identify crucial equity implications for education. Relevant sociological keywords, wider reading, and contemporary examples from the media should be used to support the analysis. If the assignment is offered as a group assessment, preservice teachers will be assessed both as a group, and individually.
30%
Assessment Task 3: Examination Multiple-choice a...
Assessment Task 3: Examination
Multiple-choice and/or short answer questions based on unit content.
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This is a 10-credit point unit and has been designed to ensure that the time needed to complete the required volume of learning to the requisite standard is approximately 150 hours in total. To achieve a passing standard in this unit, pre-service teachers will find it helpful to engage in the full range of learning activities and assessments utilised in this unit, as described in the learning and teaching strategy and the assessment strategy
An emphasis is placed on pre-service teachers as adult learners with a responsibility for their own learning and who are capable of problem-solving. The learning in this unit is enquiry-based, learner-focused and student centred. Pre-service teachers should expect to participate in a range of the following: online engagement, lectures, tutorials, seminar presentations and group discussions, both online and face-to-face, self-directed study activities and assessment tasks.
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
ACECQA Curriculum Specifications
On successful completion of this unit, students should have developed the following specific knowledge