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Unit Profile Correction added on 24-02-25
Assessment Task 2
There is no requirement in Part A to submit a video explaining your infographic.
Revised Assessment Task 2 Part A requirements:
Design an original infographic depicting your developing views of the education profession in Australia today.
• Ensure you incorporate key documents used this term along with important concepts explored.
• The infographic must include images, symbols, colours or other visual devices. There are no changes to Part B for Assessment Task 2.
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 - 2025
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 UC reflection, student and staff comments
Second assignment
Update the second assignment.
Feedback from SUTE and email comments
Responses to student questions
Continue to provide clear responses to questions.
Feedback from SUTE and verbal comments
Interaction during classes
Continue to offer opportunities to interact with peers during classes.
- 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.
Successful completion of this unit provides opportunities for students to engage with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Career Stage) focus areas of:
1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
4.4 Maintain student safety
6.1 Identify and plan professional learning needs
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning
7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities
7.2 Comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements
In addition, competency elements from the Diploma of Children's Services (Early Childhood Education and Care) 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: 5th (2022)
Authors: Churchill et al.
Wiley
Milton (Brisbane) Milton (Brisbane) , Queensland , Australia
ISBN: 9780730391777
The prescribed textbook can be the hard copy or digital copy. The digital copy has a lower price than the hard copy. The 4th edition of the textbook can be used.
The prescribed textbook can be the hard copy or digital copy. The digital copy has a lower price than the hard copy. The 4th edition of the textbook can be used.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
h.costello@cqu.edu.au
a.ambrosetti@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Perceptions of educators
Chapter
Set Text:
Churchill et al., 2022, pp. 2-35
Other (eReading list):
Become a teacher (Teach Queensland website, 2023)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Identities of educators
Chapter
Other (eReading list):
Kennedy et al., 2022, pp. 2-14
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Educators as learners
Chapter
Set Text:
Churchill et al., 2022, pp. 479-483
Other (eReading list):
Whitton et al., 2022, pp. 596-623
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Education and social change
Diversity in the educational context
Chapter
Churchill et al., 2022, pp. 36-47
Other (eReading list):
- Mission Australia Youth Survey 2023 Summary Report
- Sempowicz, 2021
- Hyry-Beihammer et al., 2019
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assignment one drop-in session with Unit Coordinator
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
No classes this week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Educational equity and social justice
Chapter
Set Text:
Churchill et al., 2022, pp. 143-151, 516-520, 536-560
Other (eReading list):
Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Teaching as professional work
Chapter
Other (eReading list):
- Stone, 2020 (chapter 3 in Bower’s book)
- Strong beginnings: Report of the Teacher Education Expert Panel, 2023, pp. 6-8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Expectations of education and educators
Chapter
Other (eReading list):
- ACARA & Educational Department websites
- The National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, 2022
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Professional standards for educators
Chapter
Set Text:
Churchill et al., 2022, pp. 512-516
Other (eReading list):
Australian Professional Standards, 2017
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Codes of ethics and conduct for educators
Chapter
Other (eReading list):
Code of Ethics from your State/Territory authority
Code of Conduct from your State/Territory authority
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Ethical and legal issues relevant to educators
Chapter
Set Text:
Churchill et al., 2022, pp. 520-526
Other (eReading list):
Professional boundaries: A guide for Queensland teachers, 2019
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Assignment workshop
Chapter
No new readings this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
In 2000 words,
a) summarise selected learning experiences as a school student and beyond. For each one, analyse how your experiences have influenced your beliefs about teaching and learning,
b) identify recent social, cultural, and economic changes within Australia relevant to educational and care contexts. Elaborate, with examples, how knowledge of these changes might shape your future professional decision-making,
c) list several specific professional learning goals for yourself that show how you intend to respond to the identified social, cultural, and economic changes. Give reasons for each goal, and
d) select an image or symbol that depicts your metaphor of a professional educator. Using the metaphor, explain your understanding of the attributes and behaviours of a quality educator in 21st Century Australia.
Please note:
- Each section has equal weighting.
- The submission can be structured as an essay or by using subheadings. Include a brief introduction and conclusion regardless of the structure.
- It is expected that you will embed references from the weekly readings found on the Moodle site throughout your discussion.
- First person (e.g., “I remember”, “my teachers”, etc) is appropriate for this assignment.
- Examples of societal change must be less than five years old. While COVID-19 can be used, it is one of many examples of recent impactful change.
- A metaphor uses comparison or symbolism to create an image in the reader’s mind.
- Any image or symbol can be used for the metaphor except book/movie/etc characters. Upload the metaphor image as an appendix. Copyright laws must be adhered to when using images.
Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence agents (Gen AI)
Within this assessment, the use of Gen AI agents is as follows:
• Gen AI content is used to generate ideas and general structures.
• Gen AI can be used for content editing.
At CQU, the word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Week 6 Tuesday (22 Apr 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Please upload your task as one document into the assessment link in Moodle.
Feedback on this assignment response will be provided in sufficient time to inform students' responses of the next assessment task.
- Ability to choose and analyse personal educational experiences that underpin the formation of beliefs about teaching and learning.
- Identification of recent social, cultural, and economic changes in Australian society that may shape professional decision-making.
- Selection of appropriate professional learning goals for contemporary educational contexts.
- Expression of the complex role of contemporary educators through the chosen metaphor.
- 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
Part A: (1 slide/page plus 3-5 minutes long video)
Design an original infographic depicting your developing views of the education profession in Australia today.
• Ensure you incorporate key documents used this term along with important concepts explored.
• The infographic must include images, symbols, colours or other visual devices.
Using the infographic, video yourself examining how your perception of the profession has changed or been reinforced this term.
Part B (1200-1500-word essay)
The education profession is a complex and constantly evolving one. Use all the following prompts to examine the profession.
• What are the main educational priorities in Australia today? How well do these purposes and outcomes align with societal changes in recent years? Justify your argument with the aid of specific examples including those discussed in this unit.
• How do educators demonstrate equity and social justice in their practice as they interact with diverse students? In what ways do educators’ personal perspectives influence these interactions? Illustrate your discussion using contemporary Australian examples.
Please note:
• As a minimum, the key documents include the Mpartnwe Declaration, the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, your State or Territory’s Code/s of Conduct and Ethics.
• Part A and B have equal weighting.
• Contemporary Australian references including those from this unit are expected in both parts of the assignment.
• First person (I, me, my, etc) can be used in the video.
• Maintain an academic tone throughout the essay.
Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence agents (Gen AI)
Within this assessment, the use of Gen AI agents is as follows:
- Gen AI software can be used to create the infographic. CQU’s approved Studiosity and Grammarly can be used for proofreading purposes.
- Gen AI software cannot be used for any other purpose.
- Any use of Gen AI software must be cited in the relevant sections.
At CQU, the word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Week 12 Friday (6 June 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
The feedback will be returned to you prior to certification of grades.
Original representation of the Australian education profession via an infographic
Incorporation of key documents and concepts relevant to the Australian education profession
Examination of developing perceptions of the Australian education profession
Analysis of alignment between educational priorities and recent societal changes
Explanation of how personal perspectives can impact interactions relevant to equity and social justice topics
Application of academic conventions, ICT 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?
