| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Penny Van Bergen
Contact via penny.vanbergen@mq.edu.au
By request
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
80cp at 1000 level or above including (10cp of EDUC or EDST prefix)
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
The unit provides an introduction to the theory and practice of educational research, and focuses on its application to the development and evaluation of innovative, evidence-based educational practices which enhance the quality of learning and teaching in school settings. Students work in groups to complete a sequence of tasks through which they develop the knowledge and skills required to analyse and critically evaluate the educational research literature in order to identify evidence-based solutions to particular problems or issues in learning and teaching, and to apply educational research methodologies to evaluate their effectiveness. This specialist knowledge and skills that students develop will enhance their capacity to make sound, evidence-based professional judgements, support their future self-directed professional learning, and thereby contribute to the ongoing refinement of their professional practice. The group work component of the unit will scaffold the development of students' abilities to work collaboratively in order to make a meaningful contribution to school-wide improvement efforts.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
General Submission Information
Please format assessments using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing.
All assessments must be submitted electronically. Turnitin plagiarism detection software is used to check all written assessments. It is the responsibility of all students to ensure that their submitted work is in a format compatible with Turnitin software for plagiarism checking. Submissions must meet the required file type and formatting specifications outlined in the assessment guidelines. Failure to submit work in an acceptable format may result in delays in processing your submission and potential penalties for non-compliance with assessment requirements. If you are unsure about the file format or have technical difficulties, it is your responsibility to seek assistance before the submission deadline. Students should be careful to 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. 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 contact the unit convenor.
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.
Word limits are strictly applied. Work above the word limit will not be marked.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Students should be aware of and apply the University policy on academic integrity (see: https://policies.mq.edu.au/document/view.php?id=3).
Unauthorised use of generative artificial intelligence
occurs when a student uses material produced by a generative artificial intelligence in an academic exercise, without authorisation and submits it as their own work.
Unauthorised use of generative artificial intelligence may include using generative artificial intelligence to:
Any student suspected of using unauthorised AI in an assignment will be referred to the Faculty of Arts Discipline Committee. Penalties can include reduced marks for an assessment, being awarded '0' for a task, failing an entire unit, being excluded from a course of study. Please see each assessment task description/rubric for expectations about AI.
Special Consideration / Late Penalties
Applications for extensions must be made via Service Connect.
Late submission penalty
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day to late submissions, up until the 7th calendar 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.
Important to note:
Marking
All assessments are marked using a rubric.
Marking of all assessments is moderated by the Unit Convenor.
University Policy on Grading
Assignments will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the University's Grading System and University Assessment Policy.
To attain a pass or higher grade in Professional Experience a student must obtain a satisfactory in both the Professional Experience component and a pass or higher grade in the academic component. For Professional Experience units the Professional Experience Evaluation Report is marked as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. The Macquarie Teaching Performance Assessment (MQTPA - in final WIL/PEx units) is marked as Not met, Met or Exceeds.
Results
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed because 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 Service Connect.
Withdrawing from this unit
If you are considering withdrawing from this unit, please seek academic advice via Service Connect 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.
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annotated Bibliography (Group Work) and Essay (Individual) | 30% | No | 23:55 on 07/09/2025 |
| Participation Tasks | 40% | No | 23:55 on 03/08; 17/08; 31/08; 21/09; 19/10 |
| Research Proposal | 30% | No | 23:55 on 26/10/2025 |
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 23:55 on 07/09/2025
Weighting: 30%
Each group, collectively, explores the educational research literature in order to create a bibliography relating to their chosen problem or issue. Based on this, each group member, individually, explores a different facet of that problem or issue in their essay. Each student receives an individual mark
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 23:55 on 03/08; 17/08; 31/08; 21/09; 19/10
Weighting: 40%
Students complete 5 multiple choice quizzes and/or similar activities related to demonstrate their content knowledge. Each student receives an individual mark.
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: 23:55 on 26/10/2025
Weighting: 30%
Informed by the essays they produced, each group refines their problem or issue, explores the educational research literature in order to propose a new research study. The group, collectively, produces a report, and each student receives the group mark.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
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
This unit includes weekly lecture podcasts and online tutorials. Please ensure you have listened to the relevant weekly lecture podcasts before attending your tutorial.
Resources
You will need regular access to the internet and word processing software to complete this unit.
Required and recommended texts
Recommended texts will be posted on iLearn in the relevant week.
Information about the unit iLearn site
This unit has a full web presence through iLearn. 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: via email onehelp@mq.edu.au or Ph: 9850 4357 or 1800 67 4357. On Campus: Ground floor at 18 Wally’s Walk.
A unit schedule is provided on iLearn.
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.
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 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
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.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Academic Success 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.
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.
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.
In addition, the following policies and procedures for the Macquarie School of Education apply to this unit.
Academic Progression Policy
This unit is a part of a professional course listed on Schedules 2 and 3 of the Academic Progression Policy. This course has additional requirements that are applicable for the full duration of the course, including course-specific Inherent Requirements, Fitness to Practice requirements and other compulsory course requirements. It also has rigorous academic progression standards. Inability to meet these requirements may result in a withdrawal of offer of admission and/or permanent exclusion from the course in accordance with the General Coursework Rules.
Communication
It is the student’s responsibility to check all electronic communication on a weekly basis. Communication may occur via:
Attendance and Participation
See the University timetable for information about when classes begin in this unit. Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (mq.edu.au)
Attendance at all synchronous activities, completion of non-synchronous formative/diagnostic class tasks and involvement in professional forums is expected as the Bachelor of Education component of your degree is a professional qualification. Activities completed during weekly tutorials (DAY or ONLINE DAY mode) or on campus days (INFQ mode) 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 and/or ACECQA requirements. Attendance at all tutorials and/or on campus days is expected and will be recorded. Make up tasks may be given if attendance is missed to ensure all content is covered to meet accreditation requirements.
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 to request a change.
Infrequent Attendance Students
Information about the dates of the on-campus sessions can be found in the university timetable. Creating your timetable - Enrolling | Macquarie University, Sydney (mq.edu.au)
Unit information based on version 2025.02 of the Handbook