EUB411 Trauma-Aware Education

Unit Outline: Flexible Period - 09A 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal (Start Date: 01 Sep 2025)

Overview

This unit is designed to develop your understanding and skill in neuroscience-informed support and education of early childhood and school learners who are living with the outcomes of complex childhood trauma. The behavioural and other concerns experienced by learners who have experienced complex trauma can be significant. By examining the impact of complex trauma on the developing brain and nervous system, you'll develop your understanding of why and how these concerns occur and explore approaches and strategies recommended to address short and longer-term impacts for learners. You'll be informed and prepared for the times you are responsible for the learning and well-being of these learners whilst minimising any negative impact on your own well-being or teaching practice.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Identify and explain characteristics of learners living with the outcomes of complex trauma.
2. Synthesise academic and professional literature to advocate for trauma-aware education.
3. Plan ways to apply trauma-aware education practices to build inclusive and safe learning environments.
4. Reflect on the importance of professional learning and resilience for educators working with trauma affected learners.

Content

Learning Approaches

The unit has a blended learning design that provides engagement options for students. Throughout this unit, you will learn through engaging in on-line lectures, activities and tutorials to develop your knowledge, skill and capacity for working with learners who are living with the outcomes of complex trauma.  

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will engage in exercises during workshops that will provide you with formative feedback to inform your summative assessment. You will receive written feedback on your criterion-referenced summative assessment items.

Assessment

Overview

There are two assessment tasks in this unit:

1. Advocacy Infographic and Presentation - This assessment enables you to use research to advocate for trauma-aware education and to reflect on professional resilience and growth in a trauma-aware educational context.

2. Case Studies - This assessment is designed for you to consider the impacts of trauma and how you might apply trauma-aware education strategies.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Advocacy Infographic and Presentation

You will create a visually engaging advocacy infographic that synthesises academic and professional literature demonstrating the importance of trauma-aware education. You will include a short recorded presentation explaining the infographic and reflecting on the role of professional learning and resilience for educators engaging in trauma-aware practices.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Case Studies

You will write a review of a learner case from a number that are provided. Each case involves a learner who has been impacted by complex trauma. You will identify and explain possible challenges that these learners could be facing in their educational contexts and recommend trauma-aware ways to enhance their educational experiences.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Risk Assessment Statement

Content in the Trauma-Aware Education units can include some topics or learning activities that might prove to be emotionally uncomfortable or potentially distressing to some students, particularly if they have lived experience of trauma. Teachers will embed processes to minimise the likelihood of this occurring, and students will be encouraged to take some time away from learning engagement if needed, to process their responses.  Students will also be provided with information on how to access further support if needed.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

1 Professional Knowledge: Know students and how they learn

1. Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
   Relates to: Advocacy Infographic and Presentation, Case Studies
2. Understand how students learn
   Relates to: Advocacy Infographic and Presentation, Case Studies
3. Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
   Relates to: Advocacy Infographic and Presentation, Case Studies
4. Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
   Relates to: Case Studies

3 Professional Practice: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning

1. Evaluate and improve teaching programs
   Relates to: Case Studies

4 Professional Practice: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments

1. Support student participation
   Relates to: Advocacy Infographic and Presentation, Case Studies
2. Manage challenging behaviour
   Relates to: Advocacy Infographic and Presentation, Case Studies
3. Maintain student safety
   Relates to: Advocacy Infographic and Presentation, Case Studies

6 Professional Engagement: Engage in professional learning

1. Identify and plan professional learning needs
   Relates to: Advocacy Infographic and Presentation
2. Engage in professional learning and improve practice
   Relates to: Advocacy Infographic and Presentation
3. Apply professional learning and improve student learning
   Relates to: Advocacy Infographic and Presentation

7 Professional Engagement: Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community

1. Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities
   Relates to: Advocacy Infographic and Presentation

Course Learning Outcomes

ED39 Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)

1. Knowledgeable: Apply professional knowledge to learning areas, learning and learners.
   Relates to: ULO1, Case Studies
2. Scholarly: Consider the ways in which educational theory and research inform and impact teaching practice.
   Relates to: ULO2, Advocacy Infographic and Presentation
3. Inclusive: Plan for culturally secure, supportive, caring, inclusive and positive learning environments.
   Relates to: ULO3, Case Studies
4. Reflective: Reframe challenges into opportunities for capacity building and learning.
   Relates to: ULO4, Advocacy Infographic and Presentation

ED49 Bachelor of Education (Primary)

1. Knowledgeable: Apply professional knowledge of learning areas, learners and learning.
   Relates to: ULO1, Case Studies
2. Scholarly: Consider the ways in which educational theory and research inform and impact teaching practice.
   Relates to: ULO2, Advocacy Infographic and Presentation
3. Inclusive: Plan for culturally secure, supportive, caring, inclusive and positive learning environments.
   Relates to: ULO3, Case Studies
4. Reflective: Reframe challenges into opportunities for capacity building and learning.
   Relates to: ULO4, Advocacy Infographic and Presentation

ED59 Bachelor of Education (Secondary)

1. Knowledgeable: Apply professional knowledge of learning areas, learning and learners.
   Relates to: ULO1, Case Studies
2. Scholarly: Consider the ways in which educational theory and research informs and impacts teaching practice.
   Relates to: ULO2, Advocacy Infographic and Presentation
3. Inclusive: Plan for culturally secure, supportive, caring, inclusive and positive learning environments.
   Relates to: ULO3, Case Studies
4. Reflective: Reframe challenges into opportunities for capacity building and learning.
   Relates to: ULO4, Advocacy Infographic and Presentation