• 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

• Irving, E., & Carter, D. (2018). The child in focus: Learning and teaching in early childhood education. Oxford University Press.
• 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 12 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) and required reading(s) and three 1-hour online tutorial sessions for OUA students through Zoom. For some topics, students will find discussion and/or study tasks. OUA students are expected to contribute to these online discussions and tasks to demonstrate their engagement and progress in the unit.
  • Attendance for the online tutorial sessions is expected on:
    • Monday 6th March 7:00pm-8:00pm (AEDT)
    • Monday 24th April 7:00pm-8:00pm (AEDT)
    • Monday 22nd May 7:00pm-8:00pm (AEDT)
• You are required to have completed all readings, listened to lectures and completed any tasks for the topics prior to each online workshop. In the tutorial students will discuss issues and questions arising from the lectures and prescribed readings. 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.

ECHX6000 Unit Schedule - Session 1 2023

Amendment of Assessment Tasks from 3 tasks to 2 tasks to streamline and align more effectively with learning outcomes

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

Practiced inside and outside the classroom

In order to be more resilient to the stresses of the teaching environment, teachers need to be aware of, and maintain, their holistic health and sense of coherence. They need the confidence and clarity of mind to manage uncertain and complex issues and unexpected events whenever they arise in their career.

Teaching is demanding for everyone; however, it has been observed that the teachers who thrive on challenges are those who are able to draw on their personal resources and the social and structural supports around them.

Reflexive

In their teaching practice

Teaching is about understanding multiple and changing ecologies of learning. This encompasses individual students’ needs, the affordances of classroom spaces, student and teacher relationships, curriculums, school culture, parental expectations, community demographics and needs and expectations of the profession, and the effects of government policy.

Teachers must recognise and mediate all these elements, along with their own motivations and priorities. A reflexive approach to teaching assists in making effective and impactful decisions that ensure quality student outcomes on a daily basis.

Responsive

To students, colleagues, parents and professional communities

Teaching is a relational profession. The best teachers make deep connections with their students, parents and communities. Most of us remember a great teacher, not because of what they taught, but because they were inspiring. They engaged us through the personal connections they made with us, and their recognisable care for our wellbeing and success.

Ready to Learn

When teachers graduate from university, they are far from the end of their learning journey, but rather just at the beginning.

The ongoing pursuit of learning is a mark of a quality teacher. There are always new methods and ideas to try. But in practice, learning needs are not a one-size-fits-all affair. Teachers need to identify their individual learning needs within the context of their career. Then, they can pursue that learning to the benefit of both themselves and their students.

Research Engaged

Through their career

Effective teaching practice is based on evidence. This evidence can come from their own research in the classroom and the latest academic research in learning, teaching, motivation, cognition, curriculum, technologies and spaces, to name a few. A critical understanding of data is essential, allowing it to be analysed and woven back into practice.

Data can be big or small – both types are equally important. Big data includes large-scale standardised testing, which is great for identifying unfolding trends in the teaching sector. Small data includes things like classroom assessment, which gives us details about how and why students are succeeding or failing in specific areas.

The 5Rs framework can help teachers stay focused on what’s important. It can give teachers the confidence to keep at their career, strive for personal improvement and maximise their positive impact on students.