GDE4006 Relating and Collaborating

GDE	4006	75317	1, 2008	ONC	Relating and Collaborating	1.00	Fraser Coast
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: Joan Conway
Moderator: Romina Jamieson-Proctor

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

In the schools of the 21st century the work of the teacher requires collaboration and cooperation in professional teams. Making contributions to whole-school operations within a dynamic professional community of learners and being active in the wider professional community, are defining characteristics of the nature of contemporary teachers' work. Effective relationships with students, fellow teachers, paraprofessionals, parents, interagency personnel and community resource people lie at the core of maximising the opportunities for all learners to reach their potential. The will and skill to effectively work constructively in collaborative ways are crucial elements in the repertoire of all teachers.

SYNOPSIS

This course will expose students to the important role of relationships between student and student, teacher and student, teacher and parents, teachers and their colleagues, teachers and paraprofessionals in optimising the conditions and opportunities for success in learning and development for all students. The skills, attitudes and behaviours that promote effective relationships and collaboration will be identified and practised. The potential contributions of community members and specialist professional staff to the effectiveness of teachers' work and students' learning in these complex times will be explored. The course provides for 10 days of professional attachment to an identified school. During this period of attachment students will be immersed in the day-to-day operations of the school and in the work of a teacher, with a particular focus on the connections between that work and the issues covered in this course.

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.: Understand how collaboration impacts on teacher roles and responsibilities in relation to students with diverse educational needs (Assignments 1 and 2)
2.: demonstrate a willingness and capacity to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, parents and fellow staff in the attachment context (Professional attachment)
3.: demonstrate the application of collaboration skills in a variety of roles in the attachment context or in University-based tasks related to the course (Tutorial, on-line discussions and professional attachment)
4.: establish and maintain productive partnerships with parents and other staff in order to promote the quality of teaching and learning (Professional attachment)
5.: identify contexts where collaboration offers tangible advantages for service delivery, problem solving, or promotion of individual student learning (Assignments 1 and 2)
6.: apply an understanding of relating and collaborating in the professional attachment (Assignments 1 and 2, and Professional attachment)
7.: apply principles of ethical and collegial practice to collaborative situations (Tutorial, on-line discussions, and professional attachment)
8.: articulate an example of how the key concepts encountered in this course can be applied in an educational setting (Assignment 2 and presentation)
9.: demonstrate knowledge, understanding and skill in the use of appropriate personal, professional and academic literacies (Assignments 1 and 2, and presentation)
10.: demonstrate knowledge, understanding and application of appropriate ICT uses for teaching and learning (On-line discussions and presentation)
11.: demonstrate competence in written language and scholarly writing including correct spelling, grammar, and bibliographic referencing. (Assignments 1 and 2, and Professional attachment)

TOPICS

	Description	Weighting (%)
1.	The ecological context of professional work	20.00
2.	Enhancing learning through working with parents and other community members: the pedagogy of relationships	20.00
3.	Establishing, maintaining and repairing relationships and fostering a positive environment	20.00
4.	Approaches to teamwork and collaboration	20.00
5.	Ethical professional practice in collegiality and collaboration	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).

GDE4006 USQ Resource Package

Friend, M & Cook, L 2007, Interactions: collaboration skills for school professionals, 5th edn, Allyn & Bacon, Boston.
(GDE4006 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.

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

Groundwater-Smith, S, Cusworth, R, & Dobbins, R 2003, Teaching, Challenges and Dilemmas, 2nd edn, Thomson Learning, Southbank, VIC.

Newman, L & Pollnitz, L 2005, Working with children and families: professional, legal and ethical issues, Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest, NSW.

Overton, S 2005, Collaborating with families: a case study approach, Pearson/Prentice Hall/Merrill, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Rodd, J 2006, Leadership in early childhood, 3rd edn, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW.

Walther-Thomas, C, Korinek, L, McLaughlin, V, & Williams, B 2000, Collaboration for inclusive education: developing successful programs, Allyn & Bacon, Boston.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

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

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description	Marks out of	Wtg(%)	Due date	Notes
PROFESSIONAL ATTACHMENT	50.00	50.00	03 Mar 2008	(see note 1)
ASSIGNMENT 1 - PROPOSAL	10.00	10.00	28 Mar 2008
ASSIGNMENT2 - REPORT&PRES	40.00	40.00	20 Jun 2008	(see note 2)

NOTES

1.: Due dates for Professional Attachment to be advised.
2.: Assignment 2: Report and Presentation

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). Students must complete 10 days of professional attachment at an identified school site.
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 mark 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 and must satisfactorily complete the sector-based professional experience and the combined academic component/s.
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 students must successfully pass the professional attachment as well as the academic component to successfully complete the course.

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.
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.html. You can check whether your computer system meets these requiremetns from USQAssist (http://usqassist.usq.edu.au/)

This version produced 28 Aug 2009.