Students

EDUC1060 – Education: The Social and Historical Context

2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Neil Harrison
neil.harrison@mq.edu.au
Mridul Sood
mridul.sood@mq.edu.au
Lecturer
Norman McCulla
norman.mcculla@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit explores the broad historical and social contexts and trends in which Australian education now occurs and the issues that arise. The perspectives that inform the unit are predominantly sociological and historical, but the disciplines of cultural studies, philosophy, politics and economics also have a strong influence. The unit begins with an overview of the development of education in Australia. The unit then gives emphasis to issues of equity, social justice and social disadvantage, and considers these matters in relation to specific examples of contemporary policy issues in Australian education.

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:

  • ULO1: Develop an understanding of the key historical and social issues in Australian education, and identify links to contemporary situations and events.
  • ULO2: Locate relevant information about social and historical events in education from a range of sources including the library, newspapers and electronic sources.
  • ULO3: Develop skills in the analysis and critical review of academic and media material, and anticipate how this understanding could be applied.
  • ULO4: Present ideas in creative ways that assist in developing new understandings and solutions to problems.
  • ULO5: Communicate ideas effectively.
  • ULO6: Work collaboratively and ethically with others.
  • ULO7: Demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which issues in Australian education impact the teaching profession, students and others.

General Assessment Information

Assignment extensions and late penalties

 

  • 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: Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests. Late penalties are applied by unit convenors or their delegates after tasks are assessed.

 

  • 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.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Research Essay 45% No 28 August
Exploring the place of empathy in our society 50% No 30 October
ASSET Survey 5% No varies

Research Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 28 August
Weighting: 45%

 

Students will examine the proposition that education is an impossible project. They will analyse recent theories of representation in education, including Bill Green, Gert Biesta and Judith Butler.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Develop an understanding of the key historical and social issues in Australian education, and identify links to contemporary situations and events.
  • Develop skills in the analysis and critical review of academic and media material, and anticipate how this understanding could be applied.
  • Communicate ideas effectively.

Exploring the place of empathy in our society

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 30 October
Weighting: 50%

 

Use several different disciplinary frames to evaluate the place of empathy in our society and in education. Draw on research literature from disciplines such as psychology, philosophy and sociology to develop your argument..Your exploration must present different points of view, but avoid a simple for and against argument.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Locate relevant information about social and historical events in education from a range of sources including the library, newspapers and electronic sources.
  • Present ideas in creative ways that assist in developing new understandings and solutions to problems.
  • Work collaboratively and ethically with others.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which issues in Australian education impact the teaching profession, students and others.

ASSET Survey

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 3 hours
Due: varies
Weighting: 5%

 

Students will complete the Annual Student Survey of Education for Teaching (ASSET) which forms part of the assessment for this unit. The survey is in 5 parts and completion of each part will be awarded a mark of 1%.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which issues in Australian education impact the teaching profession, students and others.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

All students will need to attend BOTH on-campus days in full. If you are not able to attend the two on-campus days please do not enrol.

On-campus days are timetabled for: Sat 15/8/20  and Friday 25/9/20 

Please note, this unit cannot be counted for credit if you have completed EDUC1070.

 

Task 1 – Research essay 

References

Biesta, G.J.J. (2013). Receiving the gift of teaching: From ‘learning from’ to ‘being taught by’. Studies in Philosophy and Education, 32(5), 449–461.

Biesta, G.J.J. (2016a). The beautiful risk of education. Abingdon: Routledge.

Biesta, G. J.J. (2019). Should Teaching be Re(dis)covered? Introduction to a Symposium, Studies in Philosophy and Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11217-019-09667-y

Green, B. (2018). Engaging curriculum: Bridging the curriculum theory and English education divide. New York: Routledge.

Guyula, Y. (2010). The story comes along, and the children are taught. Learning Communities, 2, 18–22.

Harrison, N., Tennent, C., Burgess, C., Vass, G. Guenther, J., Lowe, K., Moodie, N. (2019). Curriculum & Learning in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education: A systematic review. The Australian Educational Researcher, 46(2), 233-251.

Task 2: Exploring the place of empathy in our society

References

Bloom, P. (2016). Against empathy: a case for rational compassion. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN: 9780099597827

Gross, M.H. & Terra, L. (Eds). (2019). Teaching and Learning the Difficult Past: Comparative Perspectives (pp. 1-8). New York: Routledge. (online access MQ library)

Harrison, N. (2017). Putting oneself in the shoes of another: Issues of empathy and intercultural understanding in the Australian geography curriculum. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education. 26:4, pp. 269-280.

Robertson, J. P. (Ed.), (1999). Teaching for a tolerant world: Grades K–6. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers. Retrieved from: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED435991.pdf

Waitoki, W. (2019). ‘This is not us’: But actually, it is. Talking about when to raise the issue of colonisation. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 48(1), 140–145.

Zembylas, M. (2020). The affective grounding of post-truth: pedagogical risks and transformative possibilities in countering post-truth claims, Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 28(1), 77-92.

 

Unit Schedule

All students will need to attend BOTH on-campus days in full. If you are not able to attend the two on-campus days please do not enrol.

On-campus days are timetabled for: Sat 15/8/20  and Friday 25/9/20 

Please note, this unit cannot be counted for credit if you have completed EDUC1070.

Structure of the unit

As indicated above, EDUC1060 is an exploration of the historical and social contexts of Australian education from a sociological perspective. It is divided into 4 modules:

Module 1. Curriculum and representation

The unit begins with a framing of education, in terms of curriculum and representation – what is possible in education?

Module 2. Governing Education

Due to a number of factors, globalization and the emergence of certain technologies to name but two, a focus on class, gender and race no longer adequately explains social disadvantage or inequality. Consequently, an alternative way of understanding the context of education is offered. Foremost among these is the way education is governed and its purposes defined in contemporary global societies.

Module 3. Education and Empathy

Cultural elements play a significant role in people’s lives, and consequently in their understanding of the society and communities they inhabit. These cultural elements inevitably influence education. We investigate the impact on education, teaching and learning of the news media, popular culture, and mobile technologies and how these influence classroom practice and the overall status of teachers in the society.

Module 4. Philosophy, Ethics, the Law and Education

In the final module we identify and reflect on a number of areas that define the role of teachers and the work of schools and early childhood centres.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

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 help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

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

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

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.

ASSET Survey

Task 3 – ASSET Survey Response- graded on a Pass/Fail basis (5%)

Due: Varies

Weighting: 5%

Description: Completing the Annual Student Survey of Education for Teaching (ASSET) forms part of the assessment for this unit. The ASSET will provide the Department of Educational Studies with a detailed understanding of our students and their experiences; including, who they are, their attitudes and beliefs about education, and how prepared they feel to work as teachers. In addition, as part of the registration of the Department of Educational Studies teacher preparation programs with the NSW Education Standards Authority, we are specifically required to collect impact data on programs. The proposed annual survey will serve the purpose of providing part of these mandatory data.  Further, it will provide the Department of Educational Studies with valuable information to revise and improve the programs offered to students. Finally, you may elect to make your de-identified data available to researchers in the Department if you choose.

Please note that identifying data will only be held by the Department of Educational Studies Research Administrator, Mridul Sood, and will not be released to the unit convenor or any academic staff in the Department. Full information is available when you open the survey.

The survey is in 5 parts and you will be awarded 1% for completion of each part for each unit in which you are enrolled that includes ASSET as part of the assessment. Please make absolutely sure that you select ALL the relevant units in which you are enrolled when completing each survey. 

After finishing each survey, you will be presented with a screen that confirms your successful submission along with a recommendation that you screenshot this confirmation. In addition, an automated emailed confirmation of completion will be sent to the email address you nominate. To minimise the risk of this email being diverted to your spam folder, please add  noreply@mq.edu.au and trigger@qemailserver.com to your email white list. If you have not received the email, please check your spam folder.

NOTE THAT EITHER THE SCREENSHOT OR EMAIL ARE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE OF SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION IN CASE OF DISPUTE. YOU DO NOT NEED BOTH.

Participation marks will be uploaded AFTER the final date for completion for each part of the survey into the Grades section of iLearn. Marks will normally be uploaded within a week of the final completion date and an announcement will be made on iLearn when the participation marks are available.

If your convenor allows display of marks in the Grades section of iLearn, completion of each survey will be indicated by a mark of “1” and non completion by a mark of “0”. If your convenor has iLearn setup to display grades only, completion of the survey will be indicated by a “HD” and non completion by a “F”.

If you have any difficulties accessing the survey or questions regarding participation marks, please contact the Department of Educational Studies Research Administrator, Mridul Sood, at des_research@mq.edu.au. When making enquiries please ensure that the following information is included in your email:

NAME (exactly is it appears in iLearn):

STUDENT NUMBER (check this is correct):

ASSET SURVEY PART ABOUT WHICH YOU ARE ENQUIRING:

UNIT(S) ABOUT WHICH YOU ARE ENQUIRING:

SPECIFY YOUR ENQUIRY:

Please note the Research Administrator works part-time and during peak periods it may take up to 10 days to respond to your enquiry.

Enquiries regarding missing marks must be submitted within 7 days of the results being released, except where there is documented disruption to studies.

You may complete the surveys any time before the final date for completion. Final dates for completion of each part and links are provided below and each survey must be completed before 11.59 pm:

Part 1:   1 September 

Link:    https://mqedu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9yLeIsU1lBMUKAl

Part 2:  15 September

Link:  https://mqedu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7ak8Qq9gPidlpIN

Part 3:  1 October  

Link: https://mqedu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2sebMJ4Vge1qUJv

Part 4:  15 October  

Link: https://mqedu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6txfR6mOONBB857

Part 5:  1 November

Link: https://mqedu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1K