GDE4007 Ethics and Professional Practice

GDE	4007	67121	2, 2007	WEB	Ethics and Professional Practice	1.00	Toowoomba
Subject	Cat-nbr	Class	Term	Mode	Description	Units	Campus

Academic group:	FOEDU
Academic org:	FOEDUC
Student contribution band:	National Priority Teaching
ASCED code:	070199

Staffing
Other requisites
Rationale
Synopsis
Objectives
Topics
Texts
Reference materials
Student workload
Assessment details
Important assessment information
Assessment notes
Other requirements
Production date
PDF version

STAFFING

Examiner: Rick Churchill

OTHER REQUISITES

State law in Queensland (Australia) requires that all adults working/undertaking professional experience/researching with children under the age of 18, in the state of Queensland are required to possess a current suitability card (Blue Card). (See "Other Requirements" for further information.) Also see: http://www.childcomm.qld.gov.au/employment/bluecard/informationSheets.html.

RATIONALE

Rapid changes in the nature of schools and the growing diversity of educational contexts, are placing intense demands on the role of educators. It is the responsibility of all those involved in the provision of education to become aware of the multifaceted role of a professional educator in the 21st century. An integral part of this responsibility is to understand the need to operate within a framework of a working code of professional ethics, both to enhance the role of the educator within the school and wider community and to assist the educator to realise the complex and often competing world views associated with an inclusive curriculum and supportive classroom environment.

SYNOPSIS

Students will be required to analyse their responsibilities and role as professional educators in light of a professional ethical framework. As an adjunct to this, various contexts such as legal requirements, social norms, policy mandates, ethics and moral codes, personal value systems and organisational structures operating within any given school/centre/and classroom community will be synthesised within the framework of a moral dilemma encountered at the attachment site. This will enable students to play an active role in the construction and application of personal professional ethical theories, and to reflect upon their assumptions about the professional nature of an educator's work.

OBJECTIVES

The course objectives define the student learning outcomes for a course. The assessment item(s) that may be used to assess student achievement of an objective are shown in parenthesis. On completion of this course students will be able to:

explain the contextual influences shaping the teaching profession for the 21st century (Assignments 1 and 3)
recognise and address the ethical dimensions of a case based dilemma (Assignments 1 and 3)
synthesise a range of contextual factors relating to a case based dilemma (Assignments 1 and 3)
demonstrate the application of inclusive schooling principles to a case based dilemma (Assignments 1 and 3)
demonstrate knowledge, understanding and skill in the use of appropriate personal, professional and academic literacies, including ICTs (Assignment 2)
model ethical/legal approaches to personal and professional use of ICTs (Assignment 2)
apply an understanding of ethics and professional practice in the professional attachment and/or graduate internship (All assignments)
articulate an example of how the key concepts encountered in this course can be applied in an educational setting. (All assignments)

TOPICS

	Description	Weighting (%)
1.	Reflection and professional practice	25.00
2.	Ethical frameworks, codes of conduct and professional standards	25.00
3.	Recognising ethical problems / dilemmas in educational contexts	25.00
4.	responding to personal/professional aspects of ethically challenging situations	25.00

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).

GDE4007 USQ Resource Package

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.

Groundwater-Smith, S, Cusworth, R & Dobbins, R 2003, Teaching: challenges and dilemmas, 2nd edn, Harcourt Brace, Sydney.

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

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY	HOURS
Assessment	30.00
Private Study	80.00
Residential Schools	20.00
Workshops	30.00

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description	Marks out of	Wtg(%)	Due date
ASSIGNMENT 2 - PART 1 PROPOSAL	10.00	10.00	07 Sep 2007
ASSIGNMENT 1: PROF APPLICATION	40.00	40.00	28 Sep 2007
ASSIGNMENT 2 PART 2: ANALYSIS	50.00	50.00	16 Nov 2007

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Attendance requirements:
It is the student's responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in the residential school and other scheduled learning activities (such as on-campus workshops and web-based activities) scheduled for them.
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.
Penalties for late submission of required work:
Students who fail to submit assignments by the due date without prior approval must apply to the course examiner for deferred assessment. The course examiner will consider each such application on its individual merits.
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must complete and submit all of the summative assessment items, achieve at least 50% for the Professional Attachment and achieve at least 50% of the weighted marks for the academic assignments. Should a student fail to achieve 50% of the Professional Attachment and 50% of the total weighted marks for the academic assignments, they may be assigned additional work to allow them to demonstrate to the Examiner that they have achieved the objectives assessed by that assessment component. Where students are assigned additional work, the maximum grade they may receive for the course shall be C.
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.
Examination information:
There is no examination in this course.
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
There will be no Deferred or Supplementary examinations in this course.
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 dispatch the assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the dispatch date, if requested by the Examiner.
2.	Students must retain a copy of each item submitted for assessment. This must be produced within 24 hours if required by the Examiner. The student must retain this copy until the grade for this course has been finalised.
3.	The examiner may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances.
4.	In the event that a due date for an assignment falls on a local public holiday in their area, the due date for the assignment will be the next working day. Students are to note on the assignment cover the date of the public holiday for the Examiner's convenience.
5.	Students who have undertaken all of the required assessments in a course but who have failed to meet a limited number of the specified objectives of a course within the normally prescribed time may be awarded the temporary grade: IM (Incomplete - Make up).
6.	Students who, for medical, family/personal, or employment-related reasons, are unable to complete an assignment at the scheduled time may apply to defer an assessment in a course. Such a request must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. The following temporary grades may be awarded: IDM (Incomplete Deferred Make-up).
7.	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.
8.	Marking criteria are provided in course material as mark sheets/guides or as part of assignment specifications.
9.	All assessment items will receive a mark.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Students will require access to e-mail and Internet access to USQConnect for this 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.

This version produced 20 Dec 2007.