TEA 4203 Professional Practices in Primary Education

Subject Cat-nbr Class Term Mode Description Units Campus
TEA 4203 40595 1, 2005 ONC Professional Practices in Primary Education 1.00 Toowoomba
Academic group: FOEDU
Academic org: FOE002
Student contribution band: National Priority Teaching
ASCED code: 070100

Contents


STAFFING:

Examiner: Rick Churchill
Moderator: Michele McGill



REQUISITES:

Co-requisite: TEA4201

RATIONALE:

The beginning teacher commencing employment requires knowledge of the personal and professional characteristics, skills and responsibilities that are associated with effective educational practice. The day-to-day interaction in an educational setting is not a vacuum and the teaching professional must not only keep abreast of current developments and trends, but also challenge and investigate that which informs his/her decision-making.

SYNOPSIS:

This course will introduce beginning educators to employment issues and will offer professional development designed to assist with individual career commencement. To achieve this, an important component will be the exposure to ideas from employment authorities, professional associations and teacher support organisations. Current issues and trends in the educational environment will be investigated and strategies for researching such issues will challenge the student to consider the longer-term responsibilities of an effective career in education. An integral component of the course will be the investigation of how various philosophies of education relate to current and future practice. This course brings together the total Professional Context Experiences engaged in during the course. 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 successful completion of this course students will be able to:

  1. understand the role played by action research in school/classroom practice
  2. demonstrate appropriate beginning research skills
  3. know the requirements of employers and analyse strategies related to gaining employment as a teacher
  4. understand the roles played by professional bodies and teacher support organisations
  5. recognise the need to evaluate current issues pertinent to the directions of educational change through action research in practice.

TOPICS:


Description Weighting (%)
1. Employment authorities, professional associations, and support organisations
 10.00
2. Employment application strategies
 40.00
3. Continuing professional development
 10.00
4. Current initiatives in the teaching profession
 30.00
5. Critical review and reflection
 10.00

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).

A shrinkwrap package consisting of: Brady, L, 2003, Teacher voices: the school experience, Pearson Education, Frenchs Forest; Brady, L & Kennedy, K, 2003, Curriculum construction, 2nd edn, Prentice Hall, Frenchs Forest & Pirola-Merlo, S, 2003, Relationship management in the primary school classroom: strategies in the legal and social context, Prentice Hall, Frenchs Forest.

Frangenheim, E 2002, Reflections on classroom thinking strategies: practical strategies to encourage thinking in your classroom, 4th edn, Rodin Educational Consultancy, Springwood.




REFERENCE MATERIALS:

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

Brady, L 1999, Teacher cases: a qualitative view of teachers' work, Prentice Hall, Sydney.

Groundwater-Smith, S, Cusworth, R & Dobbins, R 1998, Teaching: challenges and dilemmas, Harcourt Brace, Sydney.

Johnson, B & Reid, A (eds) 1999, Contesting the curriculum, Social Science Press, Katoomba.

Marsh, C 2004, Becoming a teacher: knowledge, skills and issues, 3rd edn, Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest.

Whitton, D, Sinclair, C, Barker, K, Nanlohy, P & Nosworthy, M 2004, Learning for teaching - teaching for learning, Thomson - Social Science Press, Southbank, Victoria.




STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

ACTIVITY HOURS
Assessment 40.00
Lectures 16.00
Private Study 87.00
Seminars 6.00
Tutorials 16.00


ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

Description Marks out of Wtg(%) Due date
TUTORIAL ACTIVITY 20.00 20.00 01 Mar 2005 (see note 1)
ASSIGNMENT 30.00 30.00 11 Apr 2005 (see note 2)
SEMINAR DAY LOG BOOK 20.00 20.00 15 Apr 2005 (see note 3)
REVIEW ACTIVITY 30.00 30.00 04 May 2005 (see note 4)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 1.00 0.00 24 Jun 2005 (see note 5)
NOTES:
1.
Tutorial activity (action research, including one page outline) will be conducted during weeks 5-10. Outline to be submitted to tutor at time of presentation of tutorial activity.
2.
Employment application by Education Queensland selection criteria.
3.
Record, reflections and professional development projections.
4.
Open-note review of application of lecture material held under examination-type conditions on 4th May 2005.
5.
Students must successfully complete the professional content experience component and the academic component to pass this course. A value of one (1) indicates you have passed the professional component. A value of zero (0) indicates you have not passed the PCE component.

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. Students must complete PCE 15A and a total of 20 days non-supervised experience as partial fulfillment of Board of Teacher Registration requirements. Students are required to attend for a mimimum of four (4) hours on the April seminar day.
  2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
    To complete each of the assignments satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for each assignment.
  3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
    If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval then a penalty of 10% 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:
    In order to gain a passing grade in the course, students must submit all items of assessment; complete all professional experience requirements successfully; attain a passing grade or equivalent mark in at least two of the three coursework assessment items; and achieve a minimum of 50% of the total marks available for assessment in the course. Normally, there will be no opportunity for the resubmission of failed or unsatisfactory items of assessment. Students who do not achieve a passing grade in the course, may be eligible for supplementary assessment in the following circumstances: where the professional experience requirements constitute the only assessment item not completed satisfactorily; or where the professional experience requirements were completed satisfactorily, and (i) at least two of the other three Pass Rules were satisfied, and (ii) a minimum of 40% of the available marks were attained for the failed 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 each 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

1. The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must despatch the assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the examiner.
2. Students must retain a copy of each item submitted for assessment. This must be produced within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of request being made by the examiner. The student must retain this copy until the grade for this course has been finalised.
3. In accordance with the University's assignment extension policy (Regulation 5.6.1), the examiner may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances.
4. The Faculty will normally only accept assessments that have been written, typed or printed on paper-based media.
5. The Faculty will NOT accept submission of assignments by facsimile.
6. Students who do not have regular access to postal services or who are otherwise disadvantaged by these regulations may be given special consideration. They should contact the examiner of the course to negotiate such special arrangements.
7. Students who have undertaken all of the required assessments in a course but who have failed to meet some of the specified objectives of a course within the normally prescribed time may be awarded the temporary grade: IM (Incomplete - Make up). An IM grade will only be awarded when, in the opinion of the examiner, a student will be able to achieve the remaining objectives of the course after a period of non-directed personal study.
8. Students who, for medical, family/personal, or employment-related reasons, are unable to complete an assignment or to sit for an examination at the scheduled time may apply to defer an assessment in a course. Such a request must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. One of the following temporary grades may be awarded IDS (Incomplete - Deferred Examination); IDM (Incomplete - Deferred Make-up); IDB (Incomplete - Both Deferred Examination and Deferred Make-up).
9. When there is more than one marker for a single item of assessment, the distributed patterns and means for the different markers will be compared and marks adjusted if necessary.
10. Marking criteria are provided in course material as mark sheets/guides or as part of assignment specifications.
11. Each item of assessment must be submitted, all professional experience requirements must be successfully completed, a passing grade or equivalent mark in at least two of the three coursework assessment items must be attained and a minimum of 50% of the total marks available for assessment in the course must be achieved.
12. Summative assessment items will receive a numerical score. Any ungraded assessment requirement will receive a Pass, Fail or Incomplete.
13. Students must successfully complete the professional experience component, including the 5-day placement scheduled for the beginning of the teachers' work year, and the academic component to pass this course. In order to be eligible to commence the professional experience component, students must demonstrate satisfactory progress in all coursework assessment items prior to the professional experience.

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.