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EDU2490 Hooking Kids on Learning

Subject Cat-nbr Class Term Mode Description Units Campus
EDU 2490 74970 1, 2008 ONC Hooking Kids on Learning 1.00 Toowoomba
Academic group: FOEDU
Academic org: FOE002
Student contribution band: National Priority Teaching
ASCED code: 070103

Contents


STAFFING

Examiner: Stephen Smith
Moderator: Petrea Redmond


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

Middle Phase learners (years 6 -9) are unique. It is a period when physical, emotional, intellectual and social changes increasingly dictate their behaviour, beliefs, concerns and motivations. Many of the regions of the brain are still developing and their needs are different from younger children and older adolescents. Recent studies suggest that this is the stage when many students make least progress in learning with the gap between low and high achievers widening. Increasing numbers of students lose their enthusiasm for learning and disengage from traditional classroom activities. This course assists pre-service educators to better understand the important role that middle year teachers play in more closely aligning primary and secondary schooling and better understanding the particular needs and characteristics of adolescent learners to hook and inspire them to keep learning.



SYNOPSIS

This course will enable pre-service educators to develop competence in engaging young adolescents with purposeful learning. It will assist those enrolled to develop an understanding of factors which impact on adolescent learning including physical and emotional development, student centred pedagogy and motivation to learn. These factors will then be applied as teachers account for these influences and develop their capacity to motivate middle years? learners. Intending students should be aware that they require regular access to electronic resources including email and the Internet.



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:

1.
identify physical and emotional aspects of adolescent development (Assignment 2)
2.
link aspects of adolescent development with student behaviour and learning (Assignment 2)
3.
identify positive aspects of teaching young adolescent learners (Both assessment items)
4.
demonstrate student centred learning strategies (Assignment 1)
5.
develop productive strategies to motivate and engage young adolescent learners (Assignment 1)
6.
demonstrate effective communication skills (Both assessment items).


TOPICS


Description Weighting (%)
1. Young adolescent physical and emotional development and implications for teachers
 25.00
2. What's great about teaching middle year learners?
 25.00
3. Facilitating student centred learning
 25.00
4. Motivating student engagement and the importance of feedback
 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).

There are no prescribed texts for this course.



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.

MYSA (Middle Years Schooling Association) Website www.mysa.org.au

NMSA (National Middle Schooling Association) Website www.nmsa.org

Whether you are on, or off campus, the USQ Library is an excellent source of information http://www.usq.edu.au/library/ . The gateway to education resources is here... http://www.usq.edu.au/library/faculties/education/default.htm

Henson, K 2004, Constructivist teaching strategies for diverse middle-level classrooms, Pearson, Boston.

Lee Manning, M & Bucher, K 2005, Teaching in the middle school, 2nd edn, Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

McGrath, H 1997, Dirty tricks: classroom games for teaching social skills, Longman, Melbourne.



STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY HOURS
Assessments 50.00
Lectures 13.00
Private Study 76.00
Tutorials 26.00


ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description Marks out of Wtg(%) Due date Notes
ASSIGNMENT 1: MICRO TEACHING 40.00 40.00 03 Mar 2008 (see note 1)
ASSIGNMENT 2: 1500wd RESPONSE 60.00 60.00 23 May 2008 (see note 2)
NOTES
1.
Assignment 1: Micro Teaching. Ongoing throughout semester.
2.
Assignment 2: 1500 word response.

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 satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve 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 of the examiner then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded. No assignments will be accepted after model answers have been posted.
  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 total weighted marks available for the course.
  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. The Faculty will NOT accept submission of assignments by facsimile. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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).
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. Summative assessment items will receive a numerical score. Any ungraded assessment requirement will receive a Pass, Fail or Incomplete.

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.
  4. Attendance at a 3 day retreat is strongly recommended. Students who cannot attend the retreat will be offered supplementary learning.

This version produced 28 Aug 2009.
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