• Students should be aware of and apply the University policy on academic honesty (see: https://policies.mq.edu.au/document/view.php?id=3)
• Unless a Special Consideration (see: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/assessment-exams/special-consideration) request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of‚ 0 (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.
• This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessment (incl essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc). Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.
• Please format assessments using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing.
• All assessments are submitted electronically. Turnitin plagiarism detection software is used to check all written assessments.
• Students can use Turnitin’s Originality Report as a learning tool to improve their academic writing if this option is made available in the unit.
• Students should carefully check that they submit the correct file for an assessment as no re-submissions will be accepted after the due date and time, including instances where students upload an incorrect file in error.
• Word limits are strictly applied. Work above the word limit will not be marked.
• All assessments are marked using a rubric.
• Marking of all assessments is moderated by the Unit Convenor.
• Applications for extensions must be made via AskMQ (https://ask.mq.edu.au/).
• It is not the responsibility of unit staff to contact students who have failed to submit assessments. If you have any missing items of assessment, it is your responsibility to make contact with the unit convenor.

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. For Professional Experience units the PE Report is marked as satisfactory or unsatisfactory and the Teaching Performance Assessment (in final PE units) is marked as not meets, meets or exceeds. 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.

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 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 course progression.

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 https://ask.mq.edu.au

Required and recommended texts

• There is no set textbook for this unit this session
• It is recommended that you download and save a copy of the new Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (V2.0 2022)
• A reading list is provided on iLearn and reading links for each week are available via Leganto

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 in pdf format 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 https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/index.php. 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: 9850 4357 or 1800 67 4357
  • Email: help.mq.edu.au.
  • On Campus: Ground floor at 18 Wally’s Walk

Structure of Learning and Teaching Activities

• The unit structure can be found in the university timetable https://timetables.mq.edu.au/2023/
• The unit runs for 10 weeks framed around a specfic topic. The weekly topic overview for the unit is available on the following pages and a more detailed schedule with the accompanying readings and/or preparation can be found on the unit iLearn site.
• Each week comprises of a one-hour lecture (pre-recorded), required reading(s) and a two-hour weekly tutorial for internal students or a two-day session for external students.
  • External students will complete the tutorial tasks at the scheduled infrequent on-campus sessions on:
    • Thursday 13th April 9:00am-4:00pm
    • Friday 14th April 9:00am-4:00pm
• In the tutorial students will discuss issues and questions arising from the lectures and prescribed readings. You are required to participate in small group and whole class activities and discussion, to read the weekly material and watch the lecture in advance (ensure you set aside enough time to complete these tasks and take notes), and to complete brief tasks either as individuals or pairs. You are expected to base your arguments/discussions on evidence from published research and other relevant material.
• There will be a supporting iLearn site for the unit providing additional readings, links and materials.

ECHE2200 Unit Schedule - Session 1 2023

The 5Rs Framework, developed by the School of Education at Macquarie University, is embedded throughout your teacher education course. Your use of the 5Rs Framework will help you develop the capabilities that will make your teaching career sustainable and fulfilling. In this unit, you will learn using the 5Rs framework in the following important ways:

Resilient

Teachers need to manage uncertain and complex issues and unexpected events when they arise in their career. We know teaching is challenging and demanding, however, it has been observed that teachers who thrive are able to draw on their personal resources and the social and structural supports around them.

One aspect of this unit is a focus on learning dispositions for children - which include resilience and persistence. These are discussed in terms of how they can be "taught" but in doing so students also engage in reflection on their own sense of identity and dispositions for learning.

Reflexive

Teaching is about understanding multiple and changing ecologies of learning: individual students’ needs, the affordances of classroom spaces, student and teacher relationships, curriculum, research evidence, school culture, parental expectations, community demographics and needs, expectations of the profession, and government policy. Teachers must recognise and mediate these elements in their career, along with their own motivations and priorities, to make effective and impactful decisions that ensure quality student outcomes every day.

Reflective practice is a key principle within the EYLF. In exploring the importance of reflective practice throughout the unit students are engaged in regular reflection and reflective discussions about their own ideas and thinking.

Responsive

Teaching is a relational profession: great teachers make deep connections with students, parents and communities. Most of us remember a great teacher we had at school: not because of the content they taught, but because they were inspiring; because of the connection they made with us, their interest in us as an individual, their care for our wellbeing and success.

The unit ties theory to practice through and exploration of the EYLF and how it is used in early childhood settings. In this way it is responsive to practice and current debates/ideas in the sector and also informed by Mia Mia's practice (through the involvement of Mia Mia staff in consulting on the unit). Assessment 3 addresses contemporary/digital approaches to documentation of children's learning. 

Ready to Learn

When teachers graduate from university they are not at the end of their learning journey, but at the beginning. Ongoing pursuit of learning is a mark of a quality teaching profession. There are always new challenges to deal with and new ideas to try. However, in practice, learning needs are not a one size fits all affair. Teachers need to identify their own learning needs for their context and they can pursue that learning to achieve great outcomes for all students.

This unit focuses on the importance of ongoing professional development for teachers throughout their career. Key discussions focus on professional decision making and the role of ongoing learning as a key contributor to professional knowledge and growth.

Research Engaged

Effective teachers base their practice on evidence. This evidence can come from their own research in the classroom and from the latest academic research in specialised areas of learning, teaching, motivation, cognition, curriculum, technologies and spaces to name a few. Understanding data is important so that it can be analysed and woven back into practice.

In exploring the EYLF the unit engages with the research evidence that underpins early childhood curriculum. It is also concerned with helping students to articulate the research on early childhood education to a parent audience. Assessment 1 requires students to explain and element of the EYLF to parents via a newsletter while Assessment 2 asks them to explore the research behind another aspect of the EYLF.