CQUniversity Unit Profile
EDED13434 Learning and Wellbeing in Middle School
Learning and Wellbeing in Middle School
All details in this unit profile for EDED13434 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

In this unit the focus is on students in the pre-adolescent and adolescent years. In this unit you will develop further understandings about the ways in which educators create supportive learning environments that are responsive to students needs. In particular, you will identify strategies to promote positive wellness and mental health for yourself and for your students. You will articulate a developed understanding of the links between risk and protective factors, wellness and learning, and use examples from your environment and community to develop analytical and practical knowledge of the notion of wellbeing and mental, emotional and social health as a community concern. Throughout this unit you will reflect upon the ways in which learning and wellbeing are linked and how a learner’s individual, school and community experiences can impact on wellbeing. You will also consider your own wellbeing and explore enabling strategies that will support the efficacy of your own professional practice.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 3
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 7
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

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 2 - 2017

Bundaberg
Distance
Mackay
Noosa
Rockhampton

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).

Class and Assessment Overview

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

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Written Assessment
Weighting: 50%
2. Written Assessment
Weighting: 50%

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.

Previous Student Feedback

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 Student evaluation feedback

Feedback

Assessment Task 1: This should be completed individually.

Recommendation

Task 1 should be an individual task.

Feedback from Student evaluation feedback

Feedback

Moodle site: Some revisions of the organisation of materials is required.

Recommendation

The Moodle site materials will be reviewed.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Identify and critique relevant policies, relationships, organisations and networks that support the wellbeing of individuals and communities.
  2. Examine the range of risk and protective factors that impact on the wellbeing of pre-adolescent and adolescent individuals from diverse social and cultural backgrounds.
  3. Evaluate strategies and processes that can support and maximise individual and community wellbeing, belonging and safety in physical, social and cyber environments.
  4. Identify strategies that contribute to the maintenance of personal and professional wellbeing of educators.
  5. Discuss the role of educators in the promotion of social, emotional and mental wellbeing to enhance student learning in rapidly changing 21st century contexts.
  6. Communicate an explicit commitment to the wellbeing of learners through defence of socially just classroom practice and strategies for building productive partnerships with students, parents and carers and communities.

Successful completion of the unit Learning and Wellbeing in Middle School provides opportunities for students to demonstrate the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers focus areas of 1.1, 1.3, 3.7, 4.1, 4.4, 6.2, 6.4, 7.1, 7.3 and 7.4. Assessment tasks for this unit may be included in a portfolio and used as evidence of progress towards meeting the standards at Graduate career stage and as the focus for identifying professional learning needs.

Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 - Written Assessment - 50%
2 - Written Assessment - 50%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5 6
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 - Written Assessment - 50%
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
Referencing Style

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.

Teaching Contacts
Susan Richardson Unit Coordinator
s.richardson@cqu.edu.au
Jacqui Sprenger Unit Coordinator
j.sprenger@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 10 Jul 2017

Module/Topic

Your students and well-being

Chapter

Gen Z students

Concepts of well-being and resilience

Australian schooling contexts: Gen Z

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 Begin Date: 17 Jul 2017

Module/Topic

Resiliency builders

Chapter

Resiliency builders: risk mitigating and protective factors

Contemporary issues - sources of risk

Resilience framework: The Resiliency Wheel - identifying risk mitigating and protective factors

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 Begin Date: 24 Jul 2017

Module/Topic

"At risk" students and wellbeing

Chapter

"At risk" students

GRIP process: identifying those at risk

Responding to those at risk

Wellbeing

Resilience framework: CHILD framework

Learning and Wellbeing framework, Education Queensland

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 Begin Date: 31 Jul 2017

Module/Topic

Resilience/Wellbeing frameworks

Chapter

Circle of Courage

PERMA model

SEL framework

Resilience Doughnut

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 5 Begin Date: 07 Aug 2017

Module/Topic

Contemporary issues facing young people

Chapter

Bullying

Family dysfunction

Depression and anxiety

Diversity and difference

Substance abuse

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation Week Begin Date: 14 Aug 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Well-being Context: resilience, resilience frameworks and support resources Due: Vacation Week Monday (14 Aug 2017) 11:00 pm AEST
Week 6 Begin Date: 21 Aug 2017

Module/Topic

Teacher resilience

Chapter

Personal and professional resilience

Model for teacher resilience

Shaping teacher resilience

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 7 Begin Date: 28 Aug 2017

Module/Topic

The role teachers and schools play

Chapter

Pre-service teacher program: BRITE

Education Queensland's Learning and wellbeing framework

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 Begin Date: 04 Sep 2017

Module/Topic

Teacher resilience, teacher work

Chapter

Teacher resilience

Whole school approaches to wellbeing promotion

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 9 Begin Date: 11 Sep 2017

Module/Topic

Teacher work: APST and ACARA

Chapter

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (focus on Standard 4)

Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority (informing teacher work)

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10 Begin Date: 18 Sep 2017

Module/Topic

Academic resilience: thinking dispositions and teacher pedagogy

Chapter

Academic resilience

Positive thinking dispositions

Engaging teacher pedagogy

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11 Begin Date: 25 Sep 2017

Module/Topic

Documenting your own classroom frame for wellbeing

Chapter

Reviewing key elements underpinning your frame

Specific strategies/programs, activities for use in the frame

Using strategies in the classroom to build resilience

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12 Begin Date: 02 Oct 2017

Module/Topic

Review

Chapter

Review

Events and Submissions/Topic

Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 09 Oct 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Educator Context: self and student well-being Due: Review/Exam Week Monday (9 Oct 2017) 11:00 pm AEST
Exam Week Begin Date: 16 Oct 2017

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Well-being Context: resilience, resilience frameworks and support resources

Task Description

The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers identified for Assessment Task 1 include:

  • Standard 1.1 (Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students);
  • Standard 1.3 (Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds);
  • Standard 4.4 (Maintain student safety); and
  • Standard 7.4 (Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities).

ASSESSMENT TASK 1: This is an individual written task. There are two parts to this task.

Part 1: The first part asks you to present your understandings about the middle years Gen Z student. As well, you are asked to present your understandings about resilience and student well-being as they relate to the middle years students with whom you will work.

Focus particularly on:

  • defining and describing well-being and resilience for young people;
  • considering the types of risk and protective factors with which students in the pre-adolescent and adolescent years might engage; and
  • discussing the characteristics and diversities of young people that make them susceptible to resilience and well-being impacts .

Part 1 should be approximately 1000 words.

Part 2: The second part of the task asks you to firstly consider the broad range of contemporary issues faced by Gen Z students and to briefly overview the types of support mechanisms, programs, resources and organisations that are available generally to support young people.

The aim is to get you thinking about the issues and the range of supporting resources that are available. Identify and list the contemporary issues along with relevant and appropriate support mechanisms, programs, organisations and resources that could be accessed by students at risk or by those wanting to support them through the risk.

Then consider one particular area of risk (eg: domestic violence, cyber bullying, drug use) that students in the middle years of schooling might encounter. Examine that one risk area in more detail, noting the impacts of that risk on young people. Review the support programs, mechanisms, organisations, resources that are specifically available at both school and community level to mitigate that risk. Choose one well-being framework and use it to identify the ways in which those programs, resources, organisations draw on enabling protective factors and mitigating risk factors to support young people.

Part 2 should be approximately 2000 words and should include a written explanation that accompanies the use of any tables, diagrams, concept maps and the like that you choose to include.


Assessment Due Date

Vacation Week Monday (14 Aug 2017) 11:00 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

The assignments will be marked, moderated and returned to students in timely ways that provide sufficient feedback for the completion of Assessment Task 2.


Weighting
50%

Assessment Criteria

1.Synthesis of research that demonstrates understandings about ‘student well-being’ and resilience within school and community systems.

(Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 4.4)

2.Examination of risk and protective factors in relation to the characteristics and diversities of young people that make them susceptible to resilience and well-being impacts

(Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 1.3)

(Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 1.1)

3. Presentation of examples of the ways (strategies, programs, policies and organisations/personnel) that specific risk can be mitigated at school and community level, through the demonstrated understanding of the role of external and internal professionals

(Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 7.4)

4. Use of a 'well-being' framework to consider the ways in which protective and factors can mitigate risk through an understanding of the role of external and internal professionals

(Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 7.4)

4.Demonstration of personal written competencies that communicate the 'well-being and resilience’ context and use a knowledge of academic practices and conventions.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Please submit online through the Moodle site by 11pm on the due date.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Identify and critique relevant policies, relationships, organisations and networks that support the wellbeing of individuals and communities.
  • Examine the range of risk and protective factors that impact on the wellbeing of pre-adolescent and adolescent individuals from diverse social and cultural backgrounds.
  • Evaluate strategies and processes that can support and maximise individual and community wellbeing, belonging and safety in physical, social and cyber environments.
  • Identify strategies that contribute to the maintenance of personal and professional wellbeing of educators.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Critical Thinking
  • Information Literacy
  • Team Work
  • Information Technology Competence
  • Cross Cultural Competence
  • Ethical practice

2 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Educator Context: self and student well-being

Task Description

The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers identified for Assessment Task 2 include:

  • Standard 4 with a particular focus on Standard 4.4 (Maintain student safety); and
  • Standard 6.1 (Identify and plan professional learning needs

ASSESSMENT TASK 2: This is an individual written task. There are two parts to this task.

Part 1: The first part asks you to critically reflect on your own well-being and resilience, making links to your future work as a teacher.

Through a series of four (4) 250 word journal entries, written ideally over time as you engage with the unit content, critically reflect on your personal preparedness for your future as a classroom teacher. This self reflection should take the form of a personal biography and be written in the first person. Academic referencing is not necessarily required in Part 1.

Think about the following to guide your reflections:

  • How resilient are you?
  • What are the significant events and/or people in your life who have shaped your capacity for resilience and your views about resilience?
  • How have these events and/or people shaped your resiliency?
  • What are the significant resiliency builders that have impacted on the risk mitigating and/or protective factors that you have experienced in your life so far?
  • What is it about your own resilience that you will draw on as a teacher in the 21st century classroom?
  • What is teacher resilience and why is it important?
  • How will your understandings about your own resilience help and/or hinder your work as a teacher?

Part 1 should be 1000 words.

Part 2: The second part of the task asks you to think about the practical application of resilience, well-being and mental health promotion to the classroom context.

Document a 'Classroom learning and well-being frame' through which you articulate specific strategies/activities that can be used at your classroom and school level to facilitate, promote and support student well-being and resilience. The strategies and the use of the frame in the classroom context should:

  • guide your professional practice, engagement and relationship-building with students and other stakeholders in educational and community environments;
  • inform your decision-making about learning environments, curriculum and pedagogy to respond to, and to support the diversity and needs of middle years learners;
  • promote the personal and social capabilities of your students;
  • promote student well-being; and
  • develop safe, supportive learning environments.

You might use a well-being framework (eg: Circle of Courage, Resiliency Wheel, PERMA) that we have already considered in this unit so far, or you might develop a frame of your own based on your own understandings of positive well-being promotion.

As well, you must include a written justification for the frame you have chosen (or developed yourself) and articulate the ways in which the frame can be used to support the work of the teacher. In particular, you should consider teacher work as described in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Standard 4). You should also refer to the research/literature with respect to the importance of the role of the teacher and the school in promoting positive student well-being.

Part 2 should be approximately 2000 words.


Assessment Due Date

Review/Exam Week Monday (9 Oct 2017) 11:00 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Assessment Task 2 will be returned to students within appropriate time-frames that accommodate marking, moderation and the finalisation of grades.


Weighting
50%

Assessment Criteria

1. Identification of professional learning needs through critical reflection and self-study on well-being and resilience with respect to the future professional educator’s role.

(Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 6.1)

2. Presentation of a frame/framework that identifies specific strategies/activities/programs to support student well-being and resilience.

(Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 4.4)

3. Justification of the frame and the strategies identified within the frame with reference to the research on wellness and to the role of the educators as described in Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, Standard 4.

(Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, Standard 4)

4.Use of personal written competencies that demonstrate knowledge of academic practices and conventions.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Please submit online through the Moodle site by 11pm on the due date.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Identify strategies that contribute to the maintenance of personal and professional wellbeing of educators.
  • Discuss the role of educators in the promotion of social, emotional and mental wellbeing to enhance student learning in rapidly changing 21st century contexts.
  • Communicate an explicit commitment to the wellbeing of learners through defence of socially just classroom practice and strategies for building productive partnerships with students, parents and carers and communities.


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Ethical practice

Academic Integrity Statement

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?