| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Sonja Maric
Contact via Via iLearn/ Dialogue or Email
25 Wally's Walk
By appointment
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
This foundational unit serves as an introductory exploration of the concept of learning and critical factors that affect the learning process. Embracing a systems-based and interdisciplinary approach this unit combines theories, insights and perspectives from social, cultural, and psychological disciplines and applies these to learners, learning environments, and the learning process itself. |
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. Students should be aware of and apply the University policy on academic integrity (see: https://policies.mq.edu.au/document/view.php?id=3).
Special Consideration / Late Penalties
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.
Students asking for a remark must make it clear why they are requesting a remark and which part of their assessment they are disputing in relation to the task criteria. All tasks marked by the Convenor are the final marks and no further re-mark will take place.
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 | Groupwork/Individual | Short Extension | AI Approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Using Personal Experiences to Foster a Deeper Understanding of Learning | 50% | No | 7th April 2026 by 11:55pm | Individual | No | Open AI |
| Observational Report | 50% | No | 3rd June 2026 by 11:55pm | Individual | No | Open AI |
Assessment Type 1: Reflection task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: 7th April 2026 by 11:55pm
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open AI
In this task students will enhance their theoretical understanding by engaging in self-reflection and critically exploring their own experiences. They will be encouraged to cultivate greater self-awareness regarding their perceptions and encounters with learning, both within and beyond formal educational settings. Students will also examine the range of factors that shape their learning experiences. Students will identify and describe the ways in which their understanding of being a learner has been influenced by their engagement with the unit. Explanatory links to relevant learning theories and readings are required.
Assessment Type 1: Presentation task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 41 hours
Due: 3rd June 2026 by 11:55pm
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open AI
For this assignment, students are tasked with creating a brief video report that showcases their ability to apply observational research techniques to analyse a specific aspect of learning environments and processes.
This report requires students to gather and interpret observational data, crafting a narrative that reveals insightful connections between their findings and theoretical concepts covered in the course.
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.
3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.
Resources
Required and recommended texts
All recommended texts can be found on Leganto.
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.
Lectures
Lectures are scheduled to occur on Thursdays. It is the responsibility of the student to check their timetable for the time and place of lectures. It is a strong recommendation that students attend all lectures as important information on assessments and site visits will occur there.
Lectures are 2hrs in duration.
Tutorials
It is the responsibility of the student to check their timetable for the day, time and palce of their tutorials. Students should NOT contact the unit convenor regarding timetable issues.
Tutorials are 1hr in duration.
Site Visits
Students will be expected to attend site visits as a part of this course.
Site visits are 2 hrs in duration and will take place in weeks 5 and 7 of the semester. Site visits are tied to assesment task 2 and there are no make up days schduled if missed.
Students are expected to submit a Special Considerations if they cannot attend tutorials and site visits.
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.
Unit information based on version 2026.06 of the Handbook