EUN223 Curriculum and Pedagogy: Innovation

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This capstone unit provides you with opportunities to draw on the skills, knowledge and resources you have developed over this course to research and plan an independent, innovative curriculum and pedagogy project aligned with your first teaching area. The project scope will be negotiated with teaching staff. Options may include a curriculum-related issue, a resource or program for classroom use, or critically examining an education context or policy area with the view to proposing an innovation. As a culminating unit in this course, EUN223 encourages you to apply your understandings from completed units in the process of researching and planning how your project can be implemented in a way that shows how you have taken these understandings forward as a classroom-ready teacher. You are expected to demonstrate a high level of autonomy, to synthesise your understandings of theory and practice and reflect on your  development as an innovative educator and life-long learner.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Research and investigate current issues of curriculum and pedagogy.
2. Analyse and evaluate research and stakeholder needs.
3. Plan an innovative future focused project.
4. Collaborate with peers and/or the wider community for the success of your project.
5. Critically reflect on your innovative planning and entrepreneurial skills and attributes.

Content

Learning Approaches

In this unit you will largely undertake self-directed, collaborative learning, aided by a combination of tutorials and meetings with the unit coordinator or other teaching staff. It is expected that you will create your own plan and weekly schedule for working on the required assessment items and follow this schedule throughout the unit. Formative feedback will be provided, particularly on the scope and direction of your project. Collaborative approaches to learning are encouraged, including opportunities for peer review, and discussion with colleagues in the field of education. As an adult learner you will actively engage with your own learning.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback in this unit is provided to you:

• through a range of formative exercises and discussion in key tutorials
• by comments on summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets
• via grading against a Criteria Sheet
• via feedback from peers and, where relevant, stakeholders.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment in this unit is both formative and summative. Formative assessment will be provided through opportunities for discussion, reflection, and feedback in tutorials and, where relevant, meetings with stakeholders who may be involved in your project. This consultative and iterative process models typical practice in schools where teachers apply investigative skills to the production of effective programs, resources, policy analyses or other artefacts. Summative assessment is via two assignments.  The first is a project and plan for carrying out your project (40%). The second is a report on project outcomes (60%). Literacy and numeracy standards as required by the profession are an inherent requirement of the unit.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Literature Review

For this assessment, you will submit a proposal for an independent project that includes aims, a rationale synthesised from a review of relevant literature, a list of stakeholders, anticipated outcomes, and a timeline of activities to be undertaken.

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

Assessment: Implementation Plan

For this assessment, you will submit a detailed plan for implementing your initiative in a school. The plan should include details and justifications of revisions you made throughout the planning process, including those made based on feedback from Assessment 1. Your plan should also include a detailed description of the activities and strategies for evaluating project outcomes. Finally, you should reflect on how this experience contributes to your preparation and employment as an innovative educator and entrepreneurial thinker. Your reflection should also include consideration of how you will continue to identify professional learning needs in your career and outline relevant and appropriate sources for this professional learning.

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

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

Recommended text(s)

Kennedy, K., & Henderson, D. (2024). Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment. Melbourne: Pearson Australia.

Risk Assessment Statement

There is no out-of-the-ordinary risk associated with the general conduct of this unit. Workplace health and safety protocols in relation to computer and/or laboratory use will apply.

Standards/Competencies

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

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

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

1. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
   Relates to: Literature Review

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

1. Establish challenging learning goals
   Relates to: Literature Review

6 Professional Engagement: Engage in professional learning

1. Identify and plan professional learning needs
   Relates to: Literature Review, Implementation Plan
2. Engage in professional learning and improve practice
   Relates to: Literature Review, Implementation Plan
3. Engage with colleagues and improve practice
   Relates to: Literature Review, Implementation Plan
4. Apply professional learning and improve student learning
   Relates to: Implementation Plan

Course Learning Outcomes

EU50 Master of Teaching (Secondary)

1. Knowledgeable: Demonstrate comprehensive professional knowledge of learning areas, learners and learning.
   Relates to: ULO1, Literature Review
2. Scholarly: Reflect critically on the ways in which educational theory and research informs and impacts teaching practice.
   Relates to: ULO2, Literature Review
3. Innovative: Lead and create innovative future- focused learning.
   Relates to: ULO3, Implementation Plan
4. Collegial: Collaborate and connect with professional networks and the wider community.
   Relates to: ULO4, Implementation Plan
5. Resilient: Reframe challenges and opportunities for capacity building and learning.
   Relates to: ULO5, Implementation Plan