SEC 2507 Professional Extension Studies

STAFFING:

RATIONALE:

It is essential that beginning teachers undertake a wide variety of experiences as part of their pre-service teacher preparation. This elective is designed to allow beginning teachers to expand their awareness and understanding of important educational issues beyond the demands of the core curriculum through selection of two (2) modules from the range that will be available each year, depending on staffing and resources. These may include 'An Introduction to ESL', 'Youth Issues', 'Incorporating Indigenous Perspectives Across the Key Learning Areas' and 'ICT and The Thinking Classroom'. Other modules may be added as they become available.

SYNOPSIS:

MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION TO ESL. Through this elective, beginning teachers are made aware of the problems faced by students from a non-English speaking background. How a second language is acquired and a range of language teaching methods and strategies and other issues are examined. MODULE 2: YOUTH ISSUES. The module seeks to improve the awareness of beginning teachers about youth issues such as suicide and other behaviours in order to assist with their recognition of "At Risk" individuals. The management of the consequences of suicide through an educational programme that focuses on a problem based professional development approach will be explored. MODULE 3: INCORPORATING INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVES ACROSS THE KEY-LEARNING AREAS. This module will provide an opportunity for beginning teachers to gain an understanding of the diverse cultural contexts experienced by secondary school-aged Australian Indigenous students in their quest for educational outcomes commensurate with other Australian students. Effective pedagogical practices including the selection and use of appropriate human, fiscal and material resources will be considered and evaluated. MODULE 4: This module assists pre-service teachers to manage the poverty of abundance, where the amount of information is overwhelming, a quality information may be difficult to locate. Pre-service teachers will be introduced to strategies to develop questioning and thinking within their classroom. Using ICTs they will create scaffolded activities for students to move through the information literacy process, modelling powerful questions which require thinking beyond the regurgitation of facts. IMPORTANT NOTE: Working with Children: State law in Queensland requires that all adults (including university students, pre-service educators, trainers, vocational teachers, industry educators) working with children under the age of 18, in the State of Queensland*, obtain approval before commencing such work. Many education courses include a practical component (professional experience, project work, research, assessment etc.) that may require engagement with children under the age of 18. It is your responsibility to ensure that you possess a current suitability card (Blue Card) before commencing any practical components of this course. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WITH CHILDREN UNDER 18 UNLESS YOU POSSESS A CURRENT 'BLUE CARD'. For further information: http://www.childcomm.qld.gov.au/employment/bluecard/informationSheets.html *If you are undertaking practical experience outside the State of Queensland, Australia you should check local requirements.

OBJECTIVES:

On completion of this course students will be able to:

1. Introduction to ESL: understand the range of problems facing ESL students; understand how students acquire a second language; examine a range of language teaching methods; examine a number of ESL teaching strategies; develop the necessary skills to assist ESL students in the classroom
2. Youth Issues: understand the issues involved in youth suicide and self-harm behaviours; identify possible risk factors and signs for suicidal and at risk behaviours in young people; evaluate situations requiring a response to suspected intention of suicide or self harm behaviours; identify appropriate personnel and procedures within the school system; examine appropriate teacher approaches to suicide/at risk behaviours; identify and organise a wide range of resources available to schools, teachers and the wider community as part of a presentation folder
3. Incorporating Indigenous Perspective across the Key-Learning Area: understand and appreciate the diverse cultural context of Australian Indigenous students in secondary schools; be informed of the secondary schooling options and the implications of these; identify pedagogical practices for acknowledging and addressing these diverse situations; identify effective human, fiscal and material resources for the provision of a quality schooling; identify determinants of Australian Indigenous success and ways of enchancing success amongst students through the promotion of positive and the addressing of negative determinants
4. ICT: describe and discuss approaches to the use of ICT to support critical, creative and complex thinking; apply software tools to the analysis and solution of problems; make informed and substantiated judgements about the value of particular software and Internet tools for their own work; describe and discuss the integration of software tools in the classroom; evaluate software and Internet tools for classroom use; use ICT to search for, assemble, and evaluate information; distinguish among and generate the different types of questions which may be asked by teachers to support learning; develop activities using a range of questioning and scaffolding levels; create questions to assist in the development of new knowledge; use ICT to create activities that engage students in learning and thinking; plan curriculum delivery which embeds ICT in a thinking classroom; demonstrate knowledge of course content using appropriate modes and conventions of expression.

TOPICS:

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed:

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

Incorporating Indigenous perspective across the key-learning areas (module booklet from Kumbari Ngurpai)

Youth issues (CD ROM)

ICT and the thinking classroom module booklet

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

All references included in module booklets

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

NOTES:

1.

Students have a choice of either completing a portfolio and presentation, or an essay and lesson plans.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To complete each of the assessment items satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for each assessment item.
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment will apply for each working day late.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the available weighted marks for each summative assessment item.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks obtained for two of the summative assessment items in the course.
6. Examination information:
   There is no examination in this course.
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   There will be no Deferred or Supplementary examinations in this course.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1. Students will require access to e-mail and Internet access to USQConnect for this course.
2. Students are to use a recognised referencing system as specified by the examiner.
3. IMPORTANT NOTE: Working with Children: State law in Queensland requires that all adults (including university students, pre-service educators, trainers, vocational teachers, industry educators) working with children under the age of 18, in the State of Queensland*, obtain approval before commencing such work. Many education courses include a practical component (professional experience, project work, research, assessment etc.) that may require engagement with children under the age of 18. It is your responsibility to ensure that you possess a current suitability card (Blue Card) before commencing any practical components of this course. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WITH CHILDREN UNDER 18 UNLESS YOU POSSESS A CURRENT 'BLUE CARD'. For further information: http://www.childcomm.qld.gov.au/employment/bluecard/informationSheets.html *If you are undertaking practical experience outside the State of Queensland, Australia you should check local requirements.