EUN687 Learners Impacted by Trauma
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | EUN687 |
|---|---|
| Equivalent(s): | EUN654, EUCM0015, EUZ687 |
| Assumed Knowledge: | It is assumed that students understand educational practices in education settings and have practitioner experiences within a related education field or support profession. |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $592 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,468 |
| International unit fee | $4,740 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | EUN687 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | EUN654, EUCM0015, EUZ687 |
| Assumed Knowledge: | It is assumed that students understand educational practices in education settings and have practitioner experiences within a related education field or support profession. |
| Coordinator: | Lyra L'Estrange | lyra.lestrange@qut.edu.au |
Overview
In this unit, you will explore the challenges faced by diverse groups of learners impacted by complex trauma and consider the intersectionality of their experiences. You will examine how specific educational practices can exacerbate these challenges and investigate how a trauma-aware approach can effectively address and mitigate these issues. By understanding the unique contexts and overlapping vulnerabilities of these learner groups, you will be equipped to create more supportive and responsive educational environments.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Discuss and integrate discipline-specific knowledge and research related to the impacts of trauma on the education experience and outcomes for a range of learner types.
- Evaluate education practice that may hinder education outcomes for trauma-impacted learner groups.
- Design and justify innovative solutions to address authentic problems faced by trauma-impacted groups of learners engaging in education.
- Source and evaluate scholarly literature on how trauma-aware education supports specific groups of learners.
Content
This unit will examine:
- the challenges faced by particular learner types who are living with the outcomes of various types of trauma.
- the contexts of a range of learner types including those who live in remote areas, are First Nations learners, who live with disability, mental health, domestic and family violence, poverty, homelessness, or medical trauma, who identify as LGBTQIA+, who are involved with child protection services, youth justice, or alternative education, who live in out-of-home care, who are pregnant and/or parenting, and/or who have lived through refugee or community trauma.
- how certain education practices can further exacerbate the challenges faced by these learner types.
- how a trauma-aware approach to education can respond to these challenges.
- how a trauma-aware approach supports sustainable communities.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn by engaging in the following:
- lectures (online)
- tutorials (online)
- online learning materials
- peer and group discussions
This unit employs interactive and discussion-based learning, and critical reflection on the intersection of theory, practice and the broader education context.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:
- a range of formative exercises discussed and undertaken throughout the unit
- feedback from peers as you investigate and discuss issues raised throughout the unit
- comments about summative assessment work included with your grade.
Assessment
Overview
There are two assessments in this unit:
1. Problematising Educational Practice - You will critically examine educational practice that can potentially hinder the support and education outcomes for a learner group discussed during this unit. You will also provide recommendations for adjustments or enhancements from a trauma-aware perspective.
2. Oral defense about a learner group - You will participate in an oral defense for how a trauma-aware education response could benefit a learner group discussed during this unit.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Problematising Educational Practice
You will write a report for your leadership team that critically examines an area of the Australian (or other) curriculum, assessment or other education practice that can potentially hinder the support and education outcomes for a learner group discussed during this unit. You will also provide recommendations for adjustments or enhancements in your context.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Oral defense about a learner group
You will consider a group of learners discussed during this unit that intersects with at least two other groups. You will provide an oral defense for the importance of a trauma-aware education response for this learner group. You will explain what is currently known about this group by drawing from literature and then justify why and how a trauma-aware education response could benefit this group. Your oral defense will occur at a scheduled time.
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.
Resources
The following prescribed and recommended texts are available online through the QUT library and for purchase in the QUT Book Shop. Other resources will be available in the unit's Canvas site.
Resource Materials
Prescribed text(s)
Howard, J. A. (2022). Trauma-aware education: Essential information and guidance for educators, education sites and education systems. Australian Academic Press.
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.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.EU60 Graduate Certificate in Education
- Discuss and evaluate advanced discipline-specific knowledge related to professional educational practice.
Relates to: ULO1, Oral defense about a learner group - Critically analyse and evaluate activities, contexts, and phenomena related to professional practice in the discipline of education.
Relates to: ULO2, Problematising Educational Practice - Design and justify innovative solutions to authentic problems of educational practice through the application of discipline-specific knowledge and skills.
Relates to: ULO3, Problematising Educational Practice, Oral defense about a learner group - Source and evaluate scholarly and professional literature and apply it to educational contexts and scenarios.
Relates to: ULO4, Problematising Educational Practice, Oral defense about a learner group
EU74 Master of Education
- Discuss, evaluate, and integrate advanced discipline-specific knowledge related to professional educational practice and research.
Relates to: ULO1, Oral defense about a learner group - Critically analyse and evaluate complex activities, contexts and phenomena related to professional practice and scholarship in the discipline of education.
Relates to: ULO2, Problematising Educational Practice - Design and justify innovative solutions to authentic problems of educational practice, drawing on discipline-specific knowledge and skills to lead and influence positive change.
Relates to: ULO3, Problematising Educational Practice, Oral defense about a learner group - Apply theories and research methods to ethically explore educational issues/phenomena and practices.
Relates to: ULO4, Problematising Educational Practice, Oral defense about a learner group
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Online
| Unit code: | EUN687 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Equivalent: | EUN654, EUCM0015, EUZ687 |
| Assumed Knowledge: | It is assumed that students understand educational practices in education settings and have practitioner experiences within a related education field or support profession. |
Overview
In this unit, you will explore the challenges faced by diverse groups of learners impacted by complex trauma and consider the intersectionality of their experiences. You will examine how specific educational practices can exacerbate these challenges and investigate how a trauma-aware approach can effectively address and mitigate these issues. By understanding the unique contexts and overlapping vulnerabilities of these learner groups, you will be equipped to create more supportive and responsive educational environments.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Discuss and integrate discipline-specific knowledge and research related to the impacts of trauma on the education experience and outcomes for a range of learner types.
- Evaluate education practice that may hinder education outcomes for trauma-impacted learner groups.
- Design and justify innovative solutions to address authentic problems faced by trauma-impacted groups of learners engaging in education.
- Source and evaluate scholarly literature on how trauma-aware education supports specific groups of learners.
Content
This unit will examine:
- the challenges faced by particular learner types who are living with the outcomes of various types of trauma.
- the contexts of a range of learner types including those who live in remote areas, are First Nations learners, who live with disability, mental health, domestic and family violence, poverty, homelessness, or medical trauma, who identify as LGBTQIA+, who are involved with child protection services, youth justice, or alternative education, who live in out-of-home care, who are pregnant and/or parenting, and/or who have lived through refugee or community trauma.
- how certain education practices can further exacerbate the challenges faced by these learner types.
- how a trauma-aware approach to education can respond to these challenges.
- how a trauma-aware approach supports sustainable communities.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn by engaging in the following:
- lectures (online)
- tutorials (online)
- online learning materials
- peer and group discussions
This unit employs interactive and discussion-based learning, and critical reflection on the intersection of theory, practice and the broader education context.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:
- a range of formative exercises discussed and undertaken throughout the unit
- feedback from peers as you investigate and discuss issues raised throughout the unit
- comments about summative assessment work included with your grade.
Assessment
Overview
There are two assessments in this unit:
1. Problematising Educational Practice - You will critically examine educational practice that can potentially hinder the support and education outcomes for a learner group discussed during this unit. You will also provide recommendations for adjustments or enhancements from a trauma-aware perspective.
2. Oral defense about a learner group - You will participate in an oral defense for how a trauma-aware education response could benefit a learner group discussed during this unit.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Problematising Educational Practice
You will write a report for your leadership team that critically examines an area of the Australian (or other) curriculum, assessment or other education practice that can potentially hinder the support and education outcomes for a learner group discussed during this unit. You will also provide recommendations for adjustments or enhancements in your context.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
Assessment: Oral defense about a learner group
You will consider a group of learners discussed during this unit that intersects with at least two other groups. You will provide an oral defense for the importance of a trauma-aware education response for this learner group. You will explain what is currently known about this group by drawing from literature and then justify why and how a trauma-aware education response could benefit this group. Your oral defense will occur at a scheduled time.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.
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.
Resources
The following prescribed and recommended texts are available online through the QUT library and for purchase in the QUT Book Shop. Other resources will be available in the unit's Canvas site.
Resource Materials
Prescribed text(s)
Howard, J. A. (2022). Trauma-aware education: Essential information and guidance for educators, education sites and education systems. Australian Academic Press.
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.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.EU60 Graduate Certificate in Education
- Discuss and evaluate advanced discipline-specific knowledge related to professional educational practice.
Relates to: ULO1, Oral defense about a learner group - Critically analyse and evaluate activities, contexts, and phenomena related to professional practice in the discipline of education.
Relates to: ULO2, Problematising Educational Practice - Design and justify innovative solutions to authentic problems of educational practice through the application of discipline-specific knowledge and skills.
Relates to: ULO3, Problematising Educational Practice, Oral defense about a learner group - Source and evaluate scholarly and professional literature and apply it to educational contexts and scenarios.
Relates to: ULO4, Problematising Educational Practice, Oral defense about a learner group
EU74 Master of Education
- Discuss, evaluate, and integrate advanced discipline-specific knowledge related to professional educational practice and research.
Relates to: ULO1, Oral defense about a learner group - Critically analyse and evaluate complex activities, contexts and phenomena related to professional practice and scholarship in the discipline of education.
Relates to: ULO2, Problematising Educational Practice - Design and justify innovative solutions to authentic problems of educational practice, drawing on discipline-specific knowledge and skills to lead and influence positive change.
Relates to: ULO3, Problematising Educational Practice, Oral defense about a learner group - Apply theories and research methods to ethically explore educational issues/phenomena and practices.
Relates to: ULO4, Problematising Educational Practice, Oral defense about a learner group