Overview
Youth is the period between childhood and adult age. Understanding youth is the focus of this unit. This understanding is developed through an opportunity to examine a number of complex issues pertaining to being an adolescent in Australian society. These examinations include an analysis of the role secondary school teachers have on developing effective skills to increase student engagement and achievement in all discipline areas and how these may affect learning. In this unit, you will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn, how issues pertaining to youth impact their engagement in learning and the implications for teachers' resilience and school wide approaches. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths, needs, and support the wellbeing of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds through an exploration of research and critical reflection of your current and future teaching 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 1 - 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 Student Survey
Academic staff are supportive and care about student success.
Maintain high levels of support for students.
Feedback from Student Survey
Quiz questions.
Review and revise quiz questions.
- Discuss the physical, social and intellectual development of youth and how these may affect learning and engagement
- Challenge contemporary thinking about teaching youth through engaging in research into how students learn and the implications for teaching
- Explore teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
- Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities
- Engage in professional learning and improve practice through understanding the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers including consideration of personal dilemmas and need for resilience as teachers teaching 21st Century youth.
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
1.2 Understand how students learn
1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
4.1 Support student participation
6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
| 2 - Online Quiz(zes) - 25% | |||||
| 3 - Critical Review - 25% | |||||
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 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
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.
j.deagon@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Who are they?
Chapter
Available via eReading List
Chapters 1 & 2 in Pendergast D., Main. K., & Bahr N. (2024). Teaching Middle Years : Rethinking Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment (Fourth Edition). Routledge.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Read task sheet for Assessment Task 1
Module/Topic
Where are they going?
Chapter
Available via eReading List
Chapter 14 in Pendergast D., Main. K., & Bahr N. (2024). Teaching Middle Years : Rethinking Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment (Fourth Edition). Routledge.
Garvis, S. et al. (2018). Child Development and Learning eBook.
Chapter 23: Programming and Planning for Australian Secondary Schools
Events and Submissions/Topic
Choose research topic for Assessment Task 1
Module/Topic
Cultural identity and gender
Chapter
Available via eReading List
Chapter 7 in Pendergast D., Main. K., & Bahr N. (2024). Teaching Middle Years : Rethinking Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment (Fourth Edition). Routledge.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Draft Assessment Task 1 with supporting research articles
Module/Topic
Social class
Chapter
Available via eReading List
Chapter 5 in Pendergast D., Main. K., & Bahr N. (2024). Teaching Middle Years : Rethinking Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment (Fourth Edition). Routledge.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Draft Assessment Task 1 with supporting research articles and APA 7th Ed reference list
Module/Topic
Indigenous education
Chapter
Available via eReading List
Chapter 3 in Pendergast D., Main. K., & Bahr N. (2024). Teaching Middle Years : Rethinking Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment (Fourth Edition). Routledge.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Edit and refine Assessment Task 1 before submission
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Who are we?
Chapter
Available via eReading List
Chapter 6 in Pendergast D., Main. K., & Bahr N. (2024). Teaching Middle Years : Rethinking Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment (Fourth Edition). Routledge.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
What we do
Chapter
Available via eReading List
Chapter 15 & 17 in Pendergast D., Main. K., & Bahr N. (2024). Teaching Middle Years : Rethinking Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment (Fourth Edition). Routledge.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 must be completed before 11pm Sunday
Module/Topic
What we say and how we say it
Chapter
Available via eReading List
Chapter 16 & 18 in Pendergast D., Main. K., & Bahr N. (2024). Teaching Middle Years : Rethinking Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment (Fourth Edition). Routledge.
Howell, J. (2014). Chapter 10: Becoming an Effective Communicator. In J. Howell, Teaching and Learning: Building Effective Pedagogies (pp. 331–349). Oxford University Press.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 must be completed before 11pm Sunday
Module/Topic
Trauma-Informed Practice
Chapter
Available via eReading List
Department of Education. (2020). Good Teaching: Trauma-Informed Practice.
Howard, J., L’Estrange, L., & Brown, M. (2022). National Guidelines for Trauma-Aware Education in Australia. Frontiers in Education
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 3 must be completed before 11pm Sunday
Read task sheet for Assessment Task 3 Critical Reflection
Module/Topic
Supporting wellbeing and safety
Chapter
Available via eReading List
Henderson and Milstein. (2003) Resiliency in Schools: Making it Happen for Students and Educations
Falecki. (2020) The Status of Teacher Wellbeing. Teacher Wellbeing Australia
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 4 must be completed before 11pm Sunday
Draft Assessment Task 3 Critical Reflection
Module/Topic
The impact of our skills on students
Chapter
Available via eReading List
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 5 must be completed before 11pm Sunday
Edit and refine Assessment Task 3 Critical Reflection including APA 7th Ed reference list before submission
Module/Topic
Role models of learning
Chapter
Available via eReading List
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Prepare a research paper that demonstrates your understanding of a chosen topic related to secondary school education. To do this, you must first research a chosen topic and then prepare a structured paper (essay) that:
- defines and explains the topic
- identifies how and why the issue impacts adolescents' domains of development (for example, physical, social and intellectual)
- discusses the implications for the education of secondary aged students and their teachers and how this may affect learning
- and makes recommendations for classroom practice and/or a whole school approach.
Step 1: Choose a topic
Select an issue or concern specific for secondary education students. Examples include:
- Mental health
- Risk taking behaviours (e.g. alcohol, drug, crime)
- Equity and discrimination
- Rural isolation
- Technology
- Youth (sub)cultures
- Identity
- Any other issue specific to adolescence that results in disengagement from learning or school.
You will notice that many of these topics overlap with unit topics in the first four weeks of the term.
Step 2: Research the Topic
Use the weekly readings and CQU Library online database tools to locate appropriate research journal articles (available in the eReading List). Read information from at least seven different sources. Define the boundary of your paper. For example, if choosing "youth subcultures", narrow it down to a specific aspect like "the impact of being a 'gamer' on students' learning and engagement in school". If unsure, please check your topic with your lecturer.
There will be more information on the research process provided throughout the Links to Assessment on the Moodle site.
Step 3: Write the Research Paper
Structure: Consider the structure of your paper, write a first draft, edit, include APA 7th Ed referencing and reference list, do a second draft, then produce a final piece for submission.
Sections to include:
- Instruction:
- Define and explain your chosen topic.
- Outline how and why the issue impacts adolescents' developmental domains (physical, social, intellectual).
- Impact on Adolescents:
- Discuss and justify how and why this topic impacts adolescents, supported by research.
- Implications for Education:
- Discuss the implications of your topic on the levels of engagement and learning outcomes for youth
- Explain how this impacts teachers' practice and student learning.
- Recommendations:
- Make recommendations for how teachers, whole schools and education systems could respond effectively to your topic.
- Suggest strategies that are responsive to the needs of students, based on your research and course content.
- Conclusion:
-
- Summarise your findings and recommendations.
- Reflect on the best practices for secondary school teaching.
-
Support:
- Use current research (within the last 5 years), including recent journal articles, textbooks, and professional readings.
- Include sources from the Moodle site and eReadings, as well as information from CQU Library database searches or "Google Scholar".
Length & Academic Writing Conventions
- Word Count: 2000 words +/-10%. The CQU College of Education outlines that 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 list and appendices. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.
- Writing Style: Write in third person and follow the recommended structure.
- Referencing: Use APA 7th Ed referencing style. See ALC resource for more information on referencing.
Academic Integrity and GenAI Tools
Maintaining Academic Integrity is paramount. Within this assessment, the use of Gen AI agents is as follows:
- Gen AI can be used for content editing.
- Gen AI must not be used to write content.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
This research assessment allows you to demonstrate the following APSTs*:
Professional Standard 1.1 Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students - Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
Professional Standard 1.2 Understand how students learn - Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
Professional Standard 1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds - Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Professional Standard 4.1 Support student participation - Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
Professional Standard 6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice - Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.
*A full copy of the AITSL's Australian Professional Standards for Teachers is available in Moodle.
Vacation Week Wednesday (16 Apr 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Upload through Moodle assessment link
It is anticipated that students will receive feedback 2 weeks after submission following completion of moderation.
- Explore and define complex issues that impact adolescent development and school engagement (APST1.1)
- Select and analyse contemporary research on how youth develop and learn (APST1.2)
- Discuss the implications that complex issues in adolescence have on teaching practice (APST1.3)
- Explain the role teachers and schools have in maintaining safe, inclusive and engaging learning environments for youth (APST4.1)
- Recommend secondary school teacher practices and strategies that are responsive to the needs of students (APST6.2)
- Demonstrate professional levels of personal literacy and knowledge of academic writing conventions
- Discuss the physical, social and intellectual development of youth and how these may affect learning and engagement
- Challenge contemporary thinking about teaching youth through engaging in research into how students learn and the implications for teaching
- Explore teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
- Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities
- Engage in professional learning and improve practice through understanding the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers including consideration of personal dilemmas and need for resilience as teachers teaching 21st Century youth.
2 Online Quiz(zes)
This task requires you to demonstrate an appropriate level of understanding, comprehension and application of the subject matter in Weeks 6-11. You will complete five online quizzes, one per week for each from 7 to 11. Cumulative score out of 25.
Essential Preparation
You must complete the readings and activities for each week as the questions are based on the information contained in the readings.
Further Information
You must complete the weekly quiz in the weeks in which they are allocated:
- Quiz 1 must be completed in week 7
- Quiz 2 in week 8
- Quiz 3 in week 9
- Quiz 4 in week 10
- Quiz 5 in week 11
Each weekly quiz will be open for all of that week only (i.e Week 8 quiz will be open from Monday of Week 7 through to the following Sunday - so you have 7 days to complete the quiz). If you have extenuating circumstances that align with the extension policy, you may request an alternative time to complete your quiz. To do so, you must submit an extension request through the Support link and provide documentation to support your request.
- You have 1 attempt only at each quiz.
- There are 10 questions per quiz, each question worth 0.5 of a mark.
- Each quiz is timed - you have 30 minutes to complete each quiz.
- Once you complete each of the quizzes you will know your score, but you will not know what answers were correct or incorrect. This information will be released to you at the end of the week once the quiz has been closed for that week. You will not be able to go back in and attempt the quiz again.
- Your responses for each quiz will be recorded for assessment purposes. To be eligible for a supplementary assessment you must have attempted at least one quiz.
The Quiz links are located within the Assessment Block.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
The quizzes allow you to demonstrate knowledge that support the following APSTs*:
Professional Standard 1.2 Understand how students learn - Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
Professional Standard 4.4 Maintain student safety - Describe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
*A full copy of the AITSL's Australian Professional Standards for Teachers is available in Moodle.
5
Weekly
Five weekly quiz will be open for all of that week only for Weeks 7 -11
Answers to quizzes will be released at the end of the week once the quiz has been closed for that week.
- Knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn (APTS1.2)
- Knowledge and understanding of traditional and contemporary thinking about teaching youth and the implications for teaching (APTS1.2)
- Knowledge and understanding of strategies that secondary school teachers can use to support students' wellbeing and safety (APTS4.4)
- Discuss the physical, social and intellectual development of youth and how these may affect learning and engagement
- Challenge contemporary thinking about teaching youth through engaging in research into how students learn and the implications for teaching
- Explore teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
- Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities
- Engage in professional learning and improve practice through understanding the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers including consideration of personal dilemmas and need for resilience as teachers teaching 21st Century youth.
3 Critical Review
This task requires you to demonstrate an appropriate level of awareness of your competencies through a critical reflection of your skills. Your reflection will outline your strengths and professional challenges relating to your personal communication skills, awareness of strategies and approaches for supporting the wellbeing and safety of students and understanding of trauma-informed teaching practice. Additionally, you will show your understanding of your impact on students and include a plan for improving your competencies before graduation.
Sources: using feedback from the first task, your experiences from weekly activities, quizzes and your reflection on personal circumstances, you are to write a 1300-word (approx.) critical reflection outlining your strengths and professional challenges relating to your levels of personal competency.
Critical Reflection Requirements:
1. Strengths and Professional Challanges (approx. 400 words):
- outline your strengths and professional challenges in relation communication, strategies to support student's wellbeing and safety, and trauma-informed practice.
- provide supporting examples drawn from the sources listed above.
2. Consequences of current skill level (approx. 300 words):
- discuss the consequences of your current personal skill level for both you and your future students.
- include academic references to support your discussion.
3. Improvement Plan (approx. 300 words):
- outline how you intend to improve your competencies in these areas to be prepared to competently teach secondary students.
- identify and include specific learning activities or sources that will aid in your improvement.
4. Concluding Statement (approx. 300 words):
- reflect on the evidence required to demonstrate the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers listed below.
- identify your greatest professional learning needs as you progress further into your teacher education course and prepare for your first placement next term.
Academic Integrity and GenAI Tools
Maintaining Academic Integrity is paramount. Within this assessment, the use of Gen AI agents is as follows:
- Gen AI can be used for content editing.
- Gen AI must not be used to write content.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
This reflective assessment allows you to demonstrate the following APSTs*:
Professional Standard 4.1 Support student participation - Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities.
Professional Standard 4.4 Maintain student safety - Describe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
Professional Standard 6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice - Understanding the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.
Professional Standard 6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning - Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning.
*A full copy of the AITSL's Australian Professional Standards for Teachers is available in Moodle.
Week 12 Wednesday (4 June 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Upload through Moodle assessment link
Feedback on the final assessment task will be provided following completion of moderation.
- Critical reflection on current personal communication skills and identify professional teaching communication skills that support youth in secondary school environments (APST4.1)
- Describe strategies that support student wellbeing and trauma-informed practice (APST4.4)
- Select relevant and appropriate professional literature to support and improve future teaching practice (APST6.2)
- Explore professional learning for teachers and whole school approaches to support resilience and engage youth in secondary school environments (APST6.4)
- Demonstrate professional levels of personal literacy and knowledge of academic writing conventions
- Discuss the physical, social and intellectual development of youth and how these may affect learning and engagement
- Challenge contemporary thinking about teaching youth through engaging in research into how students learn and the implications for teaching
- Explore teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
- Identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in classroom activities
- Engage in professional learning and improve practice through understanding the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers including consideration of personal dilemmas and need for resilience as teachers teaching 21st Century youth.
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?
