CQUniversity Unit Profile
EDED20506 Innovative Practices in Disability and Inclusive Education
Innovative Practices in Disability and Inclusive Education
All details in this unit profile for EDED20506 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

Educational leaders in a complex and dynamic environment, have the ability to enact and direct change that can improve the provision of equitable learning outcomes for students. In this unit, you will examine educational setting governance structures, policies and procedures as well as national and global agendas with a view to identifying disability and inclusive education priorities and practices. These frameworks will provide you with opportunities to explore and design innovative changes based on evidence based practice.

Details

Career Level: Postgraduate
Unit Level: Level 8
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 7
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Co-requisite: EDED20497 Leadership in the School Context

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 - 2019

Online

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 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

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

Assessment Overview

1. Report
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.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Analyse disability and inclusive practices in a current educational setting, using evidence based practice to inform change
  2. Examine school governance structures, policies and procedures, as well as national and global agendas in disability and inclusive education and evaluate their implications for disability and inclusive education
  3. Design an innovative change/s to disability and inclusive practices based on the evidence gathered
  4. Justify changes made to practice, communicating these to a wide audience to inform school improvement.

N/A

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
1 - Report - 50%
2 - 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 - Report - 50%
2 - Written Assessment - 50%
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

Additional Textbook Information

All unit materials are located in Moodle.  No textbooks are required.

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
Rebecca Shields Unit Coordinator
r.shields@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 - What is disability and inclusive education? Begin Date: 11 Mar 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 - Current agendas in disability and inclusive education Begin Date: 18 Mar 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 - Educational improvement and disability and inclusive education Begin Date: 25 Mar 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 - Finding a need - being innovative and creative Begin Date: 01 Apr 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 5 - Governance - Understanding the impact this has on the community and student outcomes Begin Date: 08 Apr 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation Week Begin Date: 15 Apr 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6 - SWOT analysis Begin Date: 22 Apr 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 7 - Using data to inform change Begin Date: 29 Apr 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Disability and Inclusive education improvement initiative report Due: Week 7 Friday (3 May 2019) 9:00 am AEST
Week 8 - Looking at innovation in education Begin Date: 06 May 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 9 - Measuring impact in disability and inclusive education Begin Date: 13 May 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10 - Communicating change Begin Date: 20 May 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11 - Futures education Begin Date: 27 May 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12 - Review Begin Date: 03 Jun 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Disability and Inclusive Education Innovation Plan Due: Week 12 Friday (7 June 2019) 9:00 am AEST
Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 10 Jun 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Exam Week Begin Date: 17 Jun 2019

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Report

Assessment Title
Disability and Inclusive education improvement initiative report

Task Description

This assessment requires a detailed review of a current educational setting disability and inclusive education agenda, improvement initiative, plan or project with reference to the academic literature. This assessment task is to be presented as a report of 2500 words with references. 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.

In the report, you are to provide:

a) Background information on the school/ centre needs to be included, which includes data such as information from the MySchool website https://www.myschool.edu.au/ , school/ centre reviews, school data sets related to student performance, community information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, etc. The analysis of the context should include the school’s governance structure. For example; does the school have a council or board, is it part of a system and organisational structures, particularly if it is a large organisation.

b) A SWOT analysis of the current situation, referencing current educational literature (i.e. does the initiative align to research on school improvement). Where is the school in terms of disability and inclusive education? How do you know that there is an area that needs improvement? What data is informing the decision to pursue this issue/ challenge/ improvement area?

c) Recommendations to the school board and/or leadership team on any gaps in the initiative or improvements that could be made that would increase the likelihood of positive impacts on students and their learning around disability and inclusive education. As well, mention how you think you will measure the impact of the changes suggested.


Assessment Due Date

Week 7 Friday (3 May 2019) 9:00 am AEST

Please upload your assignment as a word document into the unit in Moodle.


Return Date to Students

Week 8 Friday (10 May 2019)

You will receive written feedback via Moodle and in your assignment.


Weighting
50%

Assessment Criteria

The task will be assessed according to the following criteria:

1. Academic writing skills. The written piece has clarity, a professional style and tone and is accurate in terms of referencing, spelling, grammar and punctuation.

2. The analysis of the current plan including the use of a SWOT methodology and the rationale for improvement.

3. The range of data accessed in the analysis of the current plan.

4. Discussion about the governance structures and organisational complexity and implications for the improvement plan and leadership of the school.

5. Quality of the recommendations made supported by reference to change theory and current educational leadership literature directed at improving student outcomes.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Please upload your assignment as a Word document into the unit in Moodle.

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Analyse disability and inclusive practices in a current educational setting, using evidence based practice to inform change
  • Examine school governance structures, policies and procedures, as well as national and global agendas in disability and inclusive education and evaluate their implications for disability and inclusive education


Graduate Attributes
  • Communication
  • Cognitive, technical and creative skills
  • Ethical and Professional Responsibility
  • Leadership

2 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Disability and Inclusive Education Innovation Plan

Task Description

Based on the recommendations and findings from the first assessment piece you are now going to design the positive change/ innovation for disability and inclusive education for the educational setting that you examined in the first assessment piece. This assessment task is to be presented as a written assignment of 2000 words with references. 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.

You will need to outline what the gap is that has been identified, what positive change/ innovation you have identified will fill this gap including information around how implementation of this change or innovation will occur, why you chose this innovation or change as well as information on how you will assess whether there will be any impact of the changes made.

Remember it needs to be an innovative change, so make sure that you are thinking outside the box and aiming to solve a problem or area of concern that you explored in the first assessment. Perhaps technology is going to be used/ implemented. Perhaps you are using a new learning design/ technique, perhaps you are changing transitions at school. Look at the problem that you see within your educational setting that relates to inclusive education and work out how you could use an innovative tool, technique, or idea to solve this problem.

If need be, you can include labelled diagrams, pictures or the like to add to your argument or explain your concept better.

Provide a justification for the changes basing your argument on current educational literature, practices and/ or policies that will inform your decision/s.


Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Friday (7 June 2019) 9:00 am AEST

Please upload your assignment as a Word document into the unit in Moodle.


Return Date to Students

Review/Exam Week Friday (14 June 2019)

You will receive written feedback via Moodle and in your assignment.


Weighting
50%

Assessment Criteria

The task will be assessed according to the following criteria:

1. The quality of the “pitch” in terms of conciseness and articulation of the problem and solution.

2. The examination of the problem and the synthesis of ideas, data, trends, and technological advances accessed in solving the problem.

3. The level of innovation displayed in the solution and the creativity displayed in solving the problem presented.

4. A model for the development of the idea (the Innovation Framework) linked to academic writings on the innovation process and how creative industries approach innovation.

5. The written piece has clarity, a professional style and tone and is accurate in terms of referencing, spelling, grammar and punctuation.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Design an innovative change/s to disability and inclusive practices based on the evidence gathered
  • Justify changes made to practice, communicating these to a wide audience to inform school improvement.


Graduate Attributes
  • Knowledge
  • Communication
  • Research
  • Self-management
  • Ethical and Professional Responsibility
  • Leadership

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?