EUQ667 Attributes of Autism: Historical Perspectives, Co-Occurring Conditions and Cognitive Theories
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: | EUQ667 |
|---|---|
| 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: Session 1 2026, QUT Online, Online
| Unit code: | EUQ667 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| 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: | Beth Saggers | b.saggers@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit aims to deepen your understanding of autism’s attributes and the evolution of perspectives over the past century. By employing a historical and evolutionary lens, the course highlights significant shifts in thinking over the last 40 years and their impact on diagnostic tools, criteria, and prevalence rates. You will explore various cognitive theories linked to autism and consider co-existing conditions that autistic learners may experience. This knowledge will enhance your understanding of how autistic individuals perceive the world and inform strategies to support their success. Suitable for educators, health professionals, parents, and disability specialists, this unit emphasises the importance of environmental adjustments to foster positive learning outcomes for autistic learners.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Analyse how the attributes of autism have been described and perceived over time.
- Justify the importance of applying cognitive theories to educational practice to support autistic learners.
- Design professional learning resources for professional audiences and families to communicate ways to support autistic learners.
- Evaluate how the learning environment can be a barrier or enabler for autistic learner success.
- Reflect on your own beliefs and practices to improve professional knowledge and practice in relation to supporting autistic learners.
Content
This unit will cover the following:
- Outline shifts in thinking that have influenced how autism has been conceptualised from a historical, medical, interdisciplinary and neurodiverse perspectives.
- Discuss how these shifts in thinking relate to inclusive ideals and medical and social models of disability.
- Highlight key attributes of autism that relate to: emotions, relationships, and the social relational world; differences in processing information related to cognition, language, and sensory information and; celebrating strengths, interests, aspirations, and support needs.
- Discusses how the environment plays an important role and can be an enabler or barrier to autistic learner success.
- Highlights how the environment needs to support and promote the attributes of the autistic learner and acknowledge, understand, and support autistic strengths and needs.
- An examination of historical and current literature on cognitive theories that have been used to inform our understanding of how an autistic learner may experience their environment.
- An examination of co-occurring conditions autistic learners may experience that may influence environmental adjustments that are required.
- An examination of how these theories and co-occurring conditions may influence the implementation of suitable adjustments for autistic learners in inclusive learning environments.
- The relationship between quality education, supporting diversity and sustainability.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn through engaging in the following:
- Online modules
- Online discussions
- Readings
- Learning activities
- Digital practices for creating professional resources
This unit employs interactive and discussion-based learning and critical reflection on experience.
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
- opportunity for formative feedback in this unit will include feedback on a learning activity related to assessment task 1
- self-reflection on learning and personal and professional experiences
- feedback from peers as you investigate and discuss issues raised throughout the unit
- comments about summative assessment work included with your grade
- general summative assessment feedback posted to the whole cohort via the unit Canvas website.
Assessment
Overview
There are two assessment tasks in this unit:
1. Reflective journal - this task requires you to reflect on your own beliefs, knowledge and experiences, and the ways in which these intersect with educational practices to support autistic learners.
2. Professional learning resource - this task connects cognitive theories with educational practice to inform the design of a professional learning resource.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Reflection
You will write a reflective journal analysing the attributes of autism and how they have been described and perceived over time, and considering how features of the learning environment may impact on autistic learner success. This will include reflections on your personal beliefs and experiences and how these intersect with your learning in this unit.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
GenAI allowed: 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: Professional learning resource
You will take on the role of a professional working with autistic learners to design a professional learning resource to other professionals or families. The resource will be about the cognitive processing experiences of autistic learners, the impact on their learning, and how the learning environment can be a barrier or enabler for autistic learner success. You will justify your resource drawing on cognitive theories.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
GenAI allowed: 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
There are no resources that are required to be purchased for this unit. Other resources will be available in the unit's Canvas site.
Risk Assessment Statement
During this unit, you will discuss sensitive topics with your peers that may have significant impact and meaning to you, your peers and/or your teaching team. The teaching team will aim to create a supportive and safe environment for all students enrolled in the unit. They will also support you to develop the appropriate skills to engage in these conversations in an appropriate and respectful manner to ensure a positive experience for all students. If you are concerned that the content of a unit may impact your completion of the course, please see the unit coordinator. You can also access free student counselling through QUT Counselling via the QUT Student Homepage.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.EQ60 Graduate Certificate in Education
- Discuss and evaluate advanced discipline-specific knowledge related to professional educational practice.
Relates to: ULO1, Reflection - Reflect on and reflexively analyse own practice to improve professional knowledge and practice.
Relates to: ULO5, Reflection - Critically analyse and evaluate activities, contexts, and phenomena related to professional practice in the discipline of education.
Relates to: ULO4, Reflection, Professional learning resource - Design and justify innovative solutions to authentic problems of educational practice through the application of discipline-specific knowledge and skills.
Relates to: ULO2, Professional learning resource - Employ a range of communication modes to transmit knowledge, skills, and ideas to others.
Relates to: ULO3, Professional learning resource
EQ74 Master of Education
- Discuss, evaluate, and integrate advanced discipline-specific knowledge related to professional educational practice and research.
Relates to: Reflection - Reflect on and reflexively analyse own practice, integrating theoretical frameworks to improve professional knowledge and practice.
Relates to: Reflection - Critically analyse and evaluate complex activities, contexts and phenomena related to professional practice and scholarship in the discipline of education.
Relates to: Reflection, Professional learning resource - 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: Professional learning resource - Employ a range of communication modes to transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences in professional and scholarly contexts.
Relates to: Professional learning resource
Unit Outline: Session 3 2026, QUT Online, Online
| Unit code: | EUQ667 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| 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: | Beth Saggers | b.saggers@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit aims to deepen your understanding of autism’s attributes and the evolution of perspectives over the past century. By employing a historical and evolutionary lens, the course highlights significant shifts in thinking over the last 40 years and their impact on diagnostic tools, criteria, and prevalence rates. You will explore various cognitive theories linked to autism and consider co-existing conditions that autistic learners may experience. This knowledge will enhance your understanding of how autistic individuals perceive the world and inform strategies to support their success. Suitable for educators, health professionals, parents, and disability specialists, this unit emphasises the importance of environmental adjustments to foster positive learning outcomes for autistic learners.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Analyse how the attributes of autism have been described and perceived over time.
- Justify the importance of applying cognitive theories to educational practice to support autistic learners.
- Design professional learning resources for professional audiences and families to communicate ways to support autistic learners.
- Evaluate how the learning environment can be a barrier or enabler for autistic learner success.
- Reflect on your own beliefs and practices to improve professional knowledge and practice in relation to supporting autistic learners.
Content
This unit will cover the following:
- Outline shifts in thinking that have influenced how autism has been conceptualised from a historical, medical, interdisciplinary and neurodiverse perspectives.
- Discuss how these shifts in thinking relate to inclusive ideals and medical and social models of disability.
- Highlight key attributes of autism that relate to: emotions, relationships, and the social relational world; differences in processing information related to cognition, language, and sensory information and; celebrating strengths, interests, aspirations, and support needs.
- Discusses how the environment plays an important role and can be an enabler or barrier to autistic learner success.
- Highlights how the environment needs to support and promote the attributes of the autistic learner and acknowledge, understand, and support autistic strengths and needs.
- An examination of historical and current literature on cognitive theories that have been used to inform our understanding of how an autistic learner may experience their environment.
- An examination of co-occurring conditions autistic learners may experience that may influence environmental adjustments that are required.
- An examination of how these theories and co-occurring conditions may influence the implementation of suitable adjustments for autistic learners in inclusive learning environments.
- The relationship between quality education, supporting diversity and sustainability.
Learning Approaches
In this unit you will learn through engaging in the following:
- Online modules
- Online discussions
- Readings
- Learning activities
- Digital practices for creating professional resources
This unit employs interactive and discussion-based learning and critical reflection on experience.
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
- opportunity for formative feedback in this unit will include feedback on a learning activity related to assessment task 1
- self-reflection on learning and personal and professional experiences
- feedback from peers as you investigate and discuss issues raised throughout the unit
- comments about summative assessment work included with your grade
- general summative assessment feedback posted to the whole cohort via the unit Canvas website.
Assessment
Overview
There are two assessment tasks in this unit:
1. Reflective journal - this task requires you to reflect on your own beliefs, knowledge and experiences, and the ways in which these intersect with educational practices to support autistic learners.
2. Professional learning resource - this task connects cognitive theories with educational practice to inform the design of a professional learning resource.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Reflection
You will write a reflective journal analysing the attributes of autism and how they have been described and perceived over time, and considering how features of the learning environment may impact on autistic learner success. This will include reflections on your personal beliefs and experiences and how these intersect with your learning in this unit.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
GenAI allowed: 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: Professional learning resource
You will take on the role of a professional working with autistic learners to design a professional learning resource to other professionals or families. The resource will be about the cognitive processing experiences of autistic learners, the impact on their learning, and how the learning environment can be a barrier or enabler for autistic learner success. You will justify your resource drawing on cognitive theories.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
GenAI allowed: 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
There are no resources that are required to be purchased for this unit. Other resources will be available in the unit's Canvas site.
Risk Assessment Statement
During this unit, you will discuss sensitive topics with your peers that may have significant impact and meaning to you, your peers and/or your teaching team. The teaching team will aim to create a supportive and safe environment for all students enrolled in the unit. They will also support you to develop the appropriate skills to engage in these conversations in an appropriate and respectful manner to ensure a positive experience for all students. If you are concerned that the content of a unit may impact your completion of the course, please see the unit coordinator. You can also access free student counselling through QUT Counselling via the QUT Student Homepage.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.EQ60 Graduate Certificate in Education
- Discuss and evaluate advanced discipline-specific knowledge related to professional educational practice.
Relates to: ULO1, Reflection - Reflect on and reflexively analyse own practice to improve professional knowledge and practice.
Relates to: ULO5, Reflection - Critically analyse and evaluate activities, contexts, and phenomena related to professional practice in the discipline of education.
Relates to: ULO4, Reflection, Professional learning resource - Design and justify innovative solutions to authentic problems of educational practice through the application of discipline-specific knowledge and skills.
Relates to: ULO2, Professional learning resource - Employ a range of communication modes to transmit knowledge, skills, and ideas to others.
Relates to: ULO3, Professional learning resource
EQ74 Master of Education
- Discuss, evaluate, and integrate advanced discipline-specific knowledge related to professional educational practice and research.
Relates to: Reflection - Reflect on and reflexively analyse own practice, integrating theoretical frameworks to improve professional knowledge and practice.
Relates to: Reflection - Critically analyse and evaluate complex activities, contexts and phenomena related to professional practice and scholarship in the discipline of education.
Relates to: Reflection, Professional learning resource - 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: Professional learning resource - Employ a range of communication modes to transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences in professional and scholarly contexts.
Relates to: Professional learning resource