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.
• 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.

Note: If you fail a unit with a professional experience component the fail grade will be on your transcript irrespective of the timing of  the placement.

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.

EDTE455 will be delivered as an internal daytime unit. Classes will include 1 hour lectures to provide information about concepts, and 2 hour workshops to provide opportunities for students to work with concepts by collaborating in groups as well as working individually.

It will be supported by online resources through ILearn. Please see the next section for information on how lecutures and workshops are linked to the Graduate Professional Teaching Standards.

Required and recommended texts

The prescribed texts for this unit are:

Science & Technology

Skamp, K. & Preston, C. (2018). Teaching Primary Science Constructively (6e). South Melbourne: Cengage

History & Geography

Harrison, N., & Sellwood, J. (2016). Learning and Teaching in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education (3e). South Melbourne: Oxford.

Syllabus documents and support materials you will need:

Board Of Studies NSW (2012). History K-10 Syllabus. Sydney: Board of Studies NSW.

Board Of Studies Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (2015). Geography K-10 Syllabus. Sydney: BOSTES.

These documents are available for download from:

https://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/

NSW Education Standards Authority (2017). Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus. NESA: Sydney.

Available from:

http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/science/science-and-technology-k-6-new-syllabus

Information about the 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.

Various activities and materials for discussion and critical reflection are included and external students especially are encouraged to use this web component. Electronic links and suggested references will be included in the Resources section. Please check the iLearn unit regularly.

Weekly lectures are available on the web through the ECHO360 lecture component. You must listen to all lectures if you do not attend these ‘live’.

PowerPoint slides are available in iLearn in advance of the weekly lecture and/or are 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.

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

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.

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.
• Uploading of assessment tasks to iLearn.

MODULE 1: Science & Technology

MODULE 2: Geography & History

The content of the unit has changed from 2018, with Science & Technology module now taught first and History & Geography second. The Science & Technology related AT has also shifted in focus from mostly online to integration of online/digital resources. Workshops and ATs have been tweaked in line with advice from previous students via TEDS. 

EDTE455 Curriculum and Teaching in the Primary School 5 is a three credit-point unit consisting of lectures and workshops. It is the fifth unit in the primary curriculum methodology series. This unit builds on the concepts taught in EDTE252, emphasising reflective practice on curriculum and pedagogy through interaction with activities focusing on the Key Learning Areas of the Australian Curriculum: History, Geography and Science & Technology. Student capabilities in curriculum design and pedagogy are extended with the opportunity to examine and evaluate a range of teaching/learning experiences across the Key Learning Areas (KLAs), using their Professional Experience (EDTE403 Professional Experience in Primary School II), as well as moving from knowledge of content strands and learning activities (covered in EDTE252) to formal planning and consideration of pedagogies relevant to the understandings and skills required in the Australian Curriculum.

EDTE354 must be completed before attempting this unit. EDTE455 builds on concepts introduced in the preceding primary TEP units (EDTE251, EDTE252, EDTE353, EDTE354).

Sequence of Unit development

The Department of Educational Studies recognises the Darug people as the traditional custodians of the land upon which we learn and teach. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the Wattamattagal clan of the Darug Nation, the traditional custodians of this land, whose cultures and customs have nurtured and continue to nurture the land on which we are meeting and learning. Their interaction with the land over such a long time suggests there is much we can learn from them about sustainability and respect for the environment. 

The local totem of the Wattamattagal clan is Wallumai, a black snapper fish that has been described this way: "shy but clever fish, who uses the shadows and patterns created by the mangroves to protect the younger fish. The mangroves are their nursery, their school and their home. The mangroves represent life – the obstacles and tangles that we need to navigate. Once we learn the right path to take, we are safe in that knowledge and in our lives"¹. 

¹ Walanga Muru. Accessed from https://www.mq.edu.au/about/about-the-university/our-commitment-to-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples