Extensions and Late penalties

Applications for extensions must be made via AskMQ at https://ask.mq.edu.au as a Special Consideration request before the submission date. Students who experience a disruption to their studies through ill-health or misadventure are able to apply for this request. Extensions can only be granted if they meet the Special Considerations policy and are submitted via https://ask.mq.edu.au/. This will ensure consistency in the consideration of such requests is maintained.

In general, there should be no need for extensions except through illness or misadventure that would be categorised as unavoidable disruption according to the University definition of same, see:  https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration 

Late submissions without extension will receive a penalty of 5% reduction of the total possible mark for each day late (including weekends and public holidays). You are reminded that submitting even just 1 day late could be the difference between passing and failing a unit. Late penalties are applied by unit convenors or their delegates after tasks are assessed.

No assessable work will be accepted after the return/release of marked work on the same topic. If a student is still permitted to submit on the basis of unavoidable disruption, an alternative topic may be set.

Students should keep an electronic file of all assessments. Claims regarding "lost" assessments cannot be made if the file cannot be produced. It is also advisable to keep an electronic file of all drafts and the final submission on a USB untouched/unopened after submission. This can be used to demonstrate easily that the assessment has not been amended after the submission date.

Requesting a remark of an assignment

If you have evidence that your task has been incorrectly assessed against the grade descriptors you can request a re-mark.  To request a re-mark you need to contact  the unit convenor within 7 days of the date of return of the assignment and provide a detailed assessment of your script against the task criteria. Evidence from your assignment must be provided to support your judgements.

Note: Failed assessments can not be re-submitted as they are all double-marked as a part of the moderation process.

Please note: The outcome of a re-mark may be a higher/lower or unchanged grade. Grades are standards referenced and effort is NOT a criterion.

Disruption to Studies

The following link takes you to the Disruption to Studies policy, which makes clear the ways in which you can apply for special consideration in times of difficulty.

http://students.mq.edu.au/student_admin/exams/disruption_to_studies/

Academic honesty

The nature of scholarly endeavour, dependent as it is on the work of others, binds all members of the University community to abide by the principles of academic honesty.

Plagiarism is a matter of particular importance. Plagiarism is defined as using the work or ideas of another person and presenting this as your own without clear acknowledgement of the source of the work or ideas. This includes, but is not limited to, any of the following acts:

• copying out part(s) of any document or audio-visual material or computer code or website content without indicating their origins;
• using or extracting another person's concepts, experimental results, or conclusions;
• summarising another person's work;
• submitting substantially the same final version of any material as another student in an assignment where there was collaborative preparatory work;
• use of others (paid or otherwise) to conceive, research or write material submitted for assessment; and
• submitting the same or substantially the same piece of work for two different tasks (self-plagiarism).

The University’s Academic Honesty Policy can be found on the Policy Central website: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/index.html

TURNITIN is used to assist students with appropriate referencing and paraphrasing, and to detect plagiarism. The system also serves as a digital repository if anything should happen to your hard copy submission or personal backup. Please ensure you have stated your TURNITIN receipt number on your coversheet. A link to TURNITIN is embedded in iLearn.

Assessment Presentation & Submission Guidelines

Please follow these guidelines when you submit each assignment:

● Allow a left and right-hand margin of at least 2cm in all assignments. ● Please type all assignments using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing. ● All assessments must be submitted through Turnitin in .doc or .pdf format ● It is the onus of the student to ensure that all assessments are successfully submitted through Turnitin. ● Faculty assignment cover sheets are NOT required.   Draft Submissions & Turnitin Originality Reports

● Students may use Turnitin’s Originality Report as a learning tool to improve their academic writing if this option is made available in the unit. ● Students are strongly encouraged to upload a draft copy of each assessment to Turnitin at least one week prior to the due date to obtain an Originality Report. ● The Originality Report provides students with a similarity index that may indicate if plagiarism has occurred. Students will be able to make amendments to their drafts prior to their final submission on the due date. ● Generally, one Originality Report is generated every 24 hours up to the due date.   Please note:

● Students should regularly save a copy of all assignments before submission, ● Unless there are exceptional circumstances, no assessment will be accepted after the date that the assessment has been returned to other students. ● Students are responsible for checking that their submission has been successful and has been submitted by the due date and time.

Submissions of Family & Children’s Records

Some assessment tasks require students to submit records about families and about children and their learning. It is expected that the records submitted are original, authentic, adheres to ethical practices and is the work of the student. Issues with the authenticity of such records will be investigated for possible forgery. Please note that submitted records can only be used once for assessment purposes.

Confidentiality Students must respect the need for sensitivity and confidentially and ensure that privacy obligations are met. There should be nothing in assessment submissions that identifies a centre or school. Use only the first name for children, families and staff. Do not record details that enable identification of the site, and of the adults or children.

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/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

University policy on grading

The University recognises the importance of producing grades and reports of student learning achievements that are valid, reliable and accurate representations of each student’s capabilities in relation to clearly articulated learning outcomes. Your final result for this unit will include a grade plus a standardised numerical grade (SNG).

For an explanation of the policy go to Policy Central: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/index.html

Criteria for awarding grades for assessment tasks

Assignments will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the University's Grading Policy. The following descriptive criteria are included for your information.

Criteria for awarding grades in the unit

Students will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the policy: http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

The following generic grade descriptors provide university-wide standards for awarding final grades.

NOTE: Numerical marks will NOT be awarded for individual assessment tasks.

In this unit, all tasks will be reported by GRADES.

Marks are only shown for your final reported grade for this Unit. 

Appeals against grades

University regulations allow for students to appeal a unit grade if they feel they have been disadvantaged.

Grading appeals can be lodged on the following grounds:

• a clerical error occurred in the determination of a final grade

• the Unit Guide was not in accordance with the Unit Guide Policy
• due regard was not paid to an illness or misadventure that had been found to be eligible for special consideration
• the student had been disadvantaged in some way due to the conduct of an assessment task
• the student had been disadvantaged by variation of the assessment requirements or feedback provisions laid out in the Unit Guide
• the assessor’s judgement was not objectively applied.

Further information regarding the relevant policy and procedures can be found on the University's Policy Central website:

http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/index.html

Student Support Services

Student services: Ask MQ  ask.mq.edu.au/

Online service for student enquiries and requests: all questions/forms can be submitted through this address.

Please use this service for the submission of all requests for special considerations, extensions etc.

Study Skills Support Unit

Assistance is provided through a range of programs for students.

Services include study skills Tutorials and individual consultations, as well as useful online resources. Free academic writing programs are also offered.

http://www.students.mq.edu.au/support/learning_skills

UniWISE: http://www.students.mq.edu.au/support/learning_skills/undergraduate/uniwise

An iLearn resource specifically designed to help Undergraduate students develop their Academic writing and learning skills.

Student Wellbeing

Macquarie University provides a range of Academic Student Support Services. Details of these services can be accessed at http://www.student.mq.edu.au.

Disruption to Study Policy

The University is committed to equity and fairness in all aspects of its learning and teaching. In stating this commitment, the University recognises that there may be circumstances where a student is prevented by unavoidable disruption from performing in accordance with their ability. This policy supports students who experience serious and unavoidable disruption such that they do not reach their usual demonstrated performance level.  Please see:

http://students.mq.edu.au/student_admin/exams/disruption_to_studies/

Advice for students with disabilities/ health conditions

The Disability Support Unit provides support and assistance to students with a disability/ health condition to enable them to achieve their academic potential. Service provision is tailored to individual need following an interview and the provision of supporting documentation.

Disability Support Unit ph 9850 7497          Email: campuswellbeing@mq.edu.au         

In person: Level 2, Lincoln Building (C8A).  Website: http://students.mq.edu.au/campus_life/campus_wellbeing_support_services/disability_service/

Students with disability/health condition need to register with Campus Wellbeing throughhttps://ask.mq.edu.au/account/forms/display/wellbeing_registration 

and the Advice of Disability/Health Condition form can be downloaded from http://students.mq.edu.au/support/health_and_wellbeing/disability_service/how_to_register/

Word document download link: http://students.mq.edu.au/public/download.jsp?id=267138

PDF document download link: http://students.mq.edu.au/public/download.jsp?id=267008

IT help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Department Procedures

Attendance for undergraduate units

All tutorials begin in Week 1 of Session. Students who are on placement (Primary students) are expected to catch up on the first 2 weeks of unit content and be in class week 3 (or complete the unit externally).

Activities completed during weekly tutorials (internal) or on campus days (external) are essential for building the core knowledge and/or skills required to demonstrate the learning outcomes of this unit [and to meet the AITSL Graduate Teacher Standards and/or ACECQA requirements]. Attendance at all tutorials or on campus days is expected and the roll will be taken.

Students are required to attend the tutorial in which they are enrolled. Any changes to tutorial enrolments must be completed officially through e-student. Please do not contact the unit convenor requesting a change. 

Withdrawing from this UG Unit

If you are considering withdrawing from this unit, please seek academic advice by writing to https://ask.mq.edu.au before doing so as this unit may be a co-requisite or prerequisite for units in the following semesters and may impact on your progression through the degree.  

Unit Expectations

● Students are expected to read weekly readings before completing tasks and attending tutorials ● Students are expected to listen to weekly lectures before completing tasks and attending tutorials

Note: It is not the responsibility of unit staff to contact students who have failed to submit assignments.  If you have any missing items of assessment, it is your responsibility to make contact with the unit convenor.

Required and recommended texts and/or materials

There is an expectation that you complete the scholarly reading in this unit. It is an integral part of your study of UNIT ECH326. 

Prescribed Texts:

The following is available from the University Cooperative Bookshop and it is essential for this unit.

Grace, R., Hodge, K., & McMahon, C. (2017). Children, families and communities: Contexts and consequences. (5th Edition) Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

The book is an edited collection of up-to-date chapters written about many of the themes in this unit.  It was first developed as a direct result of the need for a reference book with Australian content for this unit and other courses about family and community contexts that influence children in their development.

Perrin, R. (2015). Pocket guide to APA style (5th ed.). Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.

Recommended Reading, References and Resources.

Further Professional reading and references:

Australian Family and Society Abstracts

This is a collection of articles and conference papers collected by the Australian Institute of Family Studies in Melbourne.  It is available on OZLINE, accessible via the Internet, and on AUSTROM, a CD-ROM available in Macquarie University Library.

Other databases of references relevant to this unit are:

ERIC                                       A collection of education references

Sociology of Education           A collection of sociology references

PsycINFO                               A collection of psychology references.

AUSTHealth                            A collection of references on health issues in Australia, including child and family wellbeing

ATSIhealth                              A collection of references on indigenous issues including information about Aboriginal children and families

Expanded Academic ASAP   Multi-subject indexing (social science, humanities, arts economics), abstract and full-text database

Family                                     Produced by Australian Institute of Family Studies

Additional suggestions:

Australian Institute of Family Studies (2013). Family Facts and Figures. Retrieved from: http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/info/charts/familystructure/index.html

Baxter, J., Hayes, A., & Gray, M. (2011). Families in Rural, Regional and Remote Australia. Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies. Available at http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/factssheets/2011/fs201103.html

Cassells, R., Toohey, M., Keegan, M., & Mohanty, I. (2013). Modern Family: The changing shape of Australian families, AMP.NATSEM Income and Wealth Report Issue 34, October.

Closing the gap. Priminister’s 2017 report.

Cloughessy, K. & Waniganayake. M. (2013). Early childhood educators working with children who have lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents: what does the literature tell us? Early Child Development and Care. DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2013.862529

De Gioia, K. (2015). Immigrant and refugee mothers' experiences of the transition into childcare: a case study. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 23(5), 662-672. doi: 10.1080/1350293X.2014.970854

Dempsey, D. (2013). Same-sex parented families in Australia. CFCA Paper, No.18

Fadul, J. A. (2008).  The development of the concept of death in children: new insights to children’s learning process.  The International Journal of Learning, 15, 123-129.

Holland, J. (2008).  How schools can support children who experience loss and death.  British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 36, 411-424.

Lamont, A. (2011).  Children in care. National Child Protection Clearinghouse Resource Sheet. Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies.

McArthur, M. & Thomson, L. (2011). Families views on a coordinated family support service. Family Matters, 89, pp. 71- 81. Retrieved 16 Jan from: http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/fm2011/fm89/fm89h.html

Moore, T., McArthur, M., & Noble-Carr, D. (2008).  Stuff you’d never think of.  Children talk about homelessness and how they’d like to be supported.  Family Matters, 78, 36-43.

Robinson, E. (2009). Sole-parent families: Different needs or a need for different perceptions? Family Matters, 82, 47-51.

*Sammons, P., Hall, J., Smees, R., Goff, J., Sylva, K., Smith, T., Evangelou, M., Eisenstadt, N., & Smith, G. (2015). The impact of children’s centres: studying the effects of children's centres in promoting better outcomes for young children and their families. Evaluation of Children’s Centres in England (ECCE, Strand 4) Research report. UK: University of Oxford

Wise, S. (2013). Improving the early life outcomes of Indigenous children: implementing early childhood development at the local level. Issues paper no.6 produced for Closing the Gap Clearinghouse.

Key Australian website references:

Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement http://www.grief.org.au

Australian Early Development Census http://www.aedc.gov.au/

Australian Human Rights Commission (Same sex entitlements) http://www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/samesex/index.html

The Australian Institute of Family Studies: Child Family Community Australia (CFCA) https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/

The Australian Institute of Family Studies https://aifs.gov.au/publications

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies http://www.aiatsis.gov.au

Grandparents as Parents http://www.grandparentsasparents.com.au/

Homelessness in Australia www.homelessnessaustralia.org.au/

Making Multicultural Society for the 21^st Century http://www.multiculturalaustralia.edu.au/

National Child Protection Clearinghouse publications http://www.aifs.org.au/nch/pubs.html

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission web site has some useful articles. http://www.hreoc.gov.au

The NSW Commission for children and young people web site. http://www.kids.nsw.gov.au/

Reconciliation Australia http://www.shareourpride.org.au/

Electronic Communication

It is the student’s responsibility to check all electronic communication on a regular weekly basis.  Communication may occur via:

● Official MQ Student Email Address ● The Dialogue function on iLearn ● Other iLearn communication functions

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

The framework of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, developed by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), provides a common reference point to describe, recognise, and support the complex and varied nature of teachers’ work. The Standards describe what teachers need to know, understand and be able to do, as well as providing direction and structure to support the preparation and development of students.

For more information see:  www.teacherstandards.aitsl.edu.au/

The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers addressed in UNIT ECH326 are:

·        Standard 1: Know students and how they learn (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5)

·        Standard 2: Know the content and how to teach it (2.1, 2.4)

·        Standard 3: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning (3.7)

·        Standard 4: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments (4.1)

·        Standard 7: Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community (7.3, 7.4)

ACECQA Standards

The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority standards addressed in UNIT ECH326 are:

·        Learning, development and care

·        Social and emotional development

·        Diversity, difference and inclusivity

·        Socially inclusive practice

·        Culture, diversity and inclusion

·        Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective

·        Multicultural education

·        Developing family and community partnerships

·        Research and advocacy

Internal Delivery:

This unit is taught weekly with a 1 hr lecture (pre-recorded) and 2 hour tutorial. This includes weekly readings prior to attending the lecture and tutorial. Copies of the lecture slides are available from the University’s iLearn website for UNIT ECH326.

Students are required to participate in small group activities, whole class discussion, to read the weekly material in advance, and to complete brief tasks either as individuals or in pairs. 

External Delivery

This unit has a weekly 1 hr lecture (pre-recorded recorded). This includes weekly readings prior to listening to the lecture. opies of the lecture slides are available from the University’s iLearn website for UNIT ECH326.

Students are required to participate in group discussions online (in iLearn) during the semester and attend and participate two on campus days (24th and 25th September).

On campus sessions: Monday 24 September and Tuesday 25 September - overview of the days

Day One:  Monday 24 September

Day Two: Tuesday 25 September

OVERVIEW OF THE WEEKLY CONTENT AND PROGRAM FOR UNIT ECH326