GDE4006 Relating and Collaborating

Contents

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

STAFFING

RATIONALE

In the learning communities of the 21st century the work of the teacher requires collaboration and cooperation in professional teams. Making contributions to the whole of 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 a nominal 25 days of professional attachment to an identified school. NOTE: Minimum enrolment numbers apply to this offering. Should enrolments not reach the minimum number required for on-campus study, students may be transferred to the EXT or WEB offering and advised of this change before semester commences.

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.

demonstrate an understanding of how collaboration impacts on teacher roles and responsibilities in relation to students with diverse educational needs (Proposal, Case Study Report, Professional Attachment)

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 (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 (Case Study Report and Professional Attachment)

6.

apply an understanding of relating and collaborating in the professional context (Proposal, Case Study Report and Professional Attachment)

7.

apply principles of ethical and collegial practice to collaborative situations (Proposal, Case Study Report, Professional Attachment)

8.

articulate an example of how the key concepts encountered in this course can be applied in an educational setting (Case Study Report)

9.

demonstrate knowledge, understanding and skill in the use of appropriate personal, professional and academic literacies (Proposal and Case Study Report)

10.

demonstrate knowledge, understanding and application of appropriate ICT uses for teaching and learning (Professional Attachment)

11.

demonstrate competence in written language and scholarly writing including correct spelling, grammar, and bibliographic referencing. (Proposal, Case Study Report and Professional Attachment)

TOPICS

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

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

NOTES

1.

Assignment 2- Report and Presentation.

2.

Due date for Professional Attachment will be advised by the Course Examiner.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   There are no attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students' responsibility 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. It is the student's responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in the residential school.
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 mark 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 and must satisfactorily complete the sector-based professional experience and the combined academic component/s.
5. 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.
6. Examination information:
   There is no examination in this course.
7. 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.
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

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

1. Students will require access to e-mail and Internet access to UConnect for this course.
2. 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 11 Dec 2009.