Students

EDUC262 – Education: The Learner

2014 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Kevin McGrath
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
EDUC105(P) or EDUC107(P)
Corequisites Corequisites
EDUC106 or (admission to GDipEd or BEd(Prim) or BEd(Sec))
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit is an educational psychology unit building on key understandings developed in either EDUC105 or EDUC107. The unit focuses on issues of learning and development, particularly as they relate to school-aged children and adolescents. The primary emphasis is on those aspects of cognition and social-cognition that are most relevant to educational practice, including attention, memory, metacognition, motivation, emotional development, and understanding of self. The unit is designed primarily for pre-service teachers, but other interested students who meet the prerequisites are also welcome.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Explain how information is learned and generate implications for classroom practice
  • Explain typical cognitive development (e.g. attention, memory, meta-cognition) and socio-cognitive development (e.g. self-concept, motivation, self-regulation) as it applies to children of school age
  • Synthesise knowledge about children’s cognitive and socio-cognitive development in order to identify and solve specific educational case study problems
  • Access appropriate psychological or educational literature, including peer-reviewed journal articles, using the library databases ERIC and PsycINFO
  • Take part in a research project, analysing the results of the research in light of appropriate theory and literature
  • Understand the classroom implications of a research project, making reference to appropriate theory and literature

General Assessment Information

For complete details of all assessment tasks, students should read the unit guide published on ilearn.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Literature Search 5% Week 4
Class Test 15% Week 7
Research Report 40% Week 10 or 12
Final Exam 40% Exam period

Literature Search

Due: Week 4
Weighting: 5%

Students are required to find one peer-reviewed journal article using either PsycINFO or ERIC. Students may choose to search for any topic covered in EDUC262, however it is recommended that they search for an article that will be of use to them in their research report.

See ilearn unit guide for more information.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Access appropriate psychological or educational literature, including peer-reviewed journal articles, using the library databases ERIC and PsycINFO

Class Test

Due: Week 7
Weighting: 15%

The class test comprises 25 multiple-choice questions, each with four alternatives, and assesses understanding and application of Week 3-6 content.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain typical cognitive development (e.g. attention, memory, meta-cognition) and socio-cognitive development (e.g. self-concept, motivation, self-regulation) as it applies to children of school age

Research Report

Due: Week 10 or 12
Weighting: 40%

Students will conduct their own mini research project. They will interview a learner aged 5 to 15, using one of two interview scripts provided. They will write a structured research report describing their project.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain how information is learned and generate implications for classroom practice
  • Explain typical cognitive development (e.g. attention, memory, meta-cognition) and socio-cognitive development (e.g. self-concept, motivation, self-regulation) as it applies to children of school age
  • Access appropriate psychological or educational literature, including peer-reviewed journal articles, using the library databases ERIC and PsycINFO
  • Take part in a research project, analysing the results of the research in light of appropriate theory and literature
  • Understand the classroom implications of a research project, making reference to appropriate theory and literature

Final Exam

Due: Exam period
Weighting: 40%

The final exam, held in the formal examination period, is 2 hours long plus reading time. It is designed to test students' ability to apply conceptual knowledge developed throughout the unit.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain how information is learned and generate implications for classroom practice
  • Explain typical cognitive development (e.g. attention, memory, meta-cognition) and socio-cognitive development (e.g. self-concept, motivation, self-regulation) as it applies to children of school age
  • Synthesise knowledge about children’s cognitive and socio-cognitive development in order to identify and solve specific educational case study problems

Delivery and Resources

Two lectures are delivered weekly accompanied by a one hour tutorial.

The recommended textbook for EDUC262 is: McDevitt, T. M., & Ormrod, J.E. (2011). Child Development and Education (5th ed).  Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Attendance: The procedures of the University assessment policy state that to be eligible for continuation in a unit students must “attend required classes and submit required assessment tasks.”  Activities completed during tutorials are essential for building the core knowledge and/or skills required to demonstrate the learning outcomes of this unit. Attendance at tutorials is therefore mandatory. The unit convenor reserves the right to exclude students from the unit for unsatisfactory attendance.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Take part in a research project, analysing the results of the research in light of appropriate theory and literature

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Understand the classroom implications of a research project, making reference to appropriate theory and literature

Assessment task

  • Research Report

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Explain how information is learned and generate implications for classroom practice

Assessment tasks

  • Literature Search
  • Class Test
  • Research Report
  • Final Exam

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Explain typical cognitive development (e.g. attention, memory, meta-cognition) and socio-cognitive development (e.g. self-concept, motivation, self-regulation) as it applies to children of school age
  • Understand the classroom implications of a research project, making reference to appropriate theory and literature

Assessment tasks

  • Research Report
  • Final Exam

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Synthesise knowledge about children’s cognitive and socio-cognitive development in order to identify and solve specific educational case study problems
  • Take part in a research project, analysing the results of the research in light of appropriate theory and literature
  • Understand the classroom implications of a research project, making reference to appropriate theory and literature

Assessment tasks

  • Literature Search
  • Research Report

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Access appropriate psychological or educational literature, including peer-reviewed journal articles, using the library databases ERIC and PsycINFO

Assessment task

  • Research Report

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Take part in a research project, analysing the results of the research in light of appropriate theory and literature

Assessment task

  • Research Report