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EDED12448 - Service Learning - Contexts and Communities

General Information

Unit Synopsis

Service Learning challenges students to reflect on and understand the principles of equity and social justice that underpin contemporary social policy through active participation in a sustained period of service to communities characterised by diversity and disadvantage. The unit uses inquiry-based instruction methods and experiential learning to promote students’ understanding of the concept of "hidden curriculum" and the social, economic and environmental injustices and personal biases that affect their own teaching practice and implementation of the curriculum in diverse classroom settings. Students engage in action research to investigate, identify and collaborate in partnership with community organisations that have the potential for promoting understanding of the social realities of communities, families and students in primary school settings. They actively participate in service appropriate to their level of skill development. and reflect on their experiences; their own previous understandings of teaching and learning; and their preconceived notions about students from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Through personal critique and evaluation of the service learning experience, pre-service teachers are equipped with strategies for involving parents and communities in the educative process and are positioned to acknowledge, appreciate and respond to the "funds of knowledge" and diverse characteristics that students bring to educational settings.

Details

Level Undergraduate
Unit Level 2
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 1
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites There are no pre-requisites for the 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).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2014

Term 3 - 2017 Profile
Mixed Mode
Term 2 - 2018 Profile
Mixed Mode
Term 3 - 2018 Profile
Mixed Mode
Term 3 - 2019 Profile
Mixed Mode
Term 3 - 2020 Profile
Mixed Mode
Term 3 - 2021 Profile
Mixed Mode
Term 3 - 2022 Profile
Mixed Mode
Term 3 - 2023 Profile
Mixed Mode
Term 3 - 2024 Profile
Mixed Mode

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).

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.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Written Assessment 50%
2. Professional Practice Placement 0%
3. Practical and Written Assessment 50%

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

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

Term 3 - 2022 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 67.74% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 22.96% response rate.

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.

Source: Student Evaluation
Feedback
Unit content was not seen as relevant to future teachers.
Recommendation
Explicit explanation of the value of Service Learning for the developing teacher but also for the children of their future classrooms will be embedded.
Action Taken
Value of service learning was highlighted in numerous sessions, not just for the PST but for their future students.
Source: Student Evaluation
Feedback
More content was requested to further develop knowledge of the unit.
Recommendation
Additional research and activities will be added.
Action Taken
Material and readings were added throughout the unit as relevant.
Source: Student assignments; emails
Feedback
There was greater understanding of local community members due to the Service Learning placement.
Recommendation
Continue to encourage students to explore their local communities and their needs.
Action Taken
Students were encouraged to get involved in their local community
Source: Teaching staff
Feedback
Resources in Moodle
Recommendation
Update resources where needed.
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: Teaching staff
Feedback
The organisation of the Moodle site
Recommendation
Re-organise weekly modules and materials.
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: Student feedback
Feedback
Value of community participation
Recommendation
Emphasise the links between community participation and future self as a teacher.
Action Taken
Nil.
Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Use relevant standards, codes of conduct and/or codes of ethics to reflect on professional roles and responsibilities in relation to principles of equity and social justice.
  2. Conduct self-assessment to identify professional attributes, dispositions, skills and strategies for responding to communities and taking informed social action.
  3. Propose a viable plan for community engagement with the aim of developing knowledge and understanding of the strengths and needs of social contexts experienced by diverse groups and families.
  4. Critically reflect on a sustained period of organised service to draw implications for professional practice.
  5. Evaluate the impact of service on personal and professional learning and the development of skills for successful participation in communities and contexts characterised by diversity and disadvantage.

Successful completion of the unit Service Learning provides opportunities for students to demonstrate the following specific focus areas of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level): 1.1, 1.3, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 7.1 and 7.4. Assessment tasks for the 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 Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Written Assessment • • •
2 - Professional Practice Placement •
3 - Practical and Written Assessment • • •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Communication • • • • •
3 - Critical Thinking • • • • •
4 - Information Literacy •
6 - Information Technology Competence •
7 - Cross Cultural Competence • • • • •
8 - Ethical practice • • •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 - Written Assessment • • • •
2 - Professional Practice Placement • • • •
3 - Practical and Written Assessment • • • •