Overview
This unit aims to enhance your school leadership capability and educational innovation through an in-depth investigation into a problem of professional relevance. You will critically review contemporary literature and analyse and apply relevant methodological approaches to your research. Drawing on this, you will develop, implement and report upon a research project related to leading educational change.
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 2 - 2017
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).
Residential Schools
This unit has a Compulsory Residential School for distance mode students and the details are:
Click here to see your Residential School Timetable.
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate 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.
- Evaluate literature to develop a theoretical framework for an educational problem or opportunity
- Analyse and apply methodological approaches to a research problem
- Develop and implement a research project
- Analyse the research results and present findings to an intended audience.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||
| 2 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 50% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - 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 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
r.shields@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction - Designing a Project Proposal
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Session – Tuesday 11 July
Module/Topic
Part 1: Research Methods – An overview of potential approaches to a small scale project
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Residential - Saturday 29 July
Module/Topic
Conducting a literature review
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Conducting a literature review
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Implementing a research project.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Session – Thursday 24 August
Module/Topic
Data gathering approaches
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Write-up
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Write-up
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Session – Monday 18 September
Module/Topic
Write-up
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Write-up
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Part A – Proposal
The first part of this task is to briefly outline the area of professional interest that is the focus of your Leadership Project and the approach you are considering. This will be presented to your lecturer in a succinct 500 word summary. Your lecturer will provide feedback on the topic and project design. You should identify important literature/theories you intend to reference in your project. While not assessable, this element of the first assessment for the unit will provide feedback important in ensuring the project can be completed within the time constraints of the unit.
Part B – Literature Review and Project Focus
In Part B the project is defined in terms of the problem or opportunity you are to examine and the theoretical framework (approach) to be employed. This is supported by a review of the approach and justification for it (e.g. Case Study, Action Research, etc) and an examination of current literature related to the subject of you project (e,g, professional learning, mathematics, impact of a implemented reading project etc.) This will be presented as an academic piece of writing and its structure, referencing and supported justification are therefore important.
The Submitted piece should not exceed 2000 words.
Week 7 Friday (1 Sept 2017) 4:45 pm AEST
Week 9 Friday (15 Sept 2017)
The task will be assessed according to the following criteria:
- The written piece has clarity, uses an academic style and tone and is accurate in terms of referencing, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
- The argument provided about the relevance of the project to school leadership.
- The theoretical framework developed is justified and clear
- The project is focused and the approach taken is achievable within the provided timeframe.
- The relevance and range of literature presented in the literature review supports and informs the project.
- Evaluate literature to develop a theoretical framework for an educational problem or opportunity
- Develop and implement a research project
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
2 Presentation and Written Assessment
The main element of this assessment task is the write up of the project outlining the data collected, the presented findings and conclusions. This piece should not exceed 2000 words and, in addition to the analysis, should also provide direction/suggestions for further research.
You are also to submit a PowerPoint (or similar presentation) that in less than 15 slides outlines material presented in Assessment Task 1 and 2. For example; the project problem or opportunity, the relevant literature from the literature review, the project design and methodological approach, its findings and recommendations for further research. This presentation and the two written assessment tasks may be used as the basis for entry into a Masters of Education by Research.
Week 12 Tuesday (3 Oct 2017) 4:45 pm AEST
Exam Week Tuesday (17 Oct 2017)
The task will be assessed according to the following criteria:
- The written piece has clarity, uses an academic style and tone and is accurate in terms of referencing, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
- The reported implementation of the project outlining key milestones.
- The discussion related to the project’s limitations and the recommendations made for a future investigation.
- The quality of the analysis undertaken and presentation of the findings.
- The PowerPoint presentation is concise, supported by the literature and clearly outlines the project and direction for further research.
- Evaluate literature to develop a theoretical framework for an educational problem or opportunity
- Analyse and apply methodological approaches to a research problem
- Develop and implement a research project
- Analyse the research results and present findings to an intended audience.
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?
