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 - 2026
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 SUTE data
ALC tutorials
Continue to offer ALC tutorials related to this unit.
Feedback from SUTE data
Assessment feedback
Ensure feedback on assessment tasks is purposeful and directly linked to each assignment.
- 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, 6th Edition
6th Edition (2025)
Authors: Churchill, R., Apps, T., Batt, J., Beckman, K., Grainger, P., Holloway, J., Keddie, A., Letts, W., MacKay, J., McGill, M., Moss, J., Nagel, M.C., & Shaw, K. (Eds)
John Wiley & Sons Australia
Milton Milton , QLD , Australia
ISBN: 9781394267248; 9781394267255
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.
m.g.wyland@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to the unit, including navigating Moodle and assessment task requirements.
Reasons for Choosing Education as a Profession
Perceptions of Educators' Work
Old and New Perceptions of Teaching
Defining "Good" Teaching Practice
Chapter
Churchill et al., 2025, [Ch.1] pp2-8
Teach Queensland Website, 2023
Corrigan, 2016 * recommended
Ewing et al., 2020, pp2-8 * recommended
Events and Submissions/Topic
Post on General Discussion forum:
Share with your peers a key reason for choosing this profession and be sure to comment on someone else’s response to help build our collaborative learning community.
Module/Topic
Understanding Identity
Professional Identities and Teaching Practice
Metaphors for Understanding Beliefs about Teaching
Chapter
Kennedy et al., 2022, pp. 2-14
Churchill et al., 2025, pp14-18; p.477* recommended
Fraser, 2012, pp. 55-75 * recommended
Events and Submissions/Topic
Post on General Discussion forum:
Name your top three values that you believe are most relevant to the teaching profession. Remember to comment on a peer’s response as well, as this interaction helps deepen your understanding and supports collaborative learning.
Module/Topic
Learning to Think Like a Teacher
Learning Through Practice
Chapter
Churchill et al., 2025, [Ch. 3] pp 74-106
Whitton et al., 2022, pp. 596-623
Churchill et al., 2025, pp. 529-564 *recommended
Darling-Hammond, 2017 *recommended
Events and Submissions/Topic
Post to General Discussion forum:
Share something you feel competent, proficient, or even expert in, and then ask a peer a question about their skills or knowledge to help deepen the conversation.
Module/Topic
Stakeholders in Education
External Changes Affecting Teachers' Work
Enacting Change in Educational Contexts
Chapter
Churchill et al., 2025, pp. 42-47
Mission Australia Youth Survey 2023 Summary Booklet
Making Multicultural Australia for the 21st Century (Board of Studies, NSW, 2024) * recommended
Uluru Statement from the heart * recommended
Events and Submissions/Topic
Post to the General Discussion Board something you have learned, been challenged by, or a response to at least one of the questions posed in this week’s Moodle content.
Module/Topic
Diversity Among Learners
Teacher Expectations and Their Effect on Student Learning
Chapter
Sempowicz, 2021
Hyry-Beihammer et al., 2019
Churchill et al., 2025, pp. [Ch.5], p.137; pp 154-167* recommended
McKay, 2016 *recommended
Events and Submissions/Topic
Post to General Discussion forum:
Please share something about diversity that was new to you or offered a different perspective from what you previously understood. Make sure you also read other students’ posts, as engaging with a range of perspectives is an important part of your professional growth.
Module/Topic
Equity in Australian Schools
Social Justice in the Educational Context
The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration
Parents and Carers as Partners
Chapter
Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration
Churchill et al., 2025, [Ch 5] pp. 137-160; [Ch 16] pp539-564
Kennedy, K., Henderson, D., & Marsh, C, 2022, [Ch 15] pp 308-327
Salberg, 2022 *recommended
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment 1 Task: Autobiographical Reflection
Date Due: Week 6, Wednesday 15th April 2026, 11.45pm AEST
A 72-hour grace period is available after the assessment due date to support students who experience unexpected difficulties that prevent them from submitting on time. This means you have an extra 72 hours to submit your task without any academic penalty.
Gen AI Level 3 is permitted for this assessment task.
Gen AI content may be used to generate ideas and general structures.
Gen AI can be used for content editing and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any AI-generated content you use.
Any use of Gen AI software must be cited in the relevant sections.
For more detail, see AI Assessment Scale Level 3 (Perkins, Furze, Roe & MacVaugh, 2024).
Autobiographical Reflection Due: Week 6 Tuesday (14 Apr 2026) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
There are no classes scheduled for this period.
Module/Topic
What is a Profession and is Teaching Professional Work?
Professional Guidelines for Teachers
Expectations of a Professional Educator
Chapter
Stone, 2020, Chapter 3
Strong Beginnings: Report of the Teacher Education Expert Panel, 2023, pp. 6-8
Mayer & Mills, 2021* recommended
Gore, 2022* recommended
Events and Submissions/Topic
Post to the General Discussion Forum:
Your thoughts on what distinguishes the teaching profession from other official professions (such as doctors or engineers), as well as from unofficial professions (such as sportspersons or actors). Make a note of your peers’ responses, as these insights will help shape your thinking for the second assignment.
Module/Topic
Current Discourses About Education in Australia
Changing Expectations of Education and Educators
Educational Technologies Reflect Old and New Discourses
Chapter
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and Educational Department websites
The National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, 2022
Brennan, 2022 - Review of the National School Reform Agreement - Overview
Hogarth, 2020 * recommended
Churchill et al., 2025, pp. 50-54; 59-70* recommended
Events and Submissions/Topic
Post to Discussion forum:
Pick one example of a recent societal change and one idea from this week’s readings. Share on the forum any links or discrepancies you can identify between them.
Module/Topic
Challenges in Defining Standards for "Good Teaching"
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
Chapter
Churchill et al., 2025, pp 515-522
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, APST, 2017
Events and Submissions/Topic
Watch the APST animation and answer the related questions. Then compare your initial evaluation of the APST with your views now, noting any changes and supporting these with examples or evidence. Complete the APST focus areas activity.
Module/Topic
Code of Ethics for Teachers
Code of Conduct
Chapter
Code of Ethics from your State/Territory Authority
Code of Conduct from your State/Territory Authority (these two codes may be combined into a single document)
Code of Ethics from Early Childhood Australia (if relevant)
Churchill et al., 2025, p518 *recommended
Events and Submissions/Topic
Note similarities and differences between all the documents studied so far this term including the Mparntwe Declaration and the APST.
Module/Topic
Human Rights and Legislation Affecting Teachers' Work
"Duty of Care" and Student Protection
Chapter
Professional boundaries: A guide for Queensland teachers, 2019 - Even if you do not live in Queensland, this document gives a clear indication of your professional obligations.
Churchill et al., 2025, pp. 523-529
Youth Law Australia (n.d.) website* recommended
Events and Submissions/Topic
Respond to the questions about respecting students' rights.
Predict how you might respond to the supplied examples of "duty of care" situations.
Create a list of potential situations when/how an educator's "duty of care" may be questioned.
Module/Topic
Review course learning materials and complete assessment task two.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Task 2: Multimodal Response
Date Due: Week 12 Tuesday 2nd June 2026, 11.45pm AEST
A 72-hour grace period is available after the assessment due date to support students who experience unexpected difficulties that prevent them from submitting on time. This means you have an extra 72 hours to submit your task without any academic penalty.
Gen AI software, level 3, can be used for this assessment task. This includes creating the infographic. For more detail, see AI Assessment Scale Level 3 (Perkins, Furze, Roe & MacVaugh, 2024).
Any use of Gen AI software must be cited in the relevant sections.
Multimodal Response Due: Week 12 Tuesday (2 June 2026) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
For students enrolled in on‑campus tutorials, your tutor for this term is:
Cairns: Dr Jane Greenlees
Mackay: Alun Tunnah
Bundaberg: Lisa Turner Katelyn Daniel
Rockhampton: Vincent Mawn
1 Written Assessment
In 2000 words,
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 throughout your discussion.
First person (e.g., “I remember”, “my teachers”, etc) is appropriate for this assignment.
Examples of societal change must be less than ten 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.
Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence agents (Gen AI level 3)
Within this assessment, the use of Gen AI agents is as follows:
AI Assessment Scale: Level 3 is permitted for this assessment.
You may use AI to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining, and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any AI-generated content. Any misuse or lack of disclosure regarding AI tools will be considered a breach of academic integrity.
Any use of Gen AI software must be cited in the relevant sections.
Refer to AI Assessment Scale level 3 for further detail (Perkins, Furze, Roe & MacVaugh, 2024).
A 72‑hour grace period is available after the assessment due date to support students who experience unexpected difficulties that prevent them from submitting on time. This means you have an extra 72 hours to submit your task without any academic penalty.
At CQUniversity, 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.
Week 6 Tuesday (14 Apr 2026) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 9 Tuesday (12 May 2026)
Assessments will be marked and returned to students approximately 3 weeks following submission of assessment by student.
Learning Outcomes Assessed
- Ability to choose and analyse personal educational experiences that underpin the foundation 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
- Demonstration 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: (1 slide/page)
Design an original infographic depicting your developing views of the education profession in Australia today.
• Ensure you incorporate key documents used this term along with important concepts explored.
• The infographic must include images, symbols, colours or other visual devices.
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.
- What are the main educational priorities in Australia today?
- How well do these purposes and outcomes align with societal changes in recent years?
- Justify your argument with the aid of specific examples including those discussed in this unit.
- 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? Illustrate your discussion using contemporary Australian examples.
Please note:
- As a minimum, the key documents include the Mpartnwe Declaration, the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, your State or Territory’s Code/s of Conduct and Ethics.
- Part A and B have equal weighting.
- Contemporary Australian references including those from this unit are expected in both parts of the assignment.
- Maintain an academic tone throughout the essay.
Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence agents (Gen AI level 3 permitted)
Within this assessment, the use of Gen AI agents is as follows:
AI Assessment Scale: Level 3 is permitted for this assessment.
You may use AI to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining, and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any AI-generated content. Any misuse or lack of disclosure regarding AI tools will be considered a breach of academic integrity.
Please note: you may also use Gen AI to assist you with creating the Infographic in Task A.
Any use of Gen AI software must be cited in the relevant sections.
Refer to AI Assessment Scale level 3 for further detail (Perkins, Furze, Roe & MacVaugh, 2024).
A 72‑hour grace period is available after the assessment due date to support students who experience unexpected difficulties that prevent them from submitting on time. This means you have an extra 72 hours to submit your task without any academic penalty.
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.
Week 12 Tuesday (2 June 2026) 11:45 pm AEST
Assessments will be marked and returned to students approximately 3 weeks following submission of assessment task by student.
Learning Outcomes Assessed
- 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
- Demonstration 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 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?
