FOE1000 Professional Communication in Education

FOE	1000	74960	1, 2008	ONC	Professional Communication in Education	1.00	Springfield
Subject	Cat-nbr	Class	Term	Mode	Description	Units	Campus

Academic group:	FOEDU
Academic org:	FOE002
Student contribution band:	National Priority Teaching
ASCED code:	070300

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: Peter Albion
Moderator: Agli Zavros

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

Educators need to be able to communicate professionally with learners and with other groups and individuals including colleagues, parents, employers and representatives of other agencies. Professional communication will occur in varied contexts and may require competent use of different modes and media depending upon the participants and purpose. It is vital that students preparing for a career in education understand the importance of effective communication, are sensitive to the requirements of differing circumstances and possess an appropriate repertoire of communications skills. These capacities require time for development. Thus placement of this course in the first semester of the program will enhance students' capacity for learning at university while continuing to develop their communication capabilities to appropriately professional standards.

SYNOPSIS

Students will be introduced to communication theory and will use it as a basis for developing their understanding of professional communication in education. They will consider different contexts, participants and associated purposes that may influence the selection of modes and media for communication. They will have opportunity to develop and demonstrate an appreciation of the importance of communication in all aspects of education and to practise the selection and application of a repertoire of appropriate communication skills. Students will be required to demonstrate appropriate levels of skill in the use of standard forms of written and spoken English and in the use of relevant forms of information and communication technology for academic and professional purposes.

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:

demonstrate an understanding of basic principles and application of communication theory (Position Paper and Test)
demonstrate an awareness of the wide variety of communication forms and their use by professional educators (Tutorial Tasks, Position Paper and Test)
demonstrate accepted academic styles in their written work including appropriate referencing; consistent use of appropriate grammar, punctuation, spelling and expression (Tutorial tasks and position paper)
express their ideas logically with appropriate attention to the relevant conventions of the medium they are using (Tutorial Tasks and Position Paper)
demonstrate effective communication by making appropriate choices about text, context and significant textual features (Tutorial Tasks and Position Paper)
critically analyse examples of communication (Tutorial Tasks and Position Paper)
demonstrate effective use of ICT for communication in their academic work environment and in tasks relevant to professional educators (Tutorial Tasks)

TOPICS

	Description	Weighting (%)
1.	Communication theory and application.	15.00
2.	Scholarly communication practices	25.00
3.	Conventions and protocols of professional language	15.00
4.	Communication in educational settings: Participants and purposes, modes and media	25.00
5.	Information and communication technologies for communication	20.00

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).

Devito and others 2008, Professional Communication in Education (Custom book) + MyITLab, Pearson Education Australia.
(To be advised)

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.

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

Atkinson, C 2005, Beyond bullet points: using Microsoft PowerPoint to create presentations that inform, motivate, and inspire, Microsoft Press, Redmond.

Cope, B & Kalantzi, M 2000, Multiliteracies: literacy learning and the design of social futures, Routledge, New York.

Courts, PL 1997, Multicultural literacies: dialect, discourse and diversity, Peter Lang, New York.

Creme, P & Lea MR 2003, Writing at university, 2nd edn, Open University Press/McGraw-Hill Education, Philadelphia.

Finkelstein, E 2002, (Available: http://www.usq.edu.au/library).

Gilgen, R 2004, Absolute beginner's guide to Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003, QUE, Indianapolis.

Koers, D 2004, (Available: http://www.usq.edu.au/library).

Merkley, D, Schmidt, D, Dirksen, C, & Fuhler, C 2006, Enhancing parent-teacher communication using technology: a reading improvement clinic example, 6 (1), Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, pp11-42.

Rotondo, J, Rotondo, M 2002, (Available: http://www.usq.edu.au/library).

Tyner, KR 1998, Literacy in a digital world: teaching and learning in the age of information, L. Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY	HOURS
Assessment	26.00
Lectures	26.00
Private Study	100.00
Tutorials	13.00

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description	Marks out of	Wtg(%)	Due date
RESUME AND LETTER	5.00	5.00	14 Mar 2008
APA STYLE REFERENCING	5.00	5.00	21 Mar 2008
PROPOSAL FOR POSITION PAPER	5.00	5.00	28 Mar 2008
TECHNIQUES FOR INFO LITERACY	5.00	5.00	04 Apr 2008
DRAFT & REVIEW PARAGRAPHS	8.00	8.00	02 May 2008
POSITION PAPER (1000 w)	40.00	40.00	16 May 2008
COMMUNICATING WITH NUMBERS	5.00	5.00	23 May 2008
PRESENTATION & WEB PAGE	7.00	7.00	30 May 2008
TEST	50.00	20.00	13 Jun 2008

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

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.
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.
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.
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.
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted 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:
As there are no examinations in this course, there will be no deferred or supplementary examinations.
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.html 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 may be required to provide a copy of assignments submitted for assessment purposes. Such copies should be dispatched to the USQ within 24 hours of receipt of a request to do so.
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 accept only 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.	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 day. Students are to note on the assignment cover the date of the public holiday for the Examiner's convenience.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Students will require access to e-mail and Internet access to USQConnect for this course. Students enrolling in WEB courses MUST have ongoing convenient and reliable access to the Internet in order to access course materials and participate in activities that will affect assessment. The levels of equipment required may change from time to time, with the most recent specification listed at http://www.usq.edu.au/currentstudents/computingstandards/default.htm. You can check whether your computer system meets these requirements from USQAssist (http://usqassist.usq.edu.au/).
Students are to use a recognised referencing system as specified by the course examiner.
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.
Students can expect that questions in assessment items in this course may draw upon knowledge and skills that they can reasonably be expected to have acquired before enrolling in the course. This includes knowledge contained in pre-requisite courses and appropriate communication, information literacy, analytical, critical thinking, problem solving or numeracy skills. Students who do not possess such knowledge and skills should not expect to achieve the same grades as those students who do possess them.

This version produced 24 Nov 2008.