Please refer to iLearn for detailed information about assessment tasks.  

• 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 clear marking scheme or 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.

NOTE: Students are required to submit their own work. Submissions should not include or report any content or ideas generated by third parties or artificial intelligence sources, including but not limited to ChatGPT.

Quiz Assessments

Quizzes are an individual assessment task and MUST BE COMPLETED by each student individually. Similarities in responses between students will be checked and investigated for possible collusion.

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 (PEx) 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.

Descriptive Criteria for awarding grades in the unit

To meet the unit outcomes and successfully pass this unit, students should attempt all assessment tasks.

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 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

Hoffnung, M., Hoffnung, J., Seifert, K., Hine, A., Pause, C., Ward, L., Signal, T., Swabey, K., Yates, K., & Burton Smith, R. (2023). Lifespan development (5th Australasian edition).  Wiley.

(Note: there is a special MQ custom edition of this text - please refer to iLearn for details)

Some weeks there are supplementary readings. Details of these are provided on iLearn and can be accessed via the Leganto units readings block. 

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 students enrolled in INFQ or online mode are especially encouraged to use this web component. Electronic links and suggested references will be included in the Resources section. Please check the iLearn unit regularly.

All lectures are embedded within the weekly topic sections (Not ECHO360).

PowerPoint slides associated with lecture content are available on iLearn in the associated topic section..

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

Log a request: help.mq.edu.au.

On Campus: Ground floor at 18 Wally’s Walk

Structure

The unit structure can be found in the university timetable https://publish.mq.edu.au In the tutorial students will discuss issues and questions arising from the lectures and prescribed readings. They are expected to base their 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.

The weekly program for the course with the accompanying readings/ preparation is available on the following pages and/or on the unit iLearn site.

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:

• Assignment feedback aims to focus on development of academic skills and critical thinking to encourage students to use feedback on assignments to improve performance. 

Reflexive:

• Online and tutorial ctivities encourage examination of alternative interpretations of developmental research and critical thinking about own future role and implications for practice. 

Responsive:

•  In tutorials students engage in practical activities to consider how children's early experiences impact development and later outcomes for children and examine ways of providing optimal environments and expereinces for children to support positive outcomes. 

Ready to Learn: 

•  Students are supported to develop an understanding that research provides the evidence base to inform practice and to identify strategies for supporting children's development. 

Research Engaged: 

• Lectures cover research methods used in child development research including specific reference to findings from the major longitudinal studies of child development (e.g. NICHD, LSAC & LSIC, AEDC).

• The major assignments require students to analyse data and engage with recent child development research and suggest implications for practice based on the research evidence.