Overview
Education as a Profession examines the history and philosophy underpinning educational theory as a basis for understanding the role of education in contemporary society. Students investigate the impact of social, cultural and economic change on the professionalism of educators and concepts of quality and effective practice in educational settings to understand the role of “teacher as learner”. They critically reflect on the contextual factors that influence what it means to be an educator in 21st century society and use Professional Standards and Codes of Ethics and/or Conduct relevant to the work of educators to develop an understanding of the relationship between social justice, ethical practice and professional identity. Students evaluate ways in which their own beliefs about teaching and learning affect professional practice and use ethical and professional standards to explain the rationale for ongoing professional learning and the implications for improved student learning. Students develop an understanding of the purpose of e-portfolios for documenting evidence of professional learning and create a personal response to key ideas about the purpose of contemporary education in the form of a digital artefact which is used to start the reflection process of maintaining and adding to the e-portfolio over the course of the course.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2018
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unit evaluation
Employ an alternative method for the presentation of assessment task 2.
Review the requirement of the use of an ePortfolio for the second assessment task.
Feedback from Unit evaluation
The description and requirements of the assessment tasks need to be re-considered so that they are appropriate for first year students.
Reword the assessment tasks and the scaffolding to support the completion of these tasks.
Feedback from Unit evaluation
The unit navigation was well organised and the unit content was user-friendly.
Continue to use the current structure of the unit.
- Identify social, cultural and economic changes that impact on the purposes and outcomes of education in 21st century Australian society.
- Reflect on self as learner and discuss the relevance of personal and professional lifelong learning for educational professionals.
- Reflect on the impact of personal perspectives of race, class, gender and identity formation on the professional role of educators.
- Evaluate contemporary perspectives on social justice and their relationship to Professional Standards and Codes of Ethics and Conduct for professional educators.
- Assess ways in which knowledge of educational contexts such as socioeconomic background, culture, identity and gender shape the decision-making of educators.
This unit incorporates essential professional behaviours embedded in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. The development of an e-portfolio for demonstrating evidence of the standards at graduate level is introduced in this unit and can be used as the basis for registration, identification of professional learning needs and selection of evidence for professional folios for future employment interviews.
Successful completion of the unit Education as a Profession provides opportunities for students to demonstrate the following focus areas of the standards: 1.1, 1.3, 4.4, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 7.1 and 7.2. In addition, competency elements from the Diploma of Children's Services (Early Childhood Education and Care) including HLTHIR403C: 1 and 2; HLTHIR404D: 2; CHCCHILD401A: 1 and 3; and CHCCS400B: 1, 2, 3 and 4 are taught and assessed in this unit.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 50% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Teaching: Making a difference
Edition: 3rd (2016)
Authors: Churchill, Godinho, Johnson, Keddie, Letts, Lowe, Mackay, McGill, Moss, Nagel, Shaw, Ferguson, Nicholson & Vick
Wiley
Milton Milton , Queensland , Australia
ISBN: 9780730315452
Binding: Other
Additional Textbook Information
This text will be used for the Term 2 unit Curriculum Foundations and Decision-making and will be a valuable resource throughout the Bachelor of Education course.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.murket@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Topic 1: Conceptions of teachers and teaching
Chapter
Reading: Corrigan, 2016
Reading: Groundswater-Smith et al., 2011, pp. 3-11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 2: Personal and professional identify
Chapter
Textbook: Churchill et al., 2015, Chapter 1
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 3: Teacher responses to diversity
Chapter
Reading: Snowman et al., 2009, pp.142-152
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 4: Discourses of schooling
Chapter
Textbook: Churchill et al., 2015, Chapter 2
Reading: Hayes, 2017
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 5: Education and social change
Chapter
Textbook: Churchill et al., 2015, Chapter 2
Reading: Frost, 2008
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
No Class
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 6: Schools and educational equity
Chapter
Reading: Melbourne Declaration
Textbook: Churchill et al., 2015, pp. 569-574, 592-599
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 7: Teaching as professional work
Chapter
Reading: Winch et al., 2015
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 8: Teachers as learners
Chapter
Reading: Mohamed, Valcke & De Wever, 2017
Reading: Ewing, Lowrie and Higgs, 2010, pp. 31-40
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 9: Professional Standards for Teachers
Chapter
Textbook: Churchill et al., 2015, pp. 564-567
Reading: Australian Professional Standards, 2017
Reading: Marsh, 2010, Chapter 21
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 10: Codes of Ethics and Conduct for the teaching profession
Chapter
Reading: Forster, 2012
Reading: Codes of Ethics and Conduct from your State Authority
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 11: Ethical and legal issues that affect the work of teachers
Chapter
Reading: Groundswater-Smith et al, 2011, pp. 27-40
Reading: Professional boundaries: A guide for Queensland teachers, 2017
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 12: Assignment workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
No class
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Reflective Autobiography
In 2000 words, trace the development of your views about teaching and learning in the following way:
a) outline selected experiences from your life and own personal experience of schooling and discuss how your experiences have shaped your beliefs about teaching and learning;
b) select an image that symbolises your metaphor for a “good” teacher. This image can be taken from any source (media, movies, books, etc). Explain why you have chosen this metaphor and how it relates to your experiences and beliefs;
c) examine how your cultural identity and other beliefs about education may influence the ways in which you respond to the diversity of learners in contemporary Australian educational and care settings; and
d) identify some specific professional learning goals based upon the previous sections above that apply the concepts covered so far this term.
It is expected that you will embed references from the weekly readings found on the moodle site into your discussion. First person (e.g. “I remember”, “my teachers”, etc) is appropriate for this assignment. If possible, upload the metaphor image as an appendix.
Vacation Week Monday (9 Apr 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Feedback on this assessment response will be provided in sufficient time to allow for academic support and advice as necessary to inform students' responses to the next assessment task.
Ability to select and analyse personal experiences that underpin the formation of beliefs about learning and teaching
Ability to reflect on personal and professional perspectives through the chosen metaphor
Articulation of the influence of social, economic and political factors on education and the impact of diversity and change on the work of teachers in the 21st century
Explanation of the need for ongoing professional learning for teachers
Demonstration of professional levels of personal literacy
- Identify social, cultural and economic changes that impact on the purposes and outcomes of education in 21st century Australian society.
- Reflect on self as learner and discuss the relevance of personal and professional lifelong learning for educational professionals.
- Reflect on the impact of personal perspectives of race, class, gender and identity formation on the professional role of educators.
- Assess ways in which knowledge of educational contexts such as socioeconomic background, culture, identity and gender shape the decision-making of educators.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Portfolio
Respond to the question: What does it mean to be a professional educator in the 21st century? You are required to use a multimodal approach that combines images or symbols with words.
Part A: You will create an original representation of the relationship between the goals of the Melbourne Declaration and the principles that guide the work and decision-making of educators as found in documents studied this term. Key ideas from documents such as the AITSL Professional Standards, plus the Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct for teachers published by your State Authorities must be incorporated.
You are encouraged to be creative, for example, a diagram, mind map, an original cartoon strip, or any combination of images and words.
Part B: An essay (1500 words) that:
(a) describes the impact of social, economic and cultural change on the purpose and outcomes of education in 21st century Australian society;
(b) explains the way in which educators' work is affected by issues of social justice, diversity and equity, and ethical decision-making; and,
(c) evaluates how Professional Standards and Codes of Ethics and Conduct guide the complex work of educators in contemporary educational settings, and contribute to ongoing professional learning that improves outcomes for all learners.
References from this unit’s textbook and weekly readings to support your argument are expected. Any relevant images or symbols you used in Part A that may help convey your ideas can be mentioned in the essay.
Review/Exam Week Friday (8 June 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Feedback on this final assessment response will be available after the date for Certification of Grades for the term.
Ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise information from a range of sources to support a point of view
Knowledge and understanding of the range of factors influencing education policy
Ability to reflect critically on principles of equity, diversity and social justice and the relationship to teachers' professionalism and the complexity of educational environments
Demonstrated understanding of the nature of teaching as professional work and the role of professional standards and codes of ethics in guiding educators' decision-making
Application of academic conventions and personal literacy competence
- Identify social, cultural and economic changes that impact on the purposes and outcomes of education in 21st century Australian society.
- Reflect on the impact of personal perspectives of race, class, gender and identity formation on the professional role of educators.
- Evaluate contemporary perspectives on social justice and their relationship to Professional Standards and Codes of Ethics and Conduct for professional educators.
- Assess ways in which knowledge of educational contexts such as socioeconomic background, culture, identity and gender shape the decision-making of educators.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
