Overview
Education as a Profession examines the history and philosophy underpinning educational theory as a basis for understanding the role of education in contemporary society. Students investigate the impact of social, cultural and economic change on the professionalism of educators and concepts of quality and effective practice in educational settings to understand the role of “teacher as learner”. They critically reflect on the contextual factors that influence what it means to be an educator in 21st century society and use Professional Standards and Codes of Ethics and/or Conduct relevant to the work of educators to develop an understanding of the relationship between social justice, ethical practice and professional identity. Students evaluate ways in which their own beliefs about teaching and learning affect professional practice and use ethical and professional standards to explain the rationale for ongoing professional learning and the implications for improved student learning. Students develop an understanding of the purpose of e-portfolios for documenting evidence of professional learning and create a personal response to key ideas about the purpose of contemporary education in the form of a digital artefact which is used to start the reflection process of maintaining and adding to the e-portfolio over the course of the course.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Unit Evaluation survey
Content was insightful and helpful to the students' future career.
Maintain the majority of the content.
Feedback from Unit Evaluation survey and forum posts
Review assessment task 2.
Review requirements for second assignment and the wording of the rubric.
Feedback from Unit Evaluation survey
Videos or other media can be motivating to students.
Embed additional videos or other media into unit content.
- Identify social, cultural and economic changes that impact on the purposes and outcomes of education in 21st century Australian society
- Reflect on self as learner and discuss the relevance of personal and professional lifelong learning for educational professionals
- Reflect on the impact of personal perspectives of race, class, gender and identity formation on the professional role of educators
- Evaluate contemporary perspectives on social justice and their relationship to Professional Standards and Codes of Ethics and Conduct for professional educators
- Assess ways in which knowledge of educational contexts such as socioeconomic background, culture, identity and gender shape the decision-making of educators.
Successful completion of this unit provides opportunities for students to engage with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Career Stage) focus areas of:
1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
4.4 Maintain student safety
6.1 Identify and plan professional learning needs
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning
7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities
7.2 Comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements
In addition, competency elements from the Diploma of Children's Services (Early Childhood Education and Care) are taught and assessed in this unit.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 50% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | |||||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||||||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 50% | |||||||||||
Textbooks
Teaching: Making a Difference
- Edition: 5th (2022)
- Authors: Churchill et al.
- Wiley
- QLD , Australia
- ISBN: 9780730391777
- Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
The prescribed textbook can be the hard copy or digital copy. The previous addition can also be used.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
h.costello@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 04 Mar 2024Module/Topic
Perceptions of educators
Chapter
Churchill et al., 2022, pp. 2-35
Become a teacher (Teach Queensland website, 2023)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2
Begin Date: 11 Mar 2024Module/Topic
Identities of educators
Chapter
Kennedy et al., 2022, pp. 2-14
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 3
Begin Date: 18 Mar 2024Module/Topic
Educators as learners
Chapter
Churchill et al., 2022, pp. 479-483
Whitton et al., 2022, pp. 596-623
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4
Begin Date: 25 Mar 2024Module/Topic
Education and social change
Chapter
Churchill et al., 2022, pp. 36-47
Mission Australia Youth Survey 2023 Summary Report
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5
Begin Date: 01 Apr 2024Module/Topic
Diversity in the educational context
Chapter
Sempowicz, 2021
Hyry-Beihammer et al., 2019
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 08 Apr 2024Module/Topic
Educational equity and social justice
Chapter
Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration
Churchill et al., 2022, pp. 143-151, 516-520, 536-560
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 15 Apr 2024Module/Topic
Teaching as professional work
Chapter
Stone, 2020 (chapter 3 in Bower’s book)
Strong beginnings: Report of the Teacher Education Expert Panel, 2023, pp. 6-8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 22 Apr 2024Module/Topic
No classes this week
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 8
Begin Date: 29 Apr 2024Module/Topic
Expectations of education and educators
Chapter
ACARA & Educational Department websites
The National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, 2022
Review of the National School Reform Agreement - Overview, 2022
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9
Begin Date: 06 May 2024Module/Topic
Professional standards for educators
Chapter
Australian Professional Standards, 2017
Churchill et al., 2022, pp. 512-516
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 10
Begin Date: 13 May 2024Module/Topic
Codes of ethics and conduct for educators
Chapter
Code of Ethics from your State/Territory authority
Code of Conduct from your State/Territory authority
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 11
Begin Date: 20 May 2024Module/Topic
Ethical and legal issues relevant to educators
Chapter
Churchill et al., 2022, pp. 520-526
Professional boundaries: A guide for Queensland teachers, 2019
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 12
Begin Date: 27 May 2024Module/Topic
Assignment workshop
Chapter
No new readings this week
Events and Submissions/Topic
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 03 Jun 2024Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 10 Jun 2024Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
In 2000 words, elaborate on your developing views of teaching in the following way:
a) summarise selected learning experiences as a school student and beyond. For each one, analyse how your experiences have influenced your beliefs about teaching and learning,
b) identify recent social, cultural, and economic changes within Australia relevant to educational and care contexts. Elaborate, with examples, how knowledge of these changes might shape your future professional decision-making,
c) list several specific professional learning goals for yourself that show how you intend to respond to the identified social, cultural, and economic changes. Give reasons for each goal, and
d) select an image or symbol that depicts your metaphor of a professional educator. Using the metaphor, explain your understanding of the attributes and behaviours of a quality educator in 21st Century Australia.
Please note:
- Each section has equal weighting.
- The submission can be structured as an essay or by using subheadings. Include a brief introduction and conclusion regardless of the structure.
- It is expected that you will embed references from the weekly readings found on the Moodle site into your discussion.
- First person (e.g., “I remember”, “my teachers”, etc) is appropriate for this assignment.
- Examples of societal change must be less than five years old. While COVID-19 can be used, it is one of many examples of recent impactful change.
- A metaphor uses comparison or symbolism to create an image in the reader’s mind.
- Any image or symbol can be used for the metaphor except book/movie/etc characters. Upload the metaphor image as an appendix. Copyright laws must be adhered to when using images.
At CQU, the word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Vacation Week Monday (8 Apr 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Please upload your task as one document into the assessment link in Moodle.
Feedback on this assignment response will be provided in sufficient time to inform students' responses of the next assessment task.
Ability to choose and analyse personal educational experiences that underpin the formation of beliefs about teaching and learning.
Identification of recent social, cultural, and economic changes in Australian society that may shape professional decision-making.
Selection of appropriate professional learning goals for contemporary educational contexts.
Expression of the complex role of contemporary educators through the chosen metaphor.
Demonstration of professional levels of personal literacy.
- Identify social, cultural and economic changes that impact on the purposes and outcomes of education in 21st century Australian society
- Reflect on self as learner and discuss the relevance of personal and professional lifelong learning for educational professionals
- Reflect on the impact of personal perspectives of race, class, gender and identity formation on the professional role of educators
- Assess ways in which knowledge of educational contexts such as socioeconomic background, culture, identity and gender shape the decision-making of educators.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Portfolio
Part A: (2-3 slides/pages or 2-3 minutes long)
Design an original analogy for the education profession in Australia today. Ensure you incorporate all key documents used this term along with important concepts explored. The analogy needs to be represented in more than word form, that is, involve images, music, or another device.
Part B (1200-1500 word essay)
The education profession is a complex and constantly evolving one. Use all the following prompts to examine the profession and your place in it.
- What are the main educational priorities in Australia today? How well do these purposes and outcomes align with societal changes in recent years? Give specific examples to justify your argument.
- How do educators demonstrate equity and social justice in their practice as they interact with diverse students? In what ways do educators’ personal perspectives influence these interactions? Use contemporary examples to illustrate your discussion.
- How has your perception of the profession changed or been reinforced? Justify your response.
Please note:
- Each of the key documents studied this term must be incorporated into your response.
- Part A and B have equal weighting.
- Each section within the essay has equal weighting.
- Contemporary references including those from this unit are expected in both parts of the assignment.
- An analogy is not the same as a metaphor. An analogy is a type of argument and helps to clarify a complex topic. A metaphor is a direct comparison and uses a little more poetic license.
- Maintain an academic tone throughout the essay.
At CQU, the word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Review/Exam Week Monday (3 June 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
The feedback will be returned to you prior to certification of grades.
Original representation of the education profession in Australia today via an analogy
Incorporation of key documents and concepts to explain analogy
Demonstration of familiarity with the education profession and with the chosen analogy
Analysis of alignment between educational priorities and recent societal changes
Explanation of how personal perspectives can impact interactions relevant to equity and social justice topics
Reflection on the development of perceptions about the education profession
Application of academic conventions, ICT and personal literacy competence
- Identify social, cultural and economic changes that impact on the purposes and outcomes of education in 21st century Australian society
- Reflect on the impact of personal perspectives of race, class, gender and identity formation on the professional role of educators
- Evaluate contemporary perspectives on social justice and their relationship to Professional Standards and Codes of Ethics and Conduct for professional educators
- Assess ways in which knowledge of educational contexts such as socioeconomic background, culture, identity and gender shape the decision-making of educators.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
