EUB408 Integrated Curriculum: Bringing it all Together

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

Integrated units of teaching and learning are popular strategies for intellectually challenging learning in primary education. Teachers are required to have a deep understanding of disciplinary connections and options for integrated assessment. Real world learners and their contexts provide a platform for integration. This mastery level unit investigates ways of translating theory into professional practice for integrating curriculum, including demonstration of a broad range of disciplinary content knowledge. You'll have opportunities to appreciate the complexity of integrated curriculum and  assessment and consider different approaches to integrating curriculum. The focus for learning includes the study of multiliteracies designs for learning and pedagogy, planning models, general capabilities, and cross-curriculum priorities and literacies. You'll reflect critically on the affordances and barriers of a best practice integrated curriculum approach and real-world applications.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Design innovative, integrated curriculum unit plan maps. (Relates to CLO 1, 5; APST 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4)
2. Demonstrate deep technical skills in multiliteracies designs for learning. (Relates to CLO 1; APST 2.1, 2.6, 3.4)
3. Reflect critically on the utility of educational theory and research as it informs integrated curriculum teaching practices. (Relates to CLO 2; APST 1.2, 2.1)
4. Demonstrate deep professional knowledge of a range of curriculum learning areas. (Relates to CLO 1; APST 2.1)
5. Demonstrate inclusive practices that cater for the divesity of leaners including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island students.(Relates to CLO 1, 3; APST 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 4.1)
6. Demonstrate written professinal communication. (Relates to CLO 9)

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit, you will learn through engaging in the following:

• Lectures
• Workshops
• Blended learning materials.

This unit will be studied through personal investigations, reading, writing, observation and collaborative learning activities. Activities will encourage analysis, conceptualisation and application of teaching strategies. Lectures and workshops will focus on the theory-practice nexus. Workshops and online collaborative learning sessions will include oral presentations and discussion with peers.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will gain feedback from peers and academics in this unit by participating in weekly discussions during workshops. You will receive feedback from peers during workshops on: critical reflection regarding the affordances and barriers of a best practice integrated curriculum approach and real world applications. Written feedback on Assessment 1 will be provided.

Assessment

Overview

There are two assessment tasks in this unit:

1. Annotated Bibliography (group)
2. Professional Plan (individual).

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Annotated Bibliography

In groups you will deconstruct and analyse the design elements and communication modes of three multimodal texts suitable for supporting primary school learners and the curriculum. For each text, describe and analyse the modes the designer has used, reflecting on multiliteracies frameworks, to construct the text and how they have communicated their intended meaning for the target audience.

This task will assess evidence of your:

1. Knowledge of multimodal texts.
2. Knowledge of multiliteracies textual design elements.
3. Ability to select resources to support effective teaching and learning.
4. Personal literacy skills.

Relates to learning outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
CLOs - 1, 2, 9

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Threshold Assessment:

You must achieve a passing grade (4) on each individual assessment task to successfully pass this unit.

Assessment: Professional Plans

This assessment requires you to develop an A3 sized detailed conceptual map for planning an integrated unit of study. The conceptual model will include learning outcomes from multiple curriculum points, multimodal resources suitable for addressing these outcomes, multiliteracies pedagogy and curriculum design elements, and practice inclusive of diverse learners.

This task will assess your:

1. Knowledge of multiliteracies pedagogy.
2. Knowledge of multiliteracies design elements.
3. Professional knowledge or a range of curriculum areas.
4. Knowledge of educational theory regarding integrated curriculum planning.
5. Demonstrate inclusive practices to cater for real world diverse classroom profile.

Relates to learning outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
CLOs - 1, 2, 3, 5, 9
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
APSTs - 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Threshold Assessment:

You must achieve a passing grade (4) on each individual assessment task to successfully pass this unit.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

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.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Other

QUT Readings as advised.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)

Department of Education.
Curriculum into the Classroom (C2C)

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with the general conduct of this unit. Workplace health and safety protocols in relation to computer use will apply.

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: Annotated Bibliography, Professional Plans
2. Understand how students learn
   Relates to: Professional Plans
3. Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
   Relates to: Professional Plans
4. Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
   Relates to: Professional Plans
5. Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
   Relates to: Professional Plans

2 Professional Knowledge: Know the content and how to teach it

1. Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
   Relates to: Annotated Bibliography, Professional Plans
2. Content selection and organisation
   Relates to: Professional Plans
3. Curriculum, assessment and reporting
   Relates to: Professional Plans
4. Literacy and numeracy strategies
   Relates to: Professional Plans
5. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
   Relates to: Annotated Bibliography, Professional Plans

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

1. Establish challenging learning goals
   Relates to: Professional Plans
2. Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
   Relates to: Professional Plans
3. Use teaching strategies
   Relates to: Professional Plans
4. Select and use resources
   Relates to: Annotated Bibliography, Professional Plans

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

1. Support student participation
   Relates to: Professional Plans

Course Learning Outcomes

ED49 Bachelor of Education (Primary)

1. Knowledgeable: Apply professional knowledge of learning areas, learners and learning.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4, ULO5, Annotated Bibliography, Professional Plans
2. Scholarly: Consider the ways in which educational theory and research inform and impact teaching practice.
   Relates to: ULO3, Annotated Bibliography, Professional Plans
3. Inclusive: Plan for culturally secure, supportive, caring, inclusive and positive learning environments.
   Relates to: ULO5, Professional Plans
4. Innovative: Create innovative future-focused learning.
   Relates to: ULO1, Professional Plans
5. Communicative: Engage and communicate effectively and professionally.
   Relates to: ULO6, Annotated Bibliography, Professional Plans