Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor, Lecturer, Tutor Dr Kerry-Ann O'Sullivan kerryann.osullivan@mq.edu.au 25WW B522
Credit points	Credit points 10
Prerequisites	Prerequisites EDST8208 and EDST8211
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description A study of literature is a cornerstone to English teaching and learning in the NSW English syllabus. This unit focuses on developing knowledge of literature and how teachers can use literature in designing learning experiences that build multimodal and critical literacy skills in primary school children. It explores the skills required to communicate effectively through language, images and other modes and understand their role in creating and maintaining or subverting social values in today's linguistically and culturally diverse world. Through examination of a range of literary forms/genres, traditions and media (nursery rhymes and poetry, picture books, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island literature, non-fiction, multicultural literature, adaptations of children's literature in film and interactive multimedia), the unit considers the potential of literature to support the teaching of all three strands of English in the Australian National Curriculum: language, literacy and literature.

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: Articulate and apply a research-shaped understanding of the role and value of literature across the curriculum in primary school contexts.
ULO2: Apply knowledge of, and evaluate teaching and assessment strategies, to design literature-based English learning experiences for primary school students.
ULO3: Critically reflect upon pedagogy and appropriate evidence-based teaching strategies for literature-based learning experiences in primary school.
ULO4: Design differentiated learning to cater for diverse learners.
ULO5: Demonstrate effective communication strategies to report on rigorous investigation or scholarly inquiry into issues of critical relevance to the teaching of English in primary schools.

General Assessment Information

Assessment Presentation and Submission Guidelines

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 guide or 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.

In accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy a student must take responsibility, be proactive, take ownership and hold oneself responsible for ensuring all information and content, including citations and references in their assessment, have been generated and communicated in an ethical, honest and responsible manner. Failure to show responsibility by checking the accuracy and integrity of your own content, citations and references, or the submission of falsified content, is a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

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.

Grade	Descriptor
HD (High Distinction)	Provides consistent evidence of deep and critical understanding in relation to the learning outcomes. There is substantial originality and insight in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem-solving approaches; critical evaluation of problems, their solutions and their implications; creativity in application as appropriate to the discipline.
D (Distinction)	Provides evidence of integration and evaluation of critical ideas, principles and theories, distinctive insight and ability in applying relevant skills and concepts in relation to learning outcomes. There is demonstration of frequent originality in defining and analysing issues or problems and providing solutions; and the use of means of communication appropriate to the discipline and the audience.
Cr (Credit)	Provides evidence of learning that goes beyond replication of content knowledge or skills relevant to the learning outcomes. There is demonstration of substantial understanding of fundamental concepts in the field of study and the ability to apply these concepts in a variety of contexts; convincing argumentation with appropriate coherent justification; communication of ideas fluently and clearly in terms of the conventions of the discipline.
P (Pass)	Provides sufficient evidence of the achievement of learning outcomes. There is demonstration of understanding and application of fundamental concepts of the field of study; routine argumentation with acceptable justification; communication of information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline. The learning attainment is considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in relation to the specified outcomes
F (Fail)	Does not provide evidence of attainment of learning outcomes. There is missing or partial or superficial or faulty understanding and application of the fundamental concepts in the field of study; missing, undeveloped, inappropriate or confusing argumentation; incomplete, confusing or lacking communication of ideas in ways that give little attention to the conventions of the discipline.

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 ask.mq.edu.au.

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

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.

Grade	Descriptor
HD (High Distinction)	Provides consistent evidence of deep and critical understanding in relation to the learning outcomes. There is substantial originality and insight in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem-solving approaches; critical evaluation of problems, their solutions and their implications; creativity in application as appropriate to the discipline.
D (Distinction)	Provides evidence of integration and evaluation of critical ideas, principles and theories, distinctive insight and ability in applying relevant skills and concepts in relation to learning outcomes. There is demonstration of frequent originality in defining and analysing issues or problems and providing solutions; and the use of means of communication appropriate to the discipline and the audience.
Cr (Credit)	Provides evidence of learning that goes beyond replication of content knowledge or skills relevant to the learning outcomes. There is demonstration of substantial understanding of fundamental concepts in the field of study and the ability to apply these concepts in a variety of contexts; convincing argumentation with appropriate coherent justification; communication of ideas fluently and clearly in terms of the conventions of the discipline.
P (Pass).	Provides sufficient evidence of the achievement of learning outcomes. There is demonstration of understanding and application of fundamental concepts of the field of study; routine argumentation with acceptable justification; communication of information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline. The learning attainment is considered satisfactory or adequate or competent or capable in relation to the specified outcomes
F (Fail)	Does not provide evidence of attainment of learning outcomes.  There is missing or partial or superficial or faulty understanding and application of the fundamental concepts in the field of study; missing, undeveloped, inappropriate or confusing argumentation; incomplete, confusing or lacking communication of ideas in ways that give little attention to the conventions of the discipline.

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

Results

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
A professional exploration of children's literature	50%	No	2024-10-07
Multimodal presentation of Children’s Literature	50%	No	2024-11-04

A professional exploration of children's literature

Assessment Type ¹: Qualitative analysis task
Indicative Time on Task ²: 40 hours
Due: 2024-10-07
Weighting: 50%

An investigation of the selection and teaching of Children’s literature with a consideration of reading for pleasure.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Articulate and apply a research-shaped understanding of the role and value of literature across the curriculum in primary school contexts.
Apply knowledge of, and evaluate teaching and assessment strategies, to design literature-based English learning experiences for primary school students.
Critically reflect upon pedagogy and appropriate evidence-based teaching strategies for literature-based learning experiences in primary school.

Multimodal presentation of Children’s Literature

Assessment Type ¹: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task ²: 40 hours
Due: 2024-11-04
Weighting: 50%

A multimedia presentation for teaching a unit of work of literary and other texts in a primary class.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Articulate and apply a research-shaped understanding of the role and value of literature across the curriculum in primary school contexts.
Apply knowledge of, and evaluate teaching and assessment strategies, to design literature-based English learning experiences for primary school students.
Critically reflect upon pedagogy and appropriate evidence-based teaching strategies for literature-based learning experiences in primary school.
Design differentiated learning to cater for diverse learners.
Demonstrate effective communication strategies to report on rigorous investigation or scholarly inquiry into issues of critical relevance to the teaching of English in primary schools.

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

Required and recommended texts

Required texts:

Callow, J. (2023 2nd edn). The shape of text to come. How images, text and other modes work. Newtown, NSW, Australia: Primary English Teaching Association Australia.

ISBN 9781875622870

McDonald, L. (2023). A literature companion for teachers (3rd edn). Sydney, Australia: Primary English Teaching Association Australia.

· Note please: both are published by the Primary English Teaching Association and if students join PETAA, they can request to receive these 2 books as a welcome package.

There are prescribed peer reviews articles as required readings in LEGANTO on iLearn (linked to the Library).

RECOMMENDED texts will be suggested and listed on iLearn in the Resources section

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 INFQ 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 the lectures.

PowerPoint slides are available in iLearn to accompany the lectures.

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.

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.
Students may also use ADOBE CLOUD CONNECT, with access through the Faculty of Arts for TASK 2.

Structure

See the university timetable for information about when classes begin in this unit.Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (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.

EDST 8212 has a weekly recorded lecture, online weekly workshops and required attendance at one on campus full day session (Tuesday 24th September), and online independent learning activities. CLASSES START WEEK 1

Unit Schedule

This Unit has the following required learning and attendance components and classes start WEEK 1:

A weekly lecture available online
A weekly online workshop of 2 hours at 4pm -6pm Tuesdays. Attendance is required: weeks 31-32 (1 &2), and weeks 40 -44 (9 through to 13).
One full on campus day, Tuesday 24th September, 9am to 3.30pm. Attendance is required.
There will be an optional evening Book Club session to be negotiated (held online).

EDST8212 is structured in 5 Modules:

1. Literary tales to tell Weeks 1 & 2

2. Words, sounds and images All day on campus (after 6 weeks of professional experience placement block) Tuesday 24th September, 9am to 3.30pm room TBA

3. Textual patterns, forms and features Weeks 9 & 10

4. Many voices, many texts Weeks 11 & 12

5. Creating and sharing stories Week 13

A program with details of the Module and weekly focus and the required readings will be available on iLearn.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

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

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/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 connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

School of Education Procedures

In addition, the following policies and procedures of the School of Education are applicable in this unit.

Attendance for Master of Teaching (Primary and Secondary) units

Classes start online in Week 1 in EDST8212.

Attendance at all synchronous activities, completion of non-synchronous formative/diagnostic class tasks and involvement in professional forums is compulsory as the Master of Teaching is a professional qualification. All students must meet the 80% attendance requirement.

Activities completed during tutorials or on campus days are essential for building the core knowledge and/or skills required to demonstrate the learning outcomes of this unit and to meet the AITSL Graduate Teacher Standards. Attendance at all tutorials or on campus days is expected and the roll will be taken.

Students are required to attend the tutorial in which they are enrolled. Any changes to tutorial enrolments must be completed officially through e-student. Please do not contact the unit convenor requesting a change.

Electronic Communication

It is the student’s responsibility to check all electronic communication on a regular weekly basis. Communication may occur via:

Official MQ Student Email Address
The Dialogue function on iLearn
Other iLearn communication functions

Infrequent Attendance Students

Information about the date of the on-campus sessions can be found in the university timetable. Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (mq.edu.au)

The on-campus session on Tuesday 24th September is essential to student engagement and learning and attendance is expected. Failure to attend or to have an approved Special Consideration may result in a Fail grade for the unit. Please see attendance requirements in this unit guide.
Prior to the on-campus session, you should have read the prescribed readings and listened to the lectures. Summarise the main points and make a note of the key terms and definitions. Prepare any discussion questions of your own that you wish to share.
Please make effective use of the online component of the unit and access iLearn regularly. Keep up to date with listening to the lectures on a weekly basis.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

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

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

IT Support
Accessibility and disability support with study
Mental health support
Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues
Student Advocacy provides independent advice on MQ policies, procedures, and processes

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

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.

Changes from Previous Offering

New children's literature added as published.

5RS Framework

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 EDST8212, you will learn using the 5Rs framework in the following important ways:

Resilience: exploration of subject construction & links to professional identity construction; working through the nature of group engagement & the 'book club' activities;
Reflexive: attitudes to reading/ image of self as a reader & viewer examined; shaping of professional action emerging from their self-explorations; evaluative component to be included in assessment;
Responsive: central to textual exploration and being responsive to a richness of ideas & forms; peer discussion and activities and resources to consider and respond to various issues including diversity & Aboriginal perspectives through looking at textual representation; assessment tasks will include implications for professional practice;
Ready to learn: independent textual selections, wide reading & "book club" participation; engagement with Professional Association activities included in unit; and
Research engaged: assessment tasks will be informed by a critical examination of research literature to provide an analysis of, and selection if relevant classroom textual material - justification of choices; student participation in a research project is included.

Unit information based on version 2024.03 of the Handbook

Macquarie University

EDST8212 – English Specialisation

2024 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-infrequent, North Ryde