Assessment Presentation and 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. [Exception: In Task 1, syllabus outcomes/content may be shown in 10-point font, single spaced.]

• All assessments must be submitted through Turnitin in .doc or .pdf format

• It is the responsibility 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.

• Students are responsible for checking that their submission has been successful and has been submitted by the due date and time.

Assignment extensions and late penalties

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

• Applications for extensions must be made via AskMQ according to the Special Consideration policy. 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.

• 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 re-assessment 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 cannot be re-marked 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.

University policy on grading

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.

Descriptive Criteria for awarding grades in the unit

In order to meet the unit outcomes and successfully pass this unit, students must make a genuine attempt at all assessment tasks. Where any submitted assessment task is considered to be unsatisfactory in this regard, the highest possible final grade that can be awarded for the unit will be 45.

Students will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the policy: https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/assessment-in-effect-from-session-2-2016

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

Withdrawing from this UG Unit

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

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.

Required text

Churchill, R., Godinho, S., Johnson, N. F., Keddie, A., Letts, W., Lowe, K., MacKay, J., McGill, M., Moss, J., Shaw, K. & Rogers, J. (2019). Teaching: Making a difference (4^th ed.). Milton, Qld, Australia: Wiley.

Students should decide if they would prefer to purchase the textbook as an e-text or a hardcopy (which includes an e-text). Books will be available from the Co-op Bookshop. See also https://www.wileydirect.com.au/buy/teaching-making-a-difference-4th-edition/

Students are expected to base their arguments/discussions on evidence from published research and other relevant material. Further recommended readings and resources will be listed on iLearn.

Unit iLearn site  

This unit has a full web presence through iLearn. 

Students will need regular access to a computer and the internet to complete this unit.

Weekly access to iLearn is compulsory for all students. Important assessment information will be posted here, as will other relevant unit notices and materials, including a reading template and guide to lecture note taking to assist your studies.

Electronic links and suggested references will be included in the Leganto section.

Please check the iLearn unit regularly.

Lectures

Weekly lectures will be at 9am on Mondays from Week 3. Lectures are also available on the web through the ECHO360 lecture component. You must listen to all lectures if you do not attend these ‘live’.

PowerPoint slides will be available in iLearn for the weekly lecture and/or may be available in the Active Learning Tool.

Access and technical assistance

Information for students about access to the online component of this unit is available at ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/. You will need to enter your student username and password.

Please do NOT contact the Unit Convenor regarding iLearn technical help.

Assistance is available from IT Helpdesk ph: 1800 67 4357, or log a request at help.mq.edu.au. OneHelp is the online IT support service for both students and staff.

No extensions for assignments will be given for any technical issues. Allow enough time for your submissions.

This unit requires students to use several ICT and software skills:

• Internet access: The iLearn site contains materials for this unit; it is also required for the online submission of all Assessment Tasks, and for the use of Turnitin submission for ALL tasks. 
• Word processing, visual representations, and document formatting: You are required to use an appropriate form of software to present your assignments. You must use Program Builder for Task 1 (information about this will be provided in workshops).
• Uploading of assessment tasks to iLearn.

Structure

The unit's face to face teaching is comprised of 1 x one-hour lecture and 1 x two-hour workshop per week, starting from Week 3 of Session.

In the workshops students will discuss issues and questions arising from the lectures and prescribed readings, and will engage in activities which build capacity for assignments and for transition to the profession. Workshops are integral to achieving the learning outcomes of the unit.

Students are required to participate in small group activities and whole class discussion, to read the weekly material in advance, and to complete brief tasks either as individuals or in pairs/small groups. The weekly program for the course with the accompanying readings / preparation is available on the unit's iLearn site. A summary of the unit schedule is provided in this unit guide.

A more detailed unit schedule is available on the unit’s iLearn site.

This unit's workshops were substantially revised in 2017 and the assessment structure improved to enhance alignment to NESA accreditation requirements. The critical reflection assignment was rationalised in 2018 from 4 shorter reflections (in 2017) to one more in-depth reflection. This improvement was well-received in 2018 and is retained. In 2018 the ASSET survey was introduced, and it is again part of the current offering of the unit.