Unit rationale, description and aim

Includes 10 days of professional experience placement in an educational setting

The Graduate Diploma in Design and Technologies Education is a course that responds to the need for registered teachers to be upskilled in the area of Design and Technologies and Industrial Technology.

In order to plan and deliver lessons that promote learner engagement and enhance student learning, secondary teachers need knowledge and understanding of the senior secondary curriculum, along with theoretical frameworks and pedagogical approaches that are emblematic of teaching in their chosen teaching areas, including teaching/learning that responds to the high-stakes assessment that is a usual feature of senior secondary schooling.

In this unit, students will consider the place of Design and Technologies education in contemporary Australian society, and the senior secondary Design and Technologies curriculum, in particular. They will explore a range of evidence-based approaches for curriculum development and alignment and to plan for effective teaching and learning, including formative and summative assessment. Students will learn approaches for building knowledge of Design and Technologies and how to provide constructive feedback and reporting. They will learn approaches for engaging senior secondary learners and to meet the learning needs of diverse students in the senior secondary years. They will further develop skills to shape the dialogic talk of the classroom. Students will formulate unit and assessment plans in order to demonstrate a knowledge of curriculum, learning and assessment theory. They will assemble a resource folio to demonstrate capacity to collect, create and critique resources for effective teaching and learning and to link with curriculum. They will investigate issues and considerations of curriculum implementation as found in the practical reality of schools. Students will have opportunities to observe and practise planning, teaching and classroom management skills through undertaking 10 days professional experience placement.

The aim of this unit is for teachers to develop their pedagogical content knowledge through becoming familiar with the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary for teaching Design and Technologies at a senior secondary level.

2025 10

Campus offering

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  • Term Mode
  • Semester 2Multi-mode

Prerequisites

EDTE599 Design and Technologies Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 1 or EDST547 - Design and Technologies Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 1

Incompatible

EDST548 - Design and Technologies Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 2, EDTE698 Design and Technologies Education Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 2

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 and explain the senior secondary Design a...

Learning Outcome 01

Describe and explain the senior secondary Design and Technologies curriculum, including the place of Design and Technologies education within contemporary Australian society and the unique professional responsibilities of the Design and Technologies teacher (APST 2.1, 2.3, 3.4)
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC3

Analyse the relationships between curriculum desig...

Learning Outcome 02

Analyse the relationships between curriculum design, task design and assessment to support student learning through the planning and evaluation of teaching and learning for Design and Technologies (APST 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 4.2, 4.5, 5.1)
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC7, GC9

Apply and evaluate the use of linguistic resources...

Learning Outcome 03

Apply and evaluate the use of linguistic resources utilised to provide directions, demonstration, presentations and support of student learning (APST 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 3.3, 3.5, 4.1, 4.2)
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC11

Research, critically analyse, develop and implemen...

Learning Outcome 04

Research, critically analyse, develop and implement a knowledge a variety of pedagogical strategies (including literacy and numeracy, incorporation of ICT) and resources in senior secondary Design and Technologies which allow the specific learning strengths and needs of students to be met (APST 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1)
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC3

Synthesise and apply a range of approaches to asse...

Learning Outcome 05

Synthesise and apply a range of approaches to assess, provide feedback and report on student learning within the senior secondary learning area (APST 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5)
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC3

Complete a successful professional experience in a...

Learning Outcome 06

Complete a successful professional experience in a classroom setting engaging in critical reflection and responding to feedback from colleagues and supervisors to improve teaching practice (APST 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 5.1, 5.2, 6.3, 7.1, 7.2)
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC8

Content

Topics will include:

Design and Technologies curriculum

  • Design and Technologies in the Australian curriculum context: historical context and current frameworks and documentation
  • The Australian senior secondary Design and Technologies curriculum and state-based curriculum/syllabus documents

Teaching Strategies

  • Planning for effective teaching in Design and Technologies
  • Effective senior Design and Technologies teaching and learning
  • Differentiated teaching in Design and Technologies
  • Needs of learners from diverse cognitive, physical, social, cultural backgrounds
  • Digital resources and approaches for senior Design and Technologies education
  • Engaging all learners in senior Design and Technologies education studies
  • Conversational, questioning and scaffolding techniques to shape dialogic classroom talk in Design and Technologies education

Assessment Strategies

  • Assessing student learning and reporting achievement in senior Design and Technologies education
  • High-stakes assessment in senior secondary Design and Technologies education, including the specific moderation process and student data interpretation
  • Composing assessment items in Design and Technologies education
  • An introduction to data-informed teaching in Design and Technologies

The Professional Experience:

  • Teacher self-care: physical and mental wellbeing and building resilience
  • Practise introductory planning, teaching and classroom management skills
  • Observation, reflection and applying constructive feedback as strategies that guide professional learning and growth.
  • Professional responsibilities and relationships

Professional associations and continued professional learning

Assessment strategy and rationale

The assessment tasks and their weightings are designed so that students can progressively achieve the course learning outcomes and the professional standards. The Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment units in this course focus on acquiring content knowledge and developing the skills to assimilate conceptual knowledge for that knowledge to inform skills that will be applied in practice.

The three assessment tasks are sequenced to allow feedback and progressive development. By completing Task 1 students will apply knowledge of curriculum planning and teaching and assessment strategies in the development of a unit of work for use in a specific classroom context. In Task 2 students will develop assessment tasks and marking guides. Lastly, in Task 3 students will carry out a critical analysis of suitable strategies and resources to develop a resource folio. These tasks reflect ‘real world’ school contexts and teaching responsibilities, thereby preparing students for professional experience placement and their role as a teacher.

To pass this unit, students are required to demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes by submitting all assessment tasks, obtaining a combined score of at least 50 per cent.  In addition, students must attain a Pass in the following tasks:

  • Assessment Task 2 as Learning Outcome 5 is only assessed in this task
  • Hurdle Requirement 1 which comprises a collection of preparatory tasks that must be completed to a high standard prior to commencement of the placement.
  • Hurdle Requirement 2 the Professional Experience Placement. 

Note: Students of this unit who are already teaching in the Design and Technologies Key Learning Area may be granted pass grades for the two hurdle tasks following submission of an evidence-based Professional Experience Portfolio. The evidence provided in the portfolio will be assessed for equivalence to one (or both) of the hurdle tasks.

Overview of assessments

Assessment Task 1: Design of a program/unit of wo...

Assessment Task 1: Design of a program/unit of work

Critical Task

The design of a program/unit of work for senior Design and Technologies students over a nominated period.

Weighting

40%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 2: Assessment Development Develo...

Assessment Task 2: Assessment Development

Develop a summative assessment task and accommodating marking guide or rubric that could be used for moderation purposes.

Weighting

30%

Learning Outcomes LO4, LO5

Assessment Task 3: Resource Folio and Critical An...

Assessment Task 3: Resource Folio and Critical Analysis

Critical Task

Create a folio of 8 learning activities across a range of curriculum topics and skills relevant to senior secondary Design and Technologies education, including strategies and resources to support the development of literacy and numeracy for and through Design and Technologies education.

Artefacts and reflections may provide evidence of attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate and can be included in the ePortfolio.

Weighting

30%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Hurdle Requirement 1: Preparation for the Profess...

Hurdle Requirement 1: Preparation for the Professional Experience Placement

Prior to commencing the Professional Experience placement, students must ensure all components of the hurdle tasks from EDTE599 are complete and current.

Note: Students of this unit who are already teaching in the Design and Technologies Key Learning Area may be granted a pass grade for this hurdle task following submission of an evidence-based Professional Experience Portfolio that demonstrates experience that is equivalent to this task. 

Weighting

Pass/Fail

Learning Outcomes LO6

Hurdle Requirement 2: Professional Experience Ass...

Hurdle Requirement 2: Professional Experience Assessment and Evidence Folder

Students must secure a satisfactory Professional Experience report AND a pass grade for their Professional Experience Evidence Folder.

(Refer to Professional Experience Handbook and Report).

The Professional Experience Evidence Folder may include:

  • observations and analysis of educational setting and classroom context
  • lesson plans
  • relevant teaching resources
  • critical reflection on own teaching experiences
  • feedback from supervising teacher/s and university staff.

This evidence must be compiled into a well-presented and well-organised Professional Experience Folder, which should be updated on a regular basis throughout the placement.

Artefacts and reflections may provide evidence of attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate level).


Note: Students of this unit who are already teaching in the Design and Technologies Key Learning Area may be granted a pass grade for this hurdle task following submission of an evidence-based Professional Experience Portfolio that demonstrates experience that is equivalent to this task. 

Weighting

A pass or fail grade will be awarded for completion of the professional experience days

Learning Outcomes LO6

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit applies a social constructivist approach to develop the student’s understanding of effective pedagogies through active engagement and collaborative learning. The pre-service teacher will build an understanding of teaching strategies through critical reading, lecturer modelling, discussion, and practice in tutorials. The student’s skills of professional communication and ability to work collaboratively will be practised through group work. Teaching skills of planning and assessing, and the ability to locate and synthesise information, will be further developed through designing a curriculum appropriate for a Design and Technologies education context. Students will continue to gather and reflect upon evidence of attainment of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Graduate. The placement enables students to observe and engage with experienced practitioners and to make links between theory and its application to the learning environment.

The teaching and learning strategy described above will use an appropriate selection of approaches, including, for example:

  • Weekly face-to-face lectures and/or online lectures (synchronous and asynchronous)
  • Hands-on tutorials and discussions that promote peer learning
  • Microteaching opportunities
  • Self-directed reading and research
  • Collaborative learning opportunities

The unit is hosted on a Learning Management System (LMS) site with resources and online links, announcements, and a discussion board to post questions and reflections that promote connection between content and educational experiences.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: TEACHING REQUIREMENTS

Within this unit, students will undertake a professional experience placement comprising 10 days in an educational setting.

Students will develop the habit of critically reflective practice through guided reflection upon their observations of their class and the educational setting. In collaboration with their supervising teachers and other professional colleagues, they will develop basic teaching skills through assisting in the delivery of high-quality teaching episodes and teaching small groups and whole classes. They will critically reflect upon their teaching, and self-audit their progression and attainment of key teaching skills and standards.

Mode of delivery: This unit may be offered in different modes to cater to the learning needs and preferences of a range of participants.

On Campus

Most learning activities or classes are delivered at a scheduled time, on campus, to enable in-person interactions. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.

Multi-mode

Learning activities are delivered through a planned mix of online and in-person classes, which may include full-day sessions and/or placements, to enable interaction. Activities that require attendance will appear in a student’s timetable.

Online unscheduled

Learning activities are accessible anytime, anywhere. These units are normally delivered fully online and will not appear in a student’s timetable. 

Online scheduled

All learning activities are held online, at scheduled times, and will require some attendance to enable online interaction. Activities will appear in a student’s timetable.

ACU Online 

In ACU Online mode, this unit is delivered asynchronously, fully online using an active, guided learning approach. Pre-service teachers are encouraged to contribute to asynchronous weekly discussions and receive regular and timely feedback on their learning. 

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL

On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL

1.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.

1.2 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.

1.3 Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.

1.5 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. 

2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.

2.2 Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.

2.3 Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.

2.5 Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.

2.6 Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.

3.1 Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.

3.2 Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.

3.3 Include a range of teaching strategies.

3.4 Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.

3.5 Demonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement.

3.6 Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.

4.1 Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.

4.2 Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions.

4.3 Demonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour.

4.4 Describe strategies that support students’ well-being and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.

4.5 Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.

5.1 Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.

5.2 Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.

5.3 Demonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.

5.4 Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.

5.5 Demonstrate understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement.

6.3 Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.

7.1 Understand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.

7.2 Understand the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage.

Representative texts and references

Required text(s)

Australian Curriculum https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) www.acara.edu.au

Relevant jurisdictional curriculum documents

New South Wales Stage 6 Syllabuses https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/Understanding-the-curriculum/syllabuses-a-z

Queensland Senior subjects https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/senior-subjects

Victoria Senior Curriculum: VCE Study Designs https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/vce/vce-study-designs/Pages/vce-study-designs.aspx

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