Overview
In this unit the focus is on students in the pre-adolescent and adolescent years. In this unit you will develop further understandings about the ways in which educators create supportive learning environments that are responsive to students needs. In particular, you will identify strategies to promote positive wellness and mental health for yourself and for your students. You will articulate a developed understanding of the links between risk and protective factors, wellness and learning, and use examples from your environment and community to develop analytical and practical knowledge of the notion of wellbeing and mental, emotional and social health as a community concern. Throughout this unit you will reflect upon the ways in which learning and wellbeing are linked and how a learner’s individual, school and community experiences can impact on wellbeing. You will also consider your own wellbeing and explore enabling strategies that will support the efficacy of your own professional practice.
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 2 - 2025
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
Review assessment tasks
Revise the assessment tasks so that they are manageable and relevant.
- Identify and critique relevant policies, relationships, organisations and networks that support the wellbeing of individuals and communities
- Examine the range of risk and protective factors that impact on the wellbeing of pre-adolescent and adolescent individuals from diverse social and cultural backgrounds
- Evaluate strategies and processes that can support and maximise individual and community wellbeing, belonging and safety in physical, social and cyber environments
- Identify strategies that contribute to the maintenance of personal and professional wellbeing of educators
- Discuss the role of educators in the promotion of social, emotional and mental wellbeing to enhance student learning in rapidly changing 21st century contexts
- Communicate an explicit commitment to the wellbeing of learners through defence of socially just classroom practice and strategies for building productive partnerships with students, parents and carers and communities.
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
3.7 Engage parents/carers in the educative process
4.4 Maintain student safety
6.1 Identify and plan professional learning needs
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities
7.3 Engage with the parents/carers
7.4 Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 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 - 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 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
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.
r.vanderburg@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
- Who are the Middle Years Students?
- What is wellbeing, safety and resilience?
- What is the link between wellbeing & learning for students?
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- What is happening for Middle Years Students?
- What makes Middle School Students vulnerable?
- Potential sources of risks.
- What does the data say about Middle Years Students' wellbeing & learning?
Chapter
- Young Minds Matter: The Mental Health of Australian Children & Adolescents
- Student Wellbeing, Engagement & Learning Across the Middle Years
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- What responsibilities do we have as teachers to support, promote and maintain student wellbeing and safety?
- Schools' response to student wellbeing.
Chapter
- Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration
- National & State Wellbeing Frameworks
- Education Resources - Trauma, Mental Health and Bullying
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- What is the role of external resources, and how can they assist with Middle Years students' wellbeing, resilience and safety?
- External Resource Scan
Chapter
- Be You
- Headspace
- E-Safety Commission
- Resilience Project
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- What does mitigating risk and protective factors look like for Middle Years students?
- Evaluation of resources using the Resiliency Wheel Framework in different environments.
Chapter
- Resiliency Wheel Framework
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- What is the importance of personal and professional resiliency?
- Being self-aware
Chapter
- Teacher Resilience Model
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Task 1 Due
Assessment Task 1 - Wellbeing Context: literature, policy and community resource scan Due: Week 6 Monday (25 Aug 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
- Self-care strategies
- Support networks for teachers
Chapter
- Be You for Pre-service Teachers
- BRITE
- Teacher Wellbeing Australia
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- Comparing Wellbeing Frameworks against Resiliency Builders
Chapter
- Circle of Courage
- PERMA & PERMA+
- Social & Emotional Learning (SEL)
- Resilience Doughnut
- ARACY Nest
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- Establishing Learning Environment Culture
- Curriculum & Pedagogy Strategies
- Relationship Building/Partnerships
- Policies & Procedures
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- Wellbeing initiatives and the development of strategies for whole school and classroom contexts
Chapter
- Growth Mindset
- Institute of Positive Education
- Be You Schools
- Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- Education Stakeholders
- Australian Professional Standards
- Council of Parents & Citizens Association
Chapter
- Parents as Partners
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- Sharing Frameworks, pedagogical strategies and self-care strategies
- Review and Reflection
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Task 2 Due
Assessment Task 2 - Educator Context: Personal meets Professional Reflection & Creation of School Wellbeing Framework Due: Week 12 Friday (10 Oct 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
This task consists of three individual written parts. (Word count is included for each section – please note that the word count does not apply to Part B).
Part A: Written Report/Essay (1500 words)
Present your insights, supported by relevant research, on student wellbeing, resilience, and safety in relation to middle years students and the educational context in which you learn and teach.
Focus particularly on:
- Defining and describing the significance of wellbeing, resilience, and safety for young people.
- Describing the current context of Australian education in which wellbeing promotion is situated.
- Identifying and examining young people's characteristics, environments, and backgrounds that render them vulnerable to wellbeing impacts and potentially label them as students ‘At Risk’.
Part B: Resource Package
Create a resource package that demonstrates your understanding of the range of contemporary issues that pose potential risks for middle school students. This will serve as a valuable resource for you and those supporting students during the Middle School Years. Your package must include:
- One-page “At A Glance” representation of the broad range of potential sources of risk for middle school students (you may like to use a concept map to present your understanding).
- Resource bank of external community resources that would be suitable for supporting middle school students' wellbeing and safety regarding four of the potential sources of risk (e.g., domestic violence, cyberbullying, drug use, etc.) that you have identified. Including active hyperlinks to specific pages related to each source of risk, where possible, is necessary, along with a brief annotation describing how this may support, promote, or maintain the wellbeing and safety of middle years students.
- Education curriculum, policies, and relevant legislation links (e.g. ACARA, QCAA, Education Department Frameworks, Codes of Conduct & Ethics, Child Protection, etc.) that demonstrate how schools support and maintain students' wellbeing and safety within curriculum and legislative requirements relevant to your chosen sources of risk.
Part C: Alignment of External Resource to Resiliency Wheel & Written Evaluation (800 words)
- Choose a specific key resource or support material from the Resource Scan (Part B) and align it with the six resilience builders presented in the Resiliency Wheel (Henderson, 2007), identifying how the resource offers opportunities to mitigate risk factors and build resilience for the associated risk. You can present this using a visual representation or a table format.
- Include an 800-word evaluation of the effectiveness of this resource in relation to the Resiliency Builders, and explain how this resource could be used by teachers to mitigate the identified risk factor and foster resilience among middle school students.
AI Assessment scale tool:
Level 2 - You can use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should demonstrate how you have developed and refined these ideas. Any misuse or failure to disclose the use of AI tools will be regarded as a breach of academic integrity.
AI-generated content for your critique and review.
Please refer to the Moodle Assessment tile for specific details.
Please note: The word count is considered from the introduction's first word to the conclusion's last word (unless specifically stated in the Task Description). It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Week 6 Monday (25 Aug 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Due on Monday 8/25/2025
Week 9 Friday (19 Sept 2025)
Assessments will be marked, moderated and returned to students in a timely manner that provides sufficient feedback for the completion of Assessment Task 2.
- Research-informed examination demonstrating understandings of the vulnerability of middle years students and the factors (characteristics and diverse backgrounds) that could impact their well-being, resilience, and safety within school and community systems. (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 1.1, 1.3 & 4.4).
- Demonstration of a broad range of potential risk sources for middle years students, along with explicit identification and description of both external resources (professionals, community representatives, and organisations) and school-based resources (curriculum, legislation, and personnel) that can be used to maintain and support students' wellbeing and safety. (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 4.4 & 7.4).
- Evaluation of a key resource for one source of contemporary risk (identified in Part B) using the Resiliency Wheel to determine how the resource provides both opportunities for mitigating risk factors and building resilience for middle years students. (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 4.4).
- Personal written competencies that convey the ‘student well-being’ context, utilising knowledge of academic practices and conventions.
- Identify and critique relevant policies, relationships, organisations and networks that support the wellbeing of individuals and communities
- Examine the range of risk and protective factors that impact on the wellbeing of pre-adolescent and adolescent individuals from diverse social and cultural backgrounds
- Evaluate strategies and processes that can support and maximise individual and community wellbeing, belonging and safety in physical, social and cyber environments
- Identify strategies that contribute to the maintenance of personal and professional wellbeing of educators
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
This is an individual written task, and it consists of two parts (word count included in each section – note that the word count does not pertain to the Wellbeing Framework).
Part A: Journal Entries – Personal meets Professional: Wellbeing & Resilience Reflection (1000 words)
Being a teacher in the 21st century presents numerous challenges, both personally and professionally. Critically reflecting on your own well-being, resilience, support networks, and self-care strategies will help you identify how these relate to your future work as a teacher and the development of teacher resilience.
- You are to write three to four journal entries (approximately 250-300 words each), critically reflecting on your personal wellbeing, resilience, and self-care strategies, and considering how these contribute to your preparedness as a future classroom teacher.
- You may utilise the Resilient Teacher Model to pinpoint dimensions with which your personal strategies align, helping you to identify the types of strategies that may be beneficial as a future teacher.
- Journal entries should be written in the first person and do not require academic referencing.
Part B: Wellbeing Framework and Justification - (1000 Word Justification – no word count for Wellbeing Framework)
Wellbeing committees are present in schools, and part of their role is to promote various whole-school and classroom strategies that support the entire school community. For this part of the assessment task, you will need to create a Whole School Wellbeing Framework. Your framework must include specific strategies and activities for both whole school and classroom initiatives and engaging the wider school community (teachers, students, and parents/carers). To guide the development of your framework, you may consider existing Wellbeing Frameworks (e.g., Circle of Courage, Resiliency Wheel, PERMA, etc.) shared within this Unit and use these as your base, or you may wish to develop your own Wellbeing Framework. You will then write a justification that draws upon current research and literature, explaining:
- The need for the framework, including how and why you have selected or developed this framework.
- The ways the frame can support teachers' work by discussing the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (especially Standard 4).
- How the model fosters student wellbeing and creates safe, supportive learning environments.
- How could this framework be communicated and shared with parents and caregivers to build productive partnerships.
Part B must include:
- A one-page Wellbeing Model that could be displayed throughout the school to effectively communicate this to all stakeholders.
- A framework that encompasses targeted strategies for both whole-school and classroom environments.
- Strategies embedded within the framework need to consider: a) learning environments; b) curriculum and pedagogy; c) relationship building; and d) policies and procedures for each environment.
- Written justification
AI Assessment scale tool:
Level 2 - You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should demonstrate how you have developed and refined these ideas. Any misuse or failure to disclose the use of AI tools will be regarded as a breach of academic integrity.
AI-generated content for your critique and review.
Please refer to the Moodle Assessment tile for specific details.
Important Deadline Requirements:
This assessment needs to be completed and submitted before commencing your practical placement (PRAC). This requirement ensures that you can dedicate your full attention to your practical experience without any unresolved academic duties.
Extension Policy: Extensions may be considered appropriately; however, any approved extension cannot extend beyond your PRAC commencement date. The assessment must be completed prior to commencing your practical placement, regardless of any extension granted.
If you anticipate challenges in meeting the deadline or wish to discuss a potential extension, please get in touch with me at your earliest convenience to explore your options while ensuring compliance with the PRAC timing requirements.
Please note: The word count is calculated from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion (unless specifically stated in the Task Description). It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page, reference page, and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Week 12 Friday (10 Oct 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Due on the Friday 10/10/2025
Exam Week Friday (24 Oct 2025)
Assessment Task 2 will be returned to students within appropriate time-frames that accommodate marking, moderation and the finalisation of grades.
- Critical reflection and self-study on cultivating personal resilience to identify and discuss potential professional resilience, self-care strategies, and professional learning needs as a future teacher. (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 6.1).
- Presentation of a comprehensive school wellbeing framework that identifies strategies to support students' wellbeing and safety within the entire school and classroom environments. This framework considers the learning environment, curriculum, pedagogy, relationship building, and relevant policies and procedures (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 4.4).
- Justifying the developed whole school framework by utilising contemporary research and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to articulate the selection of the framework, integrated whole school and classroom strategies, as well as the commitment to enhancing student wellbeing and safety through constructive partnerships with students, parents/carers, and the community. (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Standard 4).
- Demonstrated personal written competencies that reflect knowledge of academic practices and conventions.
- Identify strategies that contribute to the maintenance of personal and professional wellbeing of educators
- Discuss the role of educators in the promotion of social, emotional and mental wellbeing to enhance student learning in rapidly changing 21st century contexts
- Communicate an explicit commitment to the wellbeing of learners through defence of socially just classroom practice and strategies for building productive partnerships with students, parents and carers and communities.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- 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?
